Documentaries are an important part of our modern media. From an expose to an educational film, documentaries have existed as a way for the general public to gain insight into a specific area, be it societal, political, or racial.
Wikipedia.com defines a documentary as “a creative work of non-fiction, including: documentary film, radio documentary, [and] documentary photography.” While this is a standard “textbook” definition, much more goes into the production of such a work. A documentary should be as objective as possible, refraining from having a bias towards any particular side, other than the education of the populace. Many films include political views to help sway the audience to a certain ideology. While it is difficult to eliminate bias in certain circumstances, documentaries should try to present a clear and educational viewpoint as opposed to a sensationalist or politically charged one.
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So what specific documentaries do you examine this definition with? Can you use it with A CLASS DIVIDED? Then how does it pan out? Be specific.
Take your definition now and work with your team members and their definitions to come to a compromise. Develop a meaningful, group definition of documentary. You'll want to identify the common elements and craft a team definition. This will guide your efforts for your project.
I wrote that a little unthinkingly. The documentary we just viewed in class presents a relatively non-biased, non-sensationalist viewpoint. I say this while keeping in mind what you said about documentaries being subjective. The same goes for "A Class Divided." That also presented a thoughtful (and thought-provoking) picture. As for specifics, I guess I'm not sure what you're looking for. I never really was interested in documentaries before now, so I guess my definition of them is still being formed, to a certain extent.
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