Purpose of documentary film

Audiences are hungry for documentary films if we could just shift those 37 hours of viewing in the us to include more highquality documentaries and encourage the inclusion of more docs in programming and more funding for docs in general. In 2010s introduction to documentary, film educator and documentary consultant bill nichols distilled the types of documentaries down to six styles. In this concise, crisply written guide, patricia aufderheide. Documentary has been described as a filmmaking practice, a cinematic tradition, and mode of audience reception that is continually evolving and is without clear. Documentary deals with facts and reality whereas feature films deal with fiction. Using documentary film as an introduction to rhetoric. Narrative fiction we know as the featurelength entertainment films we see in theaters on a friday night or on our tv screens. At any rate, the purpose or approach of the makers of most documentary films is to record and interpret the actuality in front of the camera and microphone in. The term documentary was coined by filmmaker john grierson in 1926 to describe a film made about life on a south sea island. A documentary can be produced to achieve one or more of the things you bring up in your question details. The presenter becomes part of the film and guides the audience through the story and interviews people along the way. A documentary film is a nonfictional, motion picture intended to document reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction, education, or maintaining a historical record. So many of the films at hot docs this year succeeded in precisely this objective.

What filmmaking techniques are used in the documentaries you have seen. Documentary film is a broad category of visual expression that is based on the attempt, in one fashion or another, to document reality. The filmmaker is not presenting the quoted material for its original purpose but harnessing it for a new one. The academy award nominated film murderball is one of the most engaging sports films ever. Documentary film can encompass anything from robert flahertys pioneering ethnography nanook of the north to michael moores antiiraq war polemic fahrenheit 911, from dziga vertovs artful soviet propaganda piece man with a movie camera to luc jacquets hearttugging wildlife epic march of the penguins. Public agencies, nonprofits, educational institutions, museums, libraries, and other communityfocused organizations frequently use documentaries to complement. A feature film is a film with a runtime of 40 minutes or longer, according to the academy of motion picture arts an. Capturing the spontaneity and uninhibited flow of life and events as they happen. Even though the scenes are carefully chosen and arranged, usually through editing after filming, they are not scripted and the people in the movie are not typically actors. A documentary film is a nonfictional, motion picture intended to document reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction, education, or maintaining a historical. To find an overarching purpose in film, one would first have to find the overarching purpose of all art, a matter that has been dealt with in aesthetics for a long time with no firm conclusion. The interactive style is often used within other styles of documentary making. The filmmaker either has an agenda going into making the film or comes out with a specific perspective.

Thus, the educational purpose, which has been fundamental in all griersons activity, is intrinsically related to the notion of documentary. Whether or not a film is a documentary film depends on its content. I think the closest general statement of purpose in film is found in eberts quote posted by sadfly. For many years, as films became more narrativebased, documentaries branched out and took many forms since their early beginnings some of which have been termed propagandistic or nonobjective. Intended to strengthen the infrastructure for those working in the documentary field.

The purpose of documentaries varies from film to film. Typically more selfconsciously stylized and aestheticized than expository films, but often incorporating many of the same elements. The idea of documentary relates to the methods of historians who rely on written documents and manuscripts as primary sources of evidence. A fanmade concert film with footage from the purpose tour and interviewsmontages with justin bieber, in the style of a documentary. Documentary th argues mass incarceration is an extension. There are several types of research that documentary filmmakers might undertake, including archival research, academic research, and inperson interviews. The reasons people make films are closely related to the purpose of films and why people watch films. This may be an essay written for the application or from a collegeuniversity course the applicant. Intended to strengthen the infrastructure for those working in the documentary field, the report can be used as a catalyst for cross. The purpose of films and why we watch films vlad d. Documentary aims to educate, inform and inspire the viewers whereas feature films aim to entertain the audience. Given the growing influence of documentaries, it is important that students have the skills to understand and analyze these information sources.

Documentary film, motion picture that shapes and interprets factual material for purposes of education or entertainment. The phrase representation of reality is utterly mistaken as a definition of documentary, because the idea of film as mirroring is a false one and a very misleading ideal. May 16, 20 its interesting that you bring this question up because i was just thinking about this a day or two ago. Generally, most feature films tend to do one or more of the following via storytelling. The film traces the use of public relations tactics that were originally developed by the tobacco industry to protect their business from research indicating health risks from smoking. Particular characters in the film either follow such cultures or rebel against them. The documentary film form itself is not new, of course. Planning your documentary film is essential because you want to make sure you have all the information needed before you start filming. In this style of documentary filmmaking, the filmmaker or another person presents the story to the camera. A great way to delve into the potential of documentary film is to host a. It was once rare for a documentary film to be released in mainstream theaters, but that is beginning to change. A film is not a mere representation, but a willed presentation of something made by someone in a specific way and for someone. This is the main difference between documentary and. When youve done your research and you have all the information about your topic you need, you can structure your info film in a way that captures the attention and interest of your.

Jul 07, 2018 a fanmade concert film with footage from the purpose tour and interviewsmontages with justin bieber, in the style of a documentary. Whether or not a film is a feature film depends on its runtime. Difference between documentary and feature film documentary. Whats the purpose of film festivals in the 21st century. Merchants of doubt is a 2014 american documentary film directed by robert kenner and inspired by the 2010 book of the same name by naomi oreskes and erik m. Mar 20, 2015 left on purpose is a documentary film about the friendship between an aging antiwar activist who has decided that his last political act will be to take his own life and the filmmaker who is struggling to tell the story. What is the difference between a feature film and a. Apr 26, 2020 a documentary film is a movie that attempts to document reality. Jun 30, 2016 the difference between documentary and feature film lies in their purpose and subject matter. When the actions of characters in the totality of the film are assessed based on the popular culture in the film, it. The following have all been purposes for certain documentaries. Archive or stock footage is film shot for purposes other than the particular documentary film in which it is shown. Thrilling and adrenaline pumping, the documentary film is about the courage of wheelchair bound athletes who stand up against the odds to fulfill their dreams.

