Database Documntary

- THE POETIC MODE – Subjective, artistic expression

The poetic mode of documentary moves away from the "objective" reality of a given situation or

people to grasp at an inner "truth" that can only be grasped by poetical manipulation.

Codes emphasises visual associations, tonal or rhythmic qualities, descriptive passages, and

formal organisation favours mood, tone and texture.

Key Examples of Poetic tradition in documentary include:

Robert Flaherty – “Man of Aran” (1934) - dramatic framing of material presents mythic image of

man in harmony with nature.

Leni Riefenstahl – “Olympia” (1938) presents a glorified view of (Aryan) athletes during the 1936

Olympic Games, celebrating power and beauty of the (Aryan) human form, “Triumph of the

Will” (1935), “Baraka” (1981) and “Powaqqatsi” (2003)  

- THE PARTICIPATORY MODE

Unlike the observational mode, the participatory mode welcomes direct engagement between

film maker and subject(s) - the filmmaker becomes part of the events being recorded. The film makers impact on the events being recorded is acknowledged, indeed, it is often celebrated.

Key Examples of the Participatory Mode include:

The films of Michael Moore - here the filmmaker directly engages with the material being

addressed; he becomes a character in the documentary, a “TV Personality” - an essential part of the subject. If he is IN the documentary and part of the event being documented, how can the viewpoint be objective?

Nick Broomfield - “Kurt and Courtney” (1998)

Bashir - Living with Michael Jackson (2004)  

- THE REFLEXIVE MODE – Awareness of the process

The Reflexive Mode acknowledges the constructed nature of documentary and flaunts it -

conveying to people that this is not necessarily "truth" but a reconstruction of it - "a" truth, not

"the" truth.

Codes / Conventions: The artifice of the documentary is exposed - the audience are made aware of the editing, sound recording, etc.

Key Examples of the Reflexive Mode include:

Dziga Vertov - “Man with a Movie Camera” (1929) - documents the mechanisation of Soviet life

in the late twenties - the mechanical camera and cameraman become part of the subject.

The art of making pictures is part of this "new" mechanical work and it too, is part of the film - we

literally at points in the film see the film being constructed. Representing a construction of truth.  

- THE EXPOSITORY MODE - (Voice of God)

This mode is what we most identify with the documentary - it emphasises verbal commentary

and argumentative logic often using a narrator. (Home) – Docufact about the Humans’ negative effect on the planet Earth. Assumes a logical argument and a "right" and "proper" answer using direct address to audience, offering preferred meaning, most associated with Television News.

Key Examples of Expository form in documentaries include:

John Grierson 

Many nature documentaries.

- THE OBSERVATIONAL MODE – Window on the world

Observational (objective) mode is best exemplified by the Cinema Verite or Direct Cinema

movement which emerged in the late 1950s/early 1960s - it attempted to capture (as accurately as

possibly) objective reality with filmmaker as neutral observer, for example “Fly on the Wall.”

Codes/conventions:

The filmmaker remains hidden behind the camera, ignored by the surrounding environment

he/she neither changes nor influences the actions/events being captured, simply documents them.

Since nothing is staged for the camera, the camera rushes about to keep up with the action resulting in rough, shaky, often amateur-looking footage.

Key Examples of the Cinema Verite/Direct cinema Movement:

Frederick Wiseman – “Hospital” (1970)

Richard Pennebacker – “Don't Look Back” (1967) - records Bob Dylan's 1965 tour of Britain,

“Also Soho Stories” (1996), “Geri” (1999)  

 -THE PERFORMATIVE MODE – Filmmaker as participant

This mode of documentary emphasises the subjective nature of the film maker as well as

acknowledging the subjective reading of the audience - notions of objectivity are replaced by

"evocation and affect."

Codes / Conventions: This mode emphasises the emotional and social impact on the audience

Key Examples of the Performative Mode include:

“Supersize Me” - Morgan Spurlock 2004

Arguably, films by Michael Moore: “Bowling For Columbine.” 

Docudrama

 A docudrama is a film or television show, which combines the fields of documentary and drama. One might call a docudrama a non-fiction drama, with a focus on real events and real people presented in a dramatised way.

