The word ‘documentary’ at first makes me imagine all the professionally filmed videos.

However, nowadays all the available and accessible media redefines documentary into something simpler and not always informative. People film stuff all the time. Its more like the purpose is just to document, record and inform. ‘Documentary’ (modern definition) films nowadays can be made simply by grabbing any camera available and filming the thing next to you.

If it means that documentary films are only a record of something that has happened, then everything on instagram or facebook can ignorantly be called documentary. Can these two videos be called short documentaries of street performers in Melbourne?

Person making music from an old-school musical instrument.

Person with a ‘Paint Me’ sign.