What Is A Documentary

What is a documentary? According to a dictionary, the definition of the word documentary is: adj. 1. Consisting of, concerning, or based on documents. 2. Presenting facts objectively without editorializing or inserting fictional matter, as in a book or film. n. pl. documentaries A work, such as a film or television program, presenting political, social, or historical subject matter in a factual and informative manner and often consisting of actual news films or interviews accompanied by narration. Codes and Conventions of a documentary o Documentaries will always have a voiceover. The person’s voice will typically engage the audience and portray a sense of knowledge and status. o There needs to footage of real events as it is non-fiction and must be true to life. o Interviewees must know what they are talking about in order to authenticate the topic of the documentary o When a person is speaking, a small title box almost always appears on the screen below the interviewee. This title box contains both their name and possibly their job title. o Music is used as a bridge between cutaways and interviews. Music is also used at the start and the end of the documentary also. o The use of appropriate mise-en-scene also authenticates the documentary and reinforces the representation of the speakers.