Modes of Documentary

Dan Ackerman

The Expository Mode

The expository mode uses a narrator to explain to the audience exactly what is happening on the screen, and interprets to them different viewpoints and opinions through audio over the visual footage, because of the ‘all knowing’ position of this narration, it is commonly stated to be the ‘voice-of-god’ mode.

Many different modern documentaries and programmes use this type of narration, such as Big Brother, in which an ‘all seeing’ voice is explaining to the audience what is happening on screen. The audience is expected to trust this narration and believe that what is being stated is fact, and not an opinion.

The Observational Mode

Due to technology advancing rapidly around the 1960’s, the observational mode became quite a popular choice with film makers, as camera’s became lighter and more efficient and portable to carry, in which directors could then record in a less disturbing and discreet manner, and there wouldn’t need to be as much interaction between the film maker and the director, each would be able to work simultaneously without interfering with each other.

The Participatory Mode

The participatory mode emphasises the interaction between the film maker and the subject in which the audience is aware of the film makers interference with the subject. The film maker will often ask questions to the participant in which the film maker will try to express a truth to the audience through the subject. The film maker could then be described to become a character within the documentary, as he/she is part of the events that are being recorded.

The Poetic Mode

In the words of Nichols, the poetic mode “moves away from the ‘objective’ reality of a given situation or people, to grasp at an “inner truth” that can only be grasped by poetical manipulation”. This means that throughout the documentary, the audience is shown an interpretation of reality, through staged events, that are capable of fitting the tone that the film maker wants to portray. On the other hand, with the 1929 documentary, ‘Un Chien Andalou’, the film maker portrays an extremely abstract world, in which in reality does not make any sense, but through poetic manipulation, an inner truth can be found and made sense of.

The Reflexive Mode

In the reflexive mode, the idea of trying to subtly and subliminally convey truth through seemingly natural and uninterrupted events is thrown away, and is replaced by a mode in which makes the audience aware of the presence of the film maker, and the impact that he/she is having on the events that are being shown on screen. The film maker will interview subjects and will have a clear influence on the outcome of any events that happen.

The Performative Mode

The performative mode emphasises the interaction and the attitude that the film maker may have towards a subject or towards a particular topic.