BLOG QUESTION: WHAT IS A DOCUMENTARY

Imagine you are talking to a person who has never before seen or even heard of a documentary film. How would you describe it? What are some essential elements of a documentary film? What distinguishes a documentary film from a narrative (Hollywood) film or a broadcast news story?

A documentary is a film that showcases the realities and facts of a topic or story through first or secondhand sources. It could range from stories about history, a specific person, place, or thing. Some essential elements of a documentary include an objective or driving question to lead your documentary, you should have a plan on the style of your documentary (such as interviews, narration, etc.), and you should know what emotions or message you want your audience to get out of watching your documentary. A documentary's purpose is to inform/educate someone on a topic, whereas a movies and television have a broader range of style/content.