IN
DOCUMENTARY
SecondEdition
Bill Nichols
INDIANA UNIVERSITY PRESS
Bloomington6 Indianapolis
, Contents
This book is a of paper 11sedin this publication Acknowledgments ix
meets the minimum requirements of
Indiana University Press the American National Standard for Introduction , xi
601 North Morton Street Information Sciences-Pcrmanenec
Bloomington, Indiana 47404-3797 USA of Paper for Printed Library
Materials, ANSI Z39-48-1992.
www.iupress.indiana.edu 1 How Can We Define Documentary Film? . 1
Manufactured in the Uuited 2 Why Are Ethical Issues Central to
States of America
Documentary Filmmaking? .
Library of Congress Cataloging-
in-Publication Data 3 What Gives Documentary Films a
© 2001, 2010 by Bill Nichols Voice of Their Own? · 67
1st edition 2001, 2nd edition 2010 Nichols, Bill, [date]
All rights reserved Introduction to documentary
4 What Makes Documentaries
I Bill Nichols. - 2nd ed.
No part of this book may be reproduced p. cm. Engaging and Persuasive? · 94
or utilized in any form or by any means, Includes bibliographical
electronic or mechanical, including references and index. 5 How Did Documentary Filmmaking
photocopying and recording, or by Includes filmography. Get Started? · 120
any information storage and retrieval ISBN 978-0-253-35556-o (cloth : ;ilk.
system, without permission in paper) - ISBN 978-0-253-22260-2
6 How Can We Differentiate among Documentaries?
from the publisher. The Association (pbk. : alk. paper) 1. Documentary
of American Presses' films-History aud criticism. I. Title. Categories, Models, and the Expository and
Resolution on Permissions constitutes PN1995.9.D6N539 2010 Poetic Modes of Documentary Film . 142
the only exceptio11 to this prohibition. 070.1'8-dc22
20100!7294 7 How Can We Describe the Observational,
Participatory, Reflexive, and Performative
Modes of Documentary Film? .
, 1 How Can We Define DocumentaryFilm?
ENTER THE GOLDEN AGE
This introduction to the ways in which documentary engages with the
world as we know it takes up the series of questions indicated by the
chapter titles. These questions are the commonsense sort of questions
we might ask ourselves if we want to understand documentary film.
Each question takes us a bit further into the domain of documentary;
each question helps us understand how a documentary tradition arose
and evolved and what it has to offer us today.
The current Golden Age of documentaries began in the 1980s.
It continues unabated. An abundance of films has breathed new life
into an old form and prompted serious thought about how to define
this type of filmmaking. These films challenge assumptions and alter
perceptions. They see the world anew and do so in inventive ways.
Often structured as stories, they are stories with a difference: they
speak about the world we all share ,end do so with clarity and engage-
ment. Anyone who has come of age since the 1980s doesn't need to
be convinced of this, but older generations may have to adjust their
assumptions about the power of nonfiction relative to fiction. In a time
when the major media recycle the same stories on the same subjects
over and over, when they risk little in formal innovation, when they
remain beholden to powerful sponsors with their own political agendas
,. and restrictive demands, it is the independent documentary film that
, has brought a fresh eye to the events of the world and told stories, with
DOCUMENTARY
SecondEdition
Bill Nichols
INDIANA UNIVERSITY PRESS
Bloomington6 Indianapolis
, Contents
This book is a of paper 11sedin this publication Acknowledgments ix
meets the minimum requirements of
Indiana University Press the American National Standard for Introduction , xi
601 North Morton Street Information Sciences-Pcrmanenec
Bloomington, Indiana 47404-3797 USA of Paper for Printed Library
Materials, ANSI Z39-48-1992.
www.iupress.indiana.edu 1 How Can We Define Documentary Film? . 1
Manufactured in the Uuited 2 Why Are Ethical Issues Central to
States of America
Documentary Filmmaking? .
Library of Congress Cataloging-
in-Publication Data 3 What Gives Documentary Films a
© 2001, 2010 by Bill Nichols Voice of Their Own? · 67
1st edition 2001, 2nd edition 2010 Nichols, Bill, [date]
All rights reserved Introduction to documentary
4 What Makes Documentaries
I Bill Nichols. - 2nd ed.
No part of this book may be reproduced p. cm. Engaging and Persuasive? · 94
or utilized in any form or by any means, Includes bibliographical
electronic or mechanical, including references and index. 5 How Did Documentary Filmmaking
photocopying and recording, or by Includes filmography. Get Started? · 120
any information storage and retrieval ISBN 978-0-253-35556-o (cloth : ;ilk.
system, without permission in paper) - ISBN 978-0-253-22260-2
6 How Can We Differentiate among Documentaries?
from the publisher. The Association (pbk. : alk. paper) 1. Documentary
of American Presses' films-History aud criticism. I. Title. Categories, Models, and the Expository and
Resolution on Permissions constitutes PN1995.9.D6N539 2010 Poetic Modes of Documentary Film . 142
the only exceptio11 to this prohibition. 070.1'8-dc22
20100!7294 7 How Can We Describe the Observational,
Participatory, Reflexive, and Performative
Modes of Documentary Film? .
, 1 How Can We Define DocumentaryFilm?
ENTER THE GOLDEN AGE
This introduction to the ways in which documentary engages with the
world as we know it takes up the series of questions indicated by the
chapter titles. These questions are the commonsense sort of questions
we might ask ourselves if we want to understand documentary film.
Each question takes us a bit further into the domain of documentary;
each question helps us understand how a documentary tradition arose
and evolved and what it has to offer us today.
The current Golden Age of documentaries began in the 1980s.
It continues unabated. An abundance of films has breathed new life
into an old form and prompted serious thought about how to define
this type of filmmaking. These films challenge assumptions and alter
perceptions. They see the world anew and do so in inventive ways.
Often structured as stories, they are stories with a difference: they
speak about the world we all share ,end do so with clarity and engage-
ment. Anyone who has come of age since the 1980s doesn't need to
be convinced of this, but older generations may have to adjust their
assumptions about the power of nonfiction relative to fiction. In a time
when the major media recycle the same stories on the same subjects
over and over, when they risk little in formal innovation, when they
remain beholden to powerful sponsors with their own political agendas
,. and restrictive demands, it is the independent documentary film that
, has brought a fresh eye to the events of the world and told stories, with
