The origins of documentary
"British filmmaker John Grierson: ‘the creative treatment of actuality’ using ‘fragments of reality’ ... Grierson understood that he could not film ‘reality’, because the director or programme maker always had some input into the interpretation of any scene"This highlights the idea of mediation and construction to fit the ideologies of the institution or director
"In a documentary programme we the audience interpret the reality of what we see on the screen, according to our own preoccupations and prejudices. We construct our notion of reality. The freedom fighter on your screen is the same terrorist on someone else’s television. The viewer’s interpretation of the programme is an integral part of the viewing experience."
Argues that audiences have an involvement in the construction of "reality"
Documentary Types - The Observational Documentary
"This approach is also known as ‘fly on the wall’ as the participants become so used to the cameras and sound equipment they live as if the equipment was not there at all, as invisible as a fly on the wall. This type of documentary can still be original, interesting and provocative."
Definition of fly on the wall
"Modern variants of this technique tend to be set up and cleverly managed, and highly edited to highlight content that is sensational or startling."
" The set up becomes the format for the programme, as for example: Wife Swap (right) and Brat Camp"
the set up is a convention of documentary where situations are created- this is what makes wife swap
An Introduction to Documentary
Jeremy Orlebar Monday April 26, 2010
http://media.edusites.co.uk/index.php/article/an-introduction-to-documentary/
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