Since the advent of Documentaries, the boundaries of what filmmaking can offer has been pushed past its traditional stance. All formats and genres are now welcomed with shades of the director’s style as well as their influences incorporated in it. In 1991, American film critic and theoretician Bill Nichols proposed 6 different approaches towards documentaries – poetic, expository, observational, participatory, reflexive, and performative. Though the techniques may overlap with one another they all have certain features that are specific to their kind.
Making an appearance in 1920, poetic documentaries true to their name weave a story with the help of visually appealing images. The intention behind using such a style is to create a feeling and enchant the audiences through the judicious usage of creatively arranging the shots. Some filmmakers may choose to use a narrative or simply follow a non-linear method. One may find such an approach being used in Tongues Untied (1989) by Marlon Riggs and Welt Spiegel Kino (2005) by Gustav Deutsch.
A stark contrast to what poetic documentaries offer, expository explores the narrative with a commentator who walks the audience through the pictures depicted on screen. Many viewers associate it with the way how a documentary should play out. A focused point of view is constantly reiterated to the masses with the accompaniment of persuasion techniques. Examples, where the director has chosen the expository route, include The Dust Bowl (2012) by Ken Burns and The Blue Planet (2001) with David Attenborough stepping in the narrator’s shoes.
Although sharing similar traits with its poetic counterpart, observational allows the viewers to ponder over/observe the events unfolding in front of their eyes. Using close-ups along with camera tilts and various angles, the audience is rendered a holistic perspective. Accepted by the cinema verité movement, this specific method under the moniker – the fly on the wall approach – monitors the subject in a manner that does not unnerve them. Realism is promoted by shunning out any sort of reenactments. Frederick Wiseman’s High School (1968) and Public Housing (1997) follow a similar pattern.
Participatory documentaries mark the presence of the director on tape. Interactions between the director and subject in the form of questions serve as the focal point along which the narrative plays out. Even if they are poles apart, observational also steps in entailing long handheld shots of the individuals' daily proceedings. French filmmakers Jean Rouch and Edgar Morin’s successful attempts to portray this style can be seen in their (1961) film, Chronicle of a Summer.
Documentaries as we all know aim to record people, places, events, occasions, and milestones so that the future may not forget its historical roots. But does one ever wonder what goes behind these extensive undertakings? A style that delves into this specific aspect is Reflexive Documentaries. This particular approach regards the documentary-making process as its subject matter. The cinematographer shoots behind-the-scenes footage of the complete film process which involves editing and post-production amongst the many others. A sliver of participatory makes an appearance as the existence of the filmmaker is acknowledged. Dziga Vertov’s (1929) Man With a Movie Camera is one such example that made history.
Last but not least we come to Performative Documentaries, centering on the directors' relationship with the subject. This serves as a diving board to explore the deeper topics that lay below the shallow surface, hidden from the eye. The inclusion of a personal touch garners the interest of the audience. An example that best serves this method is Morgan Spurlock’s (2004) Supersize Me which chronicled the experimental effects his body underwent by consuming McDonald’s fast food for 30 days.
Documentaries have undergone a myriad of changes since their inception. With the dawn of new filming techniques that are paving their way through the industry, it will not be long before filmmakers curate new and distinctive approaches towards their cinematic canvases.
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