Documentary, a type of film that through the audience' eyes, the filmed events are not staged, thus providing an authentic look to it. For the audience, documentary films are non-fiction films that depict real events. Documentaries filmmakers are assumed to observe the events and make objective record of this events.
How do we approach to documentary film properly? If we are being objective towards documentary film that would be too harsh a standard to look at. It would be better to have documentary 'shape' events, instead of 'manipulate' events, i.e., like fiction filmmakers manipulate filmic techniques for narrative films.
As proposed by Bill Nichols, we should look at documentaries via the particular techniques selected by filmmakers when they record or shape the events such as the way they represent the documentary. According to Bill Nichols, he has suggested the theory of Six Modes of Representation for documentary films.
As proposed by Bill Nichols, we should look at documentaries via the particular techniques selected by filmmakers when they record or shape the events such as the way they represent the documentary. According to Bill Nichols, he has suggested the theory of Six Modes of Representation for documentary films.
Six Modes of Representation
Poetic
Expository
Observational
Interactive
Reflexive
Performative
Poetic
Films of this mode breaks up time and space into multiple perspectives, denying coherence and accepting the unconscious, this mode stresses on fragmentation and chooses ambiguity as a prominent feature.
Expository
Films of this mode address audience directly, providing visibly information in the imagery and unseen information in the voiceover. A classic mode and is now common in TV documentaries. Overall effect of this mode is objectivity, a direct and transparent representation.
Observational
Films of this mode observe and record as the events unfold in real time, resulting in long takes and sound is recorded directly, establishing an intimate relationship with and a sense of the environment without manipulating and distorting the event, there are no dramatic nor unusual moments; making films of this mode significantly known as direct cinema. Overall effect is a neutral and non-judgemental appeal.
Interactive
Films of this mode allow the filmmaker's presence to be felt by the audience via interviews, posing questions on/off screen as a mediator for interviewees and audience. His power over the documentary is clearly shown, via questions posed as well as editing. The overall effect of this mode exposes the process by which the documentary is made, instead of hiding it like the previous modes. Objectivity is very much restrained at this mode.
Reflexive
Films of this mode focuses on film properties and film making process, reminding and informing audience, besides the represented issue, that they are also watching a film that is attempting to represent reality. Overall effect of this mode is lack of objectivity which does not necessarily compromise the impact of documentary but instead, provide more valuable views of the issue at hand.
Performative
Films of this mode evoke mood or atmosphere found in fiction films, representing of subject matter stylistically, evocative and expressively. Overall effect of this mode is lack of objectivity, aimed at encouraging audience to experience and feel the events while making audience question the integrity and accuracy of the filmed events.
This week, our objective is to find the evidence of any documentary elements in this film produced during the year of 1999 called, "The Blair Witch Project" by Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sanchez.
The Blair Witch Project, a horror documentary or mockumentary that began with a found video footage that tells the tale of three film students (Heather, Joshua and Michael) who have traveled to a small town to collect documentary footage about the Blair Witch, a legendary local murderer. Over the course of several days, the students interview townspeople and gather clues to support the tale's veracity. But the project takes a frightening turn when the students lose their way in the woods and begin hearing horrific noises.
Interactive documentary mode's element is found from this film. One of the example is when Heather interview Mary Brown. Mary Brown states that she once saw the Blair Witch near Tappy East Creek in the form of a hairy, half-human, half-animal beast. Heather keeps on questioning her the questions needed about the Blair Witch. With this approach, Heather, the director of the Blair Witch film project allow herself to shape the documentary however she wants according to her way of directing it. Another example is when the group met the two anglers at the Burkittsville, same as where Mary Brown resides. The group interview the two anglers and was told that Coffin Rock, the massacre site where the seven children are abducted, is less than twenty minutes from town.
