Issues in Documentaries - J. Chapman
In Jane Chapmans 'Issues in Documentaries' text, she discusses how documentaries are a "rather unstable category" and that they are more safely applied as an adjective than a noun as they are challenging to categorise. The use of techniques between documentaries and other categories overlap and this makes it more difficult to define and recognise a documentary, as well as weakening the 'status of the genre'.
The evolution of the genre started in the early 1920's when films captured real people in everyday situations. Documentaries used 'a creative treatment of actuality' and digital manipulation is used in action, however not documentaries as this can manipulate whats real. In the 1970's onwards, camcorders and digital manipulated equipment allowed documentaries to be more portable and easier to make. The development in technology also allows non-interventional documentary, known as direct cinema to be more popular, for example Goggle box.
Journalistic news values were integrated with educational values in order to reach TV audiences. Documentary on television has a popular range of formats which include: docu-dramas, chat shows, undercover video, and drama based on facts.
Cinema, Television + Docu-soap
Documentary can have an impact on cinema audiences, for example wildlife films provide content for cinematic appeal of documentary on the big screen. Docu-soaps on TV have had influence on the factual landscape and the uses of observational documentary techniques combines with drama style editing. Direct cinema and observational filming are aimed not to influence events, however in 'docu-soaps everything is pre-arranged for the cinema. Documentaries also tend to make an argument, however in docu-soaps no questions are asked and the format depends on the narrative.
Fiction/non fiction, Genres + Categories
Applying the label 'non-fiction' to a film doesn't mean it doesn't have fictional elements to it. A documentary may have elements on non-fiction by how social actors perform as the camera has an influence. Furthermore, the events of a documentary could have taken place anyway, but the placement of the camera results in a level of performance by the social actors.
Sub-genres have emerged from documentaries such as fusions with soap opera's. Even Channel 5's facial department has been organised into different sections, which include: popular documentaries, features, popular factual TV series and reality formats.
Realism
Perceptions of reality change according to period and this effects what realism is; in the 1920's when Strike was realised, this was portrayed as a documentary style film as the actions of the workers were what happened in everyday life. However, now this film is taken as cinematic fiction. Realism gradually became an essential tool for documenting the daily life experiences and is now embedded in real life.
Chapman, J. (2009) Issues in Contemporary Documentary, Cambridge: Polity. Ch.1: Definitions: Issues and Influences.
Fiction/non fiction, Genres + Categories
Applying the label 'non-fiction' to a film doesn't mean it doesn't have fictional elements to it. A documentary may have elements on non-fiction by how social actors perform as the camera has an influence. Furthermore, the events of a documentary could have taken place anyway, but the placement of the camera results in a level of performance by the social actors.
Sub-genres have emerged from documentaries such as fusions with soap opera's. Even Channel 5's facial department has been organised into different sections, which include: popular documentaries, features, popular factual TV series and reality formats.
Realism
Perceptions of reality change according to period and this effects what realism is; in the 1920's when Strike was realised, this was portrayed as a documentary style film as the actions of the workers were what happened in everyday life. However, now this film is taken as cinematic fiction. Realism gradually became an essential tool for documenting the daily life experiences and is now embedded in real life.
Chapman, J. (2009) Issues in Contemporary Documentary, Cambridge: Polity. Ch.1: Definitions: Issues and Influences.
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