Documentary is one of my favourite genres of film as I myself created a documentary in 2015 about the 100th Anniversary of the ANZAC Landings at Gallipoli, Cada Gota Cuenta in Guatemala and now aiming to create a series of micro documentaries for Documentary As Action. The biggest challenge for me was getting the right answers and making the story interesting whilst connecting the right footage (b-roll) with the voice-over interviews/narration.
The key aim of a documentary is to convey information in a way that is more investigative and follows particular events involving interviews with people invested in the event or subject. Itâs ultimately a factual report on a particular subject which is based on official documents and creates a portrait in some instances of a personâs life or an intriguing event.
Grizzly Man (Werner Herzog)(2005) is the documentary which presents the life of an extraordinary man, Timothy Treadwell, the man who spent most of life, protecting and understanding nature and particularly his love, bears. The documentary shows many of Treadwellâs expeditions and personal structures and triumphs with nature. His incredibly dangerous life living in the heart of Alaskaâs National Parks, isolated with wild bears, the personal toll is great as he deals with loneliness as he is detached from the âreal world, the human worldâ. Treadwell, sees himself evolving into a bear and living in the nature with his closest friends. The investment into the bears is ultimately his downfall as he is savagely and fatally attacked by a wild bear and killed along side his girlfriend. The investigation of his death, the people who were close to him and the legacy that he left behind are all highlighted in the documentary.
In many documentaries because events arenât captured on camera or for explicit/privacy reasons cannot be shown, the filmmakerâs might re-enact or even stage certain events for story telling purposes or entertainment purposes.
However, sometimes staging is necessary in presenting accurate information and is the best way possible to portray a real life event. In âGrizzly Manâ (2005) if wasnât appropriate to re-enact the death of Treadwell and Amie, and show the coroners report photographs. The spreading of Treadwellâs ashes at the National Park could be staged as an event like this is very private and emotionally sensitive. Considering the cameraman is in the direction where the ashes are flying this scene was most likely staged. The coroner/investigator also describes the confronting events which took place in Treadwellâs murder, but the audience will notice, in the morgue (supposedly) there is a bed with two lumps covered by a plastic blanket. Does this possibly symbolize Treadwellâs and Amieâs mutilated bodies? There bodies would not be underneath the cover, however the way the scene is staged, that could be a possibility as the interviewee does refer to the âpersonâ under the sheets.
A documentary has the ability to take a stand on a political issue or debate, to state an opinion, or even to advocate a solution to a problem. Documentaries are often rhetorical to persuade the audience. Documentaries instead of turning into fiction they can put forward reliable factual evidence or instead present a point of view, but regardless of what the documentaries message is, it must present trustworthy information about the subject.
In documentaries created there is often a distinction between fictional films and actuality, regardless of whether a film is portraying a real life event ie. Apollo 13, and the producers donât tamper with the record, they would remain fictional because of the way they were produced. The reason why is the events we see on screen didn’t take place at the times of the actual events as opposed to an actual real life documentary which uses footage from the actual event in some instances. The films like Apollo 13 don’t present themselves as documentaries and don’t take a traditional documentary structure, for example no interviews, no real life footage, no rhetorical questions and opinions across, and no additional make-believe drama for the audiences entertainment. Therefore a film like Apollo 13 and films like the Imitation Game, Schindlerâs List, Zodiac, and Unbreakable are labeled as historical re-creations or reenactments that take liberties with actual events. Grizzly Man (2005) was a portrait documentary because the documentary centres it attention and information on the aspects of the life of a compelling person.
Werner Herzog makes memorable use of the synthetic approach in the portrait film Grizzly Man. The director, Herzog combines his own present-day inquiry into Treadwellâs life, consisting of interviews and explorations of the Alaskan park sites, with still photos and letters that cover Treadwellâs efforts to protect the bears and insights from his closest family and friends relating to Treadwellâs explorations. Most vivid are the extracts from Treadwellâs own video footage showing his encounters with grizzlies and the personal demons, which Treadwell overcame in his line of business.
Another type of documentary film uses rhetorical form, in which the filmmaker presents a persuasive argument. The goal in such a film is to persuade the audience to adopt an opinion about the subject matter and perhaps to act on that opinion. The opinion within the film is revealed throughout the documentary by the creator and interviewer about how Treadwellâs work with bears and his legacy is an insight into ourselves, our nature and that gives meaning to his life and death.
First, it addresses the viewer openly, it tries to engage the audience and get them onside with the subject and give them a greater understanding on their lives and if present, their predicament.
Second, the subject of the film is usually not an issue of scientific truth but a matter of opinion, this is reminiscent of Grizzly Man (2005) as Treadwellâs opinion is expressed through his love for nature, and his desire to protect nature being ignorant of the park authority laws. The filmmaker tries to make the particular position convincing by presenting different types of arguments and evidence, this variety is expressed in Grizzly Man (2005) with a mixture of opinions that what he was doing was right and caring in opposition to interfering and being disrespectful towards nature. Because rhetorical films deal with beliefs and arguments, they involve the expression of ideology; indeed, perhaps no type of film form centres so consistently on explicit meaning and ideological implications. The ideology of caring for animals under threat is a recurring motif in the documentary but through this ideology comes accomplishment, criticism, and tragedy.
A third aspect of rhetorical form follows from the emphasis on opinion. If the conclusion cannot be proved beyond question, the filmmaker often appeals to our emotions, rather than presenting only factual evidence. Because in a Grizzly Man (2005) the conclusion cannot be made because the investigation is still ongoing and the event at the time was still raw, the creator puts fourth their own opinion conclusion. With the documentary creator also does is which is the fourth rhetorical element is he attempts to persuade the viewer to make a choice and come to their own opinions. This can be difficult, but ultimately youâre either agreeing with the subject and their life decisions or youâre disagreeing with them.
The ending of documentaries are so important, as they usually connect elements which appeared earlier in the documentary and links those to give the story a conclusion. The ending shows life as being parallel to the way it was in the beginning Grizzly Man (2005), beautiful nature, an engaging activity where love and time is invested, but it’s what ultimately kills the subject. In the very first shot itâs Treadwell setting up his camera and speaking to the audience, in a wide green grassy field with large snow topped mountains in the background. The final shot before the documentary ends is Treadwell walking off into the distance in a wide green grassy field with large snow topped mountains in the background, this shot relation, shows the documentary and story has concluding and been resolved, not only is it a symbolic way to end the documentary but it is a powerful way. Although itâs not in chronological order as Treadwell died, itâs fitting that Treadwell walks into the distance, possibly itâs symbolism for although Treadwell gone, his spirit still walks the valley he deeply loved.
Michael Serpell