Docudramas have a tendency to stick to the facts, as they are known without offering commentary. The purpose is to give the audience basic information, allowing them to draw their own conclusions. However most documentaries include narrative which are designed to influence watchers and readers. Docudramas also use techniques to bring the events discussed to life. For example instead of saying Chris and Jake had a conversation, a docudrama will stage a re-enactment of the conversation.

 Unlike a true documentary, a docudrama may include staged footage with actors. Depending on the topic, little to no documentary footage may be used.

- Kuda Mutinta 

Mockumentary

A mockumentary is a "mock documentary", which is seen as a parody. It is a genre of film and television in which fictional events are presented in a document form, as if to be realistic to a viewer.

 Mockumentaries are made to look and feel like a real documentary. They usually have interviews and hidden-camera style shots.  However there is one big difference between the two. Instead of real-life coverage of real-life events, mockumentaries generally consist of a fictional story lines played by trained actors.  On the other hand some mockumentaries blur the lines between reality and fiction by putting their fictional characters into real life situations with real life people with whom to interact.    Mockumentaries are often loosely scripted and rely on the improvisation of their actors for comedic value.

 In a Mockumentary, the audiences know that it is fictional, but traditional comedy isn’t used, for example punchlines. The humor in a mockumentary often begins from incidental bits of dialogue or visuals, accompanied by a talented actor's realistic delivery of improvised lines.

Feel The Space (2008) - Giampietro Balia 

This documentary is a about Edgar, a blind guy who practices Aikido (A form of Japanese martial arts). The documentary just follows Edgar has he practices Aikido with the teacher and other Aikido fighters. 

Giampietro Balia has gone for the obverational mode in for documentary and I think its fits it well. As viewers all we want to see is Edgar practicing his Aikido so the Balia just puts the camera in the room and records Edgar has he trains. This could as be referred as the ‘fly on the wall’. During the documentary the only sounds is from the teacher speaking and the sound from when they are training. The documentary was filmed with a hand held camera. Balia has done this to make it seem realistic, as if you’re actually there watching live. In the documentary Bilia uses lots close-up shots of Edgar’s face and when his training, also the shots as usually long takes.
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm4553281/
http://www.giampietrobalia.com

Super Size Me (2004) - Morgan Spurlock 

This documentary is about examining the influence of the fast food industry, while Morgan Spurlock personally explores the consequences on his health of a diet of solely McDonald's food for one month.

The filmmaker Surlock appears in the documentary as the presenter and he also narrates it too. This also makes the audience know that the documentary is shot from the point of view of Surlock, the questions, the shots used, the interviewees were all chosen by him. The emphasis of the documentary is of the reaction of the people Surlock meet. Surlock intervenes and participates in the action. During the film he sets his own task to see how much weight he can put on by eating three McDonalds meals a day for 30days. Surlock interviews a lot of the public during the film and the questions tend to be informal. The documentary was filmed on a hand held camera solely because during the film surlock and his camera crew constantly on the move. The film also uses a lot of archive footage especially at the beginning and also during the film.

Flutter the new Twitter - Slate V (2009)

This Documentary is about a company taking Twitter to another level and making their own social network called Flutter. They speak about the benefits of the social network and explain why it’s better than Twitter.

This documentary looks and feels real but it’s actually a mockumentary. They use aspects of a real documentary like for example Interviews but really it’s all fake. The documentary is made to look like a real company starting up a new social network site but they add a comical element to it, which lets the audience know it’s fictional. They also use made up characters played by actors and actresses instead of real life people. Mockumentaries are usually filmed and edited like a normal documentary. Even though it’s comical they don’t use traditional comedy for example punchlines and jokes. The way it’s scripted makes it funny and also the way they compare Flutter to Twitter and explain how much better it is.

http://www.youtube.com/user/slatester

- Kuda Mutinta 

 The office – 2001 - 2003
 

The Office is a television series created, written, and directed by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant. The programme is about the day-to-day lives of office employees in the Slough branch of the fictitious Wernham Hogg Paper Company.

The television programme is a drama but it also has aspects of a documentary that makes it a docudrama. During the show the characters have like an interview styled bit where they explain what’s happening within the show. They also stage re-enactments of conversations for example like flash backs. The fact that’s its fictional also lets the audience know that it isn’t a documentary. During the series they focus on real events and story lines but its presented in a dramatised way. More drama footage tends to be shown rather then documentary.

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0315041/
 
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0580351/