What is a Documentary

What is a documentary?

A documentary is a broad term to describe a movie that in some way "documents" or captures reality. Documentaries are often used to reveal an unusual, interesting or unknown angle. Topics are limited only by one's imagination.

Defining Documentary

"Documentaries bring viewers into new worlds and experiences through the presentation of factual information about real people, places, and events, generally -- but not always -- portrayed through the use of actual images and artifacts. But factuality alone does not define documentary films; it's what the filmmaker does with those factual elements, weaving them into an overall narrative that strives to be as compelling as it is truthful and is often greater than the sum of its parts."

--Sheila Curran Bernard, Documentary Storytelling

Some Of My Favorite Documentaries

• Exit Through the Gift Shop
• Waste Land
• Man on Wire
• Born into Brothels
• Young@Heart
• King Corn
• Murder on a Sunday Morning
• Briars in the Cotton Patch (Of course, this is my own documentary!)

2011 Oscar Nominated Documentaries

What Is A Documentary?

It is a genre of movie making that uses video & film scenes, photographs and/or sound of real people and real events which when edited together creates a particular story, viewpoint, message or experience.

Traditionally, documentaries are 30-minutes to 2 hours in length (to fit within a television schedule or for theatrical release). However, documentaries are often shorter in length, especially in recent years with the advent of the Internet and web video.

Watch Documentary Trailers

• History of documentaries
• What is a producer?
• Analyzing award-winning documentaries. What makes them great?
• How to make a documentary
• How to write a documentary script
• Coming up with a great documentary idea
• Lovin' Animoto for Super Easy Video Editing
• Interview with Documentary Filmmaker Gail Freedman
• Interview with Documentary Filmmaker Kate Schermerhorn
• Interview With Documentary Filmmaker Kenton Hoppas
• Interview with Television and Video Producer Lisa Lubin
• Confessions of a Filmmaking Amateur

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