Reflexive documentary mode's element is found from this film. To cite an example, the night where Heather and Mike lost Josh the other day, Heather decides to videotape herself a confessional video. She apologize to her mother and to Mike's and Josh's parents for her naivety and accepting full blame for what has happened on the ill-fated expedition. She realises that her dogmatism and pig-headedness are what has led them to where they are. Heather at this point reached to her sanity level that she knew she would not survive any longer just like Josh and gave a sense of reality to us that she leave a confessional video in case anyone finds in just like leaving her last will.
Expository documentary mode's element is found from this film. Upon reaching the Coffin Rock, Heather and the group remained there for awhile and film their documentary there. As Heather narrates the documentary, they film the visual of the Coffin Rock's area with an eerie filter added on. This combination would benefit Heather's project as she understood the film technique mode of Expository.
All in all, this documentary film is a success film as it pull off the first ever filming style which later inspires many good documentary film to be produced. Even though it is later revealed that the case that happened to the three film students was a fraud, it proved that the fear factor that the film brought out to attract it's audience was a good strategy. In my opinion, this film show us that if people are too stubborn to listen to other's opinion, mostly they will end up in lost situation or deep trouble that they could not change. To add on, if legend says that the place is haunted, unless you are a special mutant or immortal that would not die, DO NOT ATTEMPT A SUICIDE MISSION BY GOING TO A HAUNTED PLACE WITHOUT PREPARATION!!!
Reference Link:
1) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0185937/synopsis
This week, our objective is to find the evidence of any documentary elements in this film produced during the year of 1999 called, "The Blair Witch Project" by Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sanchez.
The Blair Witch Project, a horror documentary or mockumentary that began with a found video footage that tells the tale of three film students (Heather, Joshua and Michael) who have traveled to a small town to collect documentary footage about the Blair Witch, a legendary local murderer. Over the course of several days, the students interview townspeople and gather clues to support the tale's veracity. But the project takes a frightening turn when the students lose their way in the woods and begin hearing horrific noises.
Interactive documentary mode's element is found from this film. One of the example is when Heather interview Mary Brown. Mary Brown states that she once saw the Blair Witch near Tappy East Creek in the form of a hairy, half-human, half-animal beast. Heather keeps on questioning her the questions needed about the Blair Witch. With this approach, Heather, the director of the Blair Witch film project allow herself to shape the documentary however she wants according to her way of directing it. Another example is when the group met the two anglers at the Burkittsville, same as where Mary Brown resides. The group interview the two anglers and was told that Coffin Rock, the massacre site where the seven children are abducted, is less than twenty minutes from town.
Reflexive documentary mode's element is found from this film. To cite an example, the night where Heather and Mike lost Josh the other day, Heather decides to videotape herself a confessional video. She apologize to her mother and to Mike's and Josh's parents for her naivety and accepting full blame for what has happened on the ill-fated expedition. She realises that her dogmatism and pig-headedness are what has led them to where they are. Heather at this point reached to her sanity level that she knew she would not survive any longer just like Josh and gave a sense of reality to us that she leave a confessional video in case anyone finds in just like leaving her last will.
Expository documentary mode's element is found from this film. Upon reaching the Coffin Rock, Heather and the group remained there for awhile and film their documentary there. As Heather narrates the documentary, they film the visual of the Coffin Rock's area with an eerie filter added on. This combination would benefit Heather's project as she understood the film technique mode of Expository.
All in all, this documentary film is a success film as it pull off the first ever filming style which later inspires many good documentary film to be produced. Even though it is later revealed that the case that happened to the three film students was a fraud, it proved that the fear factor that the film brought out to attract it's audience was a good strategy. In my opinion, this film show us that if people are too stubborn to listen to other's opinion, mostly they will end up in lost situation or deep trouble that they could not change. To add on, if legend says that the place is haunted, unless you are a special mutant or immortal that would not die, DO NOT ATTEMPT A SUICIDE MISSION BY GOING TO A HAUNTED PLACE WITHOUT PREPARATION!!!
Reference Link:
1) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0185937/synopsis
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