Brief

Content Summary

 

The core of this book is a comprehensive introduction to the art form of documentary film. It also includes an appreciation of the world’s leading documentaries and an introduction to famous documentary director’ concepts and shooting styles. This book is a profound tribute to the evolution of documentary filmmaking throughout history. From the groundbreaking factual recordings of the Lumière brothers to today’s digital narrative era, documentary film has undergone many innovative changes since its inception. This book traces the path of documentary film, focusing on its history, categorization, aesthetics, production, and so on.

 

From early experiments in photography to current diverse forms, documentaries have become an important tool for recording history and a bridge that transmits human emotions and thoughts in line with technological advances and social changes. There are countless categories and sub-genres of documentaries that cater to a variety of themes and narrative approaches. From observational documentaries to poetic documentaries, from investigative exposes to personal narratives, each category offers a unique perspective on the world and explores the human experience.

 

The aesthetic plays a crucial role in the art of documentary filmmaking, shaping the visual and auditory language people use when watching a film. Through a nuanced exploration of cinematography, editing, sound design, and narrative structure, the book reveals the aesthetic elements that give documentaries beauty, depth, and emotional resonance.

 

In addition to indulging in the pleasure of appreciating documentaries, it is also essential for filmmakers who are eager to practice making documentaries to acquire some skills and experience in documentary filming. This book will share a series of hands-on experiences in documentary filmmaking, from choosing the subject matter and story angle to building trust and empathy with the subject to how to use camera language and editing techniques to tell a profound and moving story. It aims to provide documentary creators with inspiration and techniques.

 

In the 1920s, Robert Flaherty, John Grierson, and Dziga Vertov were three of the most important figures in establishing the shape of the documentary film for audiences worldwide. There are also many greats in the documentary field. They continue to revolutionize the documentary field, from producing groundbreaking classics that have stood the test of time to contemporary masterpieces that push the boundaries of narrative. Moreover, some famous and classic documentaries, such as Nanook of the North (1922), Rain (1929), Man with a Movie Camera (1929), etc., are also worthy of repeated viewing and appreciation.

 

Furthermore, the book focuses on the development trends and commercial impact of documentaries in the international marketplace, exploring in depth the audience and market needs of documentaries in different cultural contexts. Additionally, the book looks at the development and future of documentaries, discussing the impact of new technologies and innovative forms on the creation and viewing experience of documentaries and leading readers to explore the ever-expanding possibilities and prospects in the field of documentaries.


Catalog

Introduction..........................................................................................................1 

Section 1: Definition: What is a Documentary?..............................................................1 

Section 2: Why are Documentaries Important? ..............................................................2 

Chapter 1: Documentary History.......................................................................3 

Section 1: Introduction to Documentary Origins............................................................3 

Section 2: Early Pioneers ................................................................................................5 

Section 3: Golden Age of Documentary: 1920s-1940s...................................................6 

Section 4: New Wave of Documentary: 1960s-Present ..................................................7 

Section 5: Digital Revolution and Contemporary Documentary Landscape ..................8 

Chapter 2: Documentary Categories................................................................11 

Section 1: Observational Documentaries......................................................................11 

Section 2: Expository Documentaries...........................................................................11 

Section 3: Poetic Documentaries...................................................................................12 

Section 4: Participatory Documentaries........................................................................12 

Section 5: Performative Documentaries........................................................................12 

Section 6: Reflexive Documentaries.............................................................................13 

Chapter 3: Documentary Aesthetics.................................................................15 

Section 1: Cinematography and Visual Composition....................................................15 

Section 2: Techniques and Narrative Structure .............................................................17 

Section 3: Sound Design and Music .............................................................................20 

Section 4: Use of Archival Footage...............................................................................21 

Section 5: Animation and Visual Effects in Documentaries .........................................22 

Chapter 4: Famous Documentary Directors...................................................25 

Section 1: Adam Curtis ................................................................................................25 

Section 2: Barbara Kopple ............................................................................................26 

Section 3: Charles Ferguson..........................................................................................26

Section 4: Errol Morris..................................................................................................27 

Section 5: Jia Zhang-ke .................................................................................................27 

Section 6: Joshua Oppenheimer....................................................................................28 

Section 7: Wang Bin .....................................................................................................28 

Section 8: Werner Herzog .............................................................................................29 

Chapter 5: Famous Documentaries from Around the World ........................31 

Section 1: Nanook of the North (1922) .........................................................................31 

Section 2: The Fall of the Romanov Dynasty (1927) ....................................................32 

Section 3: Man with a Movie Camera (1929)...............................................................34 

Section 4: Rain (1929)...................................................................................................36 

Section 5: Why We Fight (1942)....................................................................................37 

Section 6: Tokyo Olympiad (1965)................................................................................38 

Section 7: Harlan County, USA (1976) ........................................................................40 

Section 8: Eyes on the Prize (1987-90).........................................................................42 

Section 9: 42 Up (1998) ................................................................................................44 

Section 10: Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father (2008) .......................45 

Chapter 6: The Documentary Production .......................................................49 

Section 1: The Art of Storytelling .................................................................................49 

Section 2: Capturing Authenticity.................................................................................50 

Section 3: Building Trust...............................................................................................52 

Section 4: Editing Magic...............................................................................................53 

Section 5: How to Choose Your Equipment..................................................................55 

Section 6: Ethics in Filmmaking ...................................................................................56 

Chapter 7: Profitability of Documentary.........................................................59 

Section 1: Commercial Success of Documentary Films...............................................59 

Section 2: Streaming Platforms and Documentary Distribution...................................62

Section 3: Documentaries in Film Festivals and Awards..............................................66 

Section 4: Impact of Sponsorship and Funding on Documentary Production ..............70 

Chapter 8: Development of Documentary.......................................................73 

Section 1:Advancements in Documentary Technology ................................................73 

Section 2: Documentary Ethics and Integrity ...............................................................74 

Section 3: Globalization of Documentary Filmmaking ................................................75 

Section 4: Documentary about Movements..................................................................77 

Section 5: Documentary Collaborations .......................................................................79

Chapter 9: Future of Documentary..................................................................81 

Section 1: Emerging Trends in Documentary Filmmaking...........................................81 

Section 2: Virtual Reality and Interactive Documentaries............................................90 

Section 3: Ethical Challenges in Documentary Production ..........................................91 

Section 4: Social Impact and Advocacy Through Documentaries................................93 

Chapter 10: Conclusion.....................................................................................95 

Section 1:Reflection on the Evolution of Documentary................................................95 

Section 2: Celebrating the Diversity of Documentary Filmmaking..............................96 

Section 3: Acknowledging the Power of Truth and Storytelling...................................97

Section 4: Looking Ahead: The Endless Possibilities of Documentary Films..............98 References.........................................................................................................101

Author

Jiayuan Fu, female, was born in Shijiazhuang City, Hebei Province, China. In 2023, Jiayuan Fu obtained a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Film and Media from Queen’s University in Canada. In 2024, Jiayuan Fu obtained a Master of Journalism from the University of Hong Kong and a certificate in Documentary Concentration.


Cip

Cataloguing-in-Publication (CIP) programme 

Name(s): Jiayuan Fu. 

Title: The Timeless Art of Documentary / By Jiayuan Fu. 

Description: Arts and Science Press Pte Ltd, Singapore, 2024. 

Identifier: OCN 1506105411 | ISBN 978-981-94-1904-3 (paperback) 

Subject(s): The Timeless Art of Documentary .| Art of Documentary. 

BRN: 300112391 

Classification: DDC 778.5--dc23