Short Documentaries

Documentary film is a broad category of visual expressions that is based on the attempt, to document reality. Although "documentary film" originally referred to movies shot on film stock, it has subsequently expanded to include video and digital productions that can be either direct-to-video or made for a television series. Documentary, as it applies here, works to identify a "film making practice, a cinematic tradition, and mode of audience reception" that is continually evolving and is without clear boundaries.

The word documentary was first applied to films of this nature in a review of Robert Flaherty's film "Moana" [1926].

An example of some short documentaries:

A Short Documentary that focused on a New York Subway Drummer on New Years Eve. I chose this documentary as it focused on the real life of the drummer and his personal life, for example how he makes a living it shows real life experience through his eyes. i liked the use of fae ins and fade outs that create different transitions for example when it moves on from one drummer to the next to create and suggest a new style.


New York Bucket Drummer Awesome Short Documentary - The best free videos are right here

A short documentary about a girl who lives with severe CFS/ME (chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis) and is confined to her bed. I felt that this documentary had a better impact on me it was more personal as it used diegetic sound like voice overs it also has a narrator, unlike the previous documentary, that asked on the spot questions to her parents and how she is dealing with the illness

I like the use of cross cutting the the girl to her looking outside her window and this gives the audience the sense of loneliness and isolation.

The documentary had a beginning, middle and and end. It started off by interviewing the girl and asking about the effects of the illness, the middle focused on the concept of the parents experiences with dealing with her illness and her everyday routine.

For example she said she did not have enough energy to get the the end of the stairs to call down when she needs something so she has to ring a bell.

The documentary ends by the narrator asking her and her parents about her aspirations and dreams for the future, what she wants to get out of live, for example having a normal teenage life e.g. going to University, clubs and pubs and slow getting married and having children.



Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom

This is an action film based on an Archaeologist called Indiana Jones played by Harrison Ford and is directed by Steven Spielberg.

The documentary mainly focuses on the making of the film and what it took to make the action stunts and special effects for the film.

I wanted to add this as an example of a short documentary because I love the films and also it is a short look of what it takes, in the way of cast and crew to make a film.

It features diegetic sound like narration and voice overs with the cast and crew and also the famous music. The narrator is Leonard Nimoy who was the first actor to play the role of "Spock" in the famous "Star Trek" franchise.

I felt that the documentary was well constructed as it gave the audience an insight of what shooting a film is like on screen, for example staging and choreographing scenes as well as off screen and what the cast are like.