A documentary is a film that provides a factual report on a particular subject. This is a documentary film about a new paradigm of aging. Documentary filmmaking requires research to provide the context, footage and other visuals, narration, and interviews that will appear in the film. Top documentary films watch free documentaries online. The writing sample should be a five to eightpage essay on a documentary film or a documentary film related topic of your choosing for instance a study of a specific documentary filmmaker or documentary film movement. Which do you think is the most valid reason for a documentary. Documentary is one of three basic creative modes in film, the other two being narrative fiction and experimental avantgarde. Hearing, watching, touching, smelling and tasting are the only doorways to. Why documentaries have the power to change the world one. Shot in documentary style throughout the day and night, the images are raw and real to illustrate the work behind the headlines.

Using documentary film as an introduction to rhetoric 3 introducing rhetorical analysis through documentary film renee h. It is often used to portray famous historical events or to give a sense of context of a particular historical period. It represents an initiative to transform our views of aging and create a new phase of life with as much purpose and meaning as all phases before it. Documentaries have been made in one form or another in nearly every country and have contributed significantly to the development of realism in films.

Documentary film definition and meaning collins english. Left on purpose is a documentary film about the friendship between an aging antiwar activist who has decided that his last political act will be to take his own life and the filmmaker who is struggling to tell the story. David alvarado is an awardwinning documentary filmmaker with a passion for science, philosophy, and human rights. Archive footage is often cheaper for the documentary maker to procure than original film and interviews.

Documentary films are nonfiction motion pictures that describe some reallife issue or subject. There is a message in every film and it has the potential to change lives. In this article, we will discuss the six styles or modes nichols wrote able. In documentary filmmaking, such a privileged use will be both subordinate to the larger intellectual or artistic purpose of the documentary and important to its realization. A practice of filmmaking that deals with actual and factual and usually contemporary issues, institutions, and people. Last month, the national endowment for the arts released a new report, state of the field. Knowledge comes in different ways through our five senses.

View a documentary film and analyze the rhetorical and persuasive strategies employed by the filmmaker in the construction of the films argument. We explore the different types and share characteristics and examples of each. Documentary filmmakers statement of best practices in. Coming together to explore new cultures and celebrate creativity will always be important and film is the perfect medium for that.

This is the basis of creation of a villain and hero within the movie. Apr, 2011 i personally watch films not only for the above genrerelated reasons but also to get inspired by the story and its characters. Infinite border transported viewers into the fraught migration of. There are as many answers to your question as there are filmmakers. Dec 17, 2016 documentary th argues mass incarceration is an extension of slavery filmmaker ava duvernay talks about her new documentary, th, which explores the history of race and the criminal justice. The main aim of a documentary is informing and educating the viewers. Documentary films strictly speaking, are nonfictional, slice of life factual works of art and sometimes known as cinema verite. This documentary film provides a unique insight into the life of collins. It is an introduction into the growth, development and transformation that is possible in life beyond adulthood. What was the purpose of the documentary film the eternal. A modern masterpiece of documentary filmmaking, the film stirred controversy when it was shut out of the best documentary category at the academy. Documentary films are an indepth and informative resource which are. Since the 1990s, there has been a veritable explosion of documentary films and digital media productions accompanied by a correspondingly large number of books and articles dedicated to contextualizing and interpreting them. In this essay, you will analyze the rhetoric of a documentary film, specifically its purpose, audience, persuasive appeals, and its effectiveness.

Mfa documentary film and video admission department of. Documentary films film genres research guides at dartmouth. The documentary genre of film is a woven part of cinematic history. A documentary film is a movie that attempts to document reality. Other purposes of a documentary film are to inform, attack a perspective, to persuade, educate, entertain, defend a perspective, to critique, and to observe real life. How to create a good documentary film with pictures wikihow. Its interesting that you bring this question up because i was just thinking about this a day or two ago. Documentary th argues mass incarceration is an extension of slavery filmmaker ava duvernay talks about her new documentary, th, which explores the history of race and the criminal justice. Apr 03, 2020 30 documentaries that will change your life. Shea nonfiction, visual culture, argumentthese three essential components of reading and writing converge in documentary film, making it an ideal way to introduce students to the fundamentals of rhetoric.

A report from the documentary sustainability summit, in partnership with international documentary association ida. Sometimes, a documentary film may rely on voiceover narration to describe what is happening in the footage. However, lets first define what a documentary actually is before we get into the types of documentaries. It is an accurate representation of real events, people, situations, emotions, and reactions or conditions. They can be made both for broadcast on television and for showing in movie theaters. What was the purpose of the documentary film the eternal jew. Films can have many different purposes depending on what we define a film as. Its purpose is to make you aware and actively participate in a society that can make shape the future of this world. Websters dictionary defines documentary as consisting of documents. The objectives of documentary point of view magazine. Often adopts the visual language of fictional film intended to articulate continuous. To celebrate the release of this iconic album, heres a short film which will drive you to the era. Documentaries can provide an objective description of something or a polemic argument in favor of a particular viewpoint.