DOCUMETARY MODES
Who came up with idea of documentary modes? – Bill Nichols in 2001 in his book
‘Introduction to documentary.’
What is the poetic mode? – focus more on the aesthetic elements and reflecting a
tone than imposing a narrative structure.
What is the expository mode? – has an authoritative narration to guide the spectator.
Visuals serve to support and illustrate the narration
What is the participatory mode? – visibility of relationship between filmmaker and
subject is present.
What is the observational mode? – filmmaker is observing what is happening without
intervention. There is no music, no scene arrangement, no interviews and no
narrations. ‘fly on the wall’ approach.
What is the reflexive mode? – allows the filmmaker to engage with the spectator and
draws attention to the construction of the documentary itself. Self-aware.
What is the performative mode? – when the filmmaker plays an active part in the
narrative, being the subject or part of the subjects’ own experiences.
What was D.A Pennebaker’s style of documentary? – observational
What did Pennebaker think documentaries should do? – let events unfold naturally
without interference, rely on raw footage
What was John Grierson’s style of documentary? – a structured, artistic narrative
(‘creative treatment of actuality’)
What did Grierson think documentaries should do? – serve a social purpose, shape
reality through cinematic techniques
Who came up with idea of documentary modes? – Bill Nichols in 2001 in his book
‘Introduction to documentary.’
What is the poetic mode? – focus more on the aesthetic elements and reflecting a
tone than imposing a narrative structure.
What is the expository mode? – has an authoritative narration to guide the spectator.
Visuals serve to support and illustrate the narration
What is the participatory mode? – visibility of relationship between filmmaker and
subject is present.
What is the observational mode? – filmmaker is observing what is happening without
intervention. There is no music, no scene arrangement, no interviews and no
narrations. ‘fly on the wall’ approach.
What is the reflexive mode? – allows the filmmaker to engage with the spectator and
draws attention to the construction of the documentary itself. Self-aware.
What is the performative mode? – when the filmmaker plays an active part in the
narrative, being the subject or part of the subjects’ own experiences.
What was D.A Pennebaker’s style of documentary? – observational
What did Pennebaker think documentaries should do? – let events unfold naturally
without interference, rely on raw footage
What was John Grierson’s style of documentary? – a structured, artistic narrative
(‘creative treatment of actuality’)
What did Grierson think documentaries should do? – serve a social purpose, shape
reality through cinematic techniques
