Documentary Sub-Genre Research

 Genre

My portfolio project will be a documentary. A documentary is a product that illustrates a “slice of life”. It's usually non-fiction and focused on a specific subject. A documentary uses videos, photographs, real people, and events that create a specific story that at times can have a message. They can go from 30 minutes to 2 hours long. After doing a fair amount of research about documentaries there are 6 different types of documentaries.

Poetic Documentaries:

These types of documentaries focus more on experiences, images, and moreover showing the world through a different lens. This sub-genre aims to create a feeling rather than a truth. These documentaries focus on specific images and music that help create an emotional response or experience. The three characteristics of poetic documentaries are visual rhythm over continuity, lack of traditional narrative, and subjectivity. For visual rhythm over continuity, the editing goal is to use shot design and composition to emphasize the look of the documentary and create a new perspective for the viewers. When it comes to poetic documentaries a common characteristic is to not go with the traditional narrative route meaning that the characters won't progress throughout the story and it won't move towards a resolution. Instead of the documentary fighting to make a point, a poetic documentary wants to approach its specific subject “in a more abstract and experimental way”. These characteristics will help the viewer trigger the emotional response the poetic documentary wants to have.
Source: https://www.masterclass.com/articles/guide-to-poetic-documentaries

Expository Documentaries:

These documentaries set up a specific argument or pov about a subject. Usually, there's a narrator that speaks directly to the viewer. These docs include footage that supports or helps strengthen the argument the film is trying to make. They include stock footage, archival footage, b-roll, or re-enactments. The documentaries are usually made to inform and persuade. The three main characteristics of a documentary are omniscient voice-over, a “right” answer, and evidentiary editing. Throughout the documentary, there is a voice accompanied by the images and visuals that are being shown. The voiceover helps explain and state the argument. When watching these types of docs rhetorical questions recount history, and interviews are often used to support the claims and to have supportive evidence. Unlike poetic docs which are meant to trigger emotional responses, expository films use images to help support their claim.
Source: https://www.masterclass.com/articles/understanding-expository-documentary-mode

Observational Documentary: 

This aims to record a more realistic, everyday life but without any intrusion. These documentaries tell concrete stories about real people which means a huge factor in these docs is using realism. They do this by following people or events in real time, giving the film a sense of immediacy. Handheld shots are used by having around portable cameras that would allow the subjects to be followed around more easily. Long takes help create a sense of realism and allow the viewers to connect to the film. There is almost little to no voiceover in order to not have any intrusive narratives. In observational docs, there are no re-enactments in order to not interfere with the look of realism they strive for. Observational is raw and authentic, it gives voice to all sides of an issue by giving the viewers a firsthand pov of the subjects (whom or what the film may be about) and a closer perspective.
Source: https://www.masterclass.com/articles/guide-to-observational-mode 

Participatory Documentaries:

These documentaries would include the filmmaker in the narrative. This can be used by adding the filmmaker's voice to prod their subjects with questions during interviews behind the camera. The filmmaker will be able to appear in the film during an interview as well. The effect of their presence could be to have a bigger influence on the narrative. In this film, the filmmaker is a character since they can be seen or heard at certain points of the film. The interviewer's questions are included in the edit, so the audience is allowed to see or hear the filmmaker asking the specific questions. This allows there to be a clear relationship between the filmmaker and the interviewee. The viewer is aligned with the filmmaker, which means that the viewers can see the film through the filmmaker's perspective allowing them to view the situation from a specific pov or lens.
Source: https://www.masterclass.com/articles/guide-to-participatory-documentaries 

Reflexive Documentaries:

These as well can include the filmmaker within the film. This film does not want an emotional response but actually wants the audience to consider the material. The subject of the film is always the purpose of the film. Characteristics found in reflective documentaries are often like the ones from participatory docs. It will often show the camera and/ or production to call attention to the conventions of filmmaking.
Source: www.masterclass.com/articles/understanding-reflexive-documentary-mode 

Performative Documentaries:

This documentary focuses on the filmmaker's involvement with the subject. They use their personal experience or relationship with the subject to start exploring a larger subject. These films are more personal; they tend to share the experiences and personal feelings of the filmmaker. Their personal feelings tend to be included in order to receive an emotional response from the audience.
Source: https://www.masterclass.com/articles/understanding-performative-documentary-mode