Documentary filmmaking can be one of the rawest, most moving, and special types of art. A documentary can explore any topic, and often, it’s the ones that are unexpected that we love most. If you’re a documentary fan, you’re probably aware that there are different types of documentaries, but do you know what these are?.
Documentary films usually fall into one of six distinct categories. If you’re interested in learning more about documentaries, this is the guide for you. Read on to learn more about the six different documentary genres.
Types of Documentaries
1. The Poetic Documentary
A poetic documentary is what it sounds like in that it focuses more on mood, feeling, and striking imagery. Documentaries are usually light on narrative content, choosing to focus more heavily on visuals, and usually are inspirational documentaries. This type of documentary first became popular in the 1920s, and one of the most famous examples is Leni Riefenstahl’s Olympia.
2. The Participatory Documentary
Have you ever watched a documentary wherein the filmmakers are present and even participating in the story? If so, you’ve already seen an example of the participatory documentary.
This type of documentary contrasts with the traditional form, which generally doesn’t involve any input from the filmmaker. Michael Moore would be one of the best examples of directors making this type of documentary.
3. The Observational Documentary
On the other end of the spectrum, we have observational documentaries, wherein the directors and filmmakers have no input whatsoever. This type of documentary is also called fly-on-the-wall filmmaking and can be recognized as the most common and traditional form of documentary. One of the benefits of documentaries of this type is that the subject is captured in its most raw (and often most honest) form.
4. The Reflexive Documentary
Like the participatory documentary, the reflexive documentary references the filmmaker. In this type, however, the filmmaker’s involvement is different. Instead, this type focuses more on the relationship between the filmmaker and the audience.
In this type of documentary, the film’s subject is often filmmaking itself. As such, it’s often made up of behind-the-scenes type shots.
5. The Performative Documentary
The performative documentary is yet another type of documentary that features the filmmaker. The type of documentary usually focuses on the relationship between the filmmaker and the subject. One of the most famous documentaries that use this style is Supersize Me by filmmaker Morgan Spurlock which looks at his experience eating only McDonald’s fast food for 30 days.
6. The Expository Documentary
Many people would think of this type of documentary when they consider this form of film. Ken Burns is one of the most well-known proponents of this style.
Usually, the documentary explores and shows evidence for a particular point of view. Another common feature is an omnipotent voiceover narrating the contents of the film.
In all of their forms, documentary films can be important pieces of art and journalism. Hopefully, this brief guide has given you a better understanding of the different types of documentaries. If you’d like to learn more, check out the rest of our site now.
Final Thoughts:
Observational documentary is a method of filmmaking that tries to capture activity or events as accurately as possible. This style is often accompanied by music but without narration. Lastly, the poetic style aims to express the filmmaker’s poetic vision, often using the camera or other forms of sound.
The observational documentary focuses on the filmmaking process and makes the audience aware of the filmmaker. So, while it may not be the best genre for a documentary, it can be an excellent choice for a film. As the name implies, observational documentaries attempt to observe a living subject without intervening. These films usually do not feature characters and tend to be nonlinear.
