6 Modes of Documentary
Kostadin Stoimenov
Expository Voiceover addresses the audience directly which can also be referred to Direct mode of address. It does it through both voice and titles that propose a perspective that could advance an argument or recount history. Voiceover could be either “Voice of god” (heard but not seen) or “Voice of authority” (heard and seen and usually an expert in the field). This mode emphasises verbal commentary often using a narrator . And quite often this mode only constructs one point of view which could be argued that documentaries of this sort are biased. This type of documentary is the most popular/common type of TV Documentary. Examples: Work of John Grierson Many nature Documentaries Shock Doctrine
Observational This mode is all about realism and observing the subject’s daily life with an unobstructional camera. The filmmaker remains hidden behind the camera, ignored by the surrounding environment he/she neither changes nor influences the actions/events being captured. It most observational documentaries there is hardly any voiceover because of the way it is presented and wants to be taken in by the audience. 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. Examples: Hospital (1970), Don't Look Back (1967), Geri (1999)
Participatory Mode Unlike the observational mode, the participatory mode welcomes direct engagement between filmmaker and the subject(s) - the filmmaker becomes part of the events being recorded. The filmmakers impact on the events being recorded is acknowledged, indeed, it is often celebrated. Examples: The films of Michael Moore - here the filmmaker directly engages with the material being address, he becomes a character in the documentary - an essential part of the subject
Poetic Mode This mode is very different from all the other ones. It stresses the lyrical, rhythmic and emotional aspect of the world. This type 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 poetic manipulation. Documentaries of this sort have a non-linear approach and quite often they remain undeveloped in favour in creating a particular mood or tone. Examples: Robert Flaherty's Man of Aran (1934) Much of the work of Leni Riefenstahl
Performative Mode Documentaries of this sort focus on the filmmakers themselves and is very personal to them. It is often done to tell the stories of the filmmakers that come from niche social groups. It acknowledges the emotional and subjective aspects of documentary, and presents ideas as part of a context, having different meanings for different people, often autobiographical in nature. Examples: “Supersize me� Morgan Spurlock 2004
Reflexive Mode The Reflexive Mode acknowledges the constructed nature of documentary and displays it - conveying to people that this is not necessarily "truth" but a reconstruction of it -"a" truth, not "the" truth. The Filmmaker acknowledges their presence in front of the camera and provides narrative to the documentary. This sort of documentaries set out to re-adjust the assumptions and expectations of its audience and not to add new knowledge to existing categories. Examples: Dziga Vertov's Man with a Movie Camera (1929) - documents the mechanization of Soviet life in late twenties - the mechanical camera and cameraman become part of the subject.