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The 6 Types of Documentary Films

By Jourdan Aldredge

Published: July 26, 2022 Last Updated: July 26, 2022

The documentary film genre is an important part of cinematic history. Let’s look at the different types, characteristics, and examples of each.

Documentary filmmaking is a cinematic style dating back to the earliest days of film. While Wikipedia can define its most basic definition as “a nonfictional motion picture intended to document some aspects of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record,” the style has become a catch-all for both certain filmmaking styles as well as a noble cinematic pursuit of truth.

We suggest you start with Introduction to Documentary, the classic text from Bill Nichols that outlines the six modes (or “sub-genres”) of documentaries. While there’s a lot of variation within, these are the six main categories of the genre into which all documentary films can be placed. Let’s take a look.

1. Poetic Documentaries

First seen in the 1920s, poetic documentaries are very much what they sound like. They focus on experiences, images, and showing the audience the world through different eyes. Abstract and loose with narrative, the poetic sub-genre can be very unconventional and experimental in form and content. The ultimate goal is to create a feeling rather than a truth.

For filmmakers, this approach offers a valuable lesson in experimenting with all the elements of documentary filmmaking by finding creative compositions, challenging juxtapositions, and different forms of cinematic storytelling. A modern example of this would be Terrence Malick’s Voyage of Time, consisting of tons of ambiguous, poetic, abstract imagery. While there is some narration throughout the film, I would still consider the bulk of it – poetic.

Some examples of poetic documentaries include:

Coal Face (1935) — Dir. Alberto Cavalcanti
Fata Morgana (1971) — Dir. Werner Herzog
Tongues Untied (1989) — Dir. Marlon Riggs
Welt Spiegel Kino (2005) — Dir. Gustav Deutsch

2. Expository Documentaries

Expository documentaries are probably closest to what most people consider “documentaries.” In sharp contrast to poetic, expository documentaries aim to inform and/or persuade — often through omnipresent “Voice of God” narration devoid of ambiguous or poetic rhetoric. This model includes the familiar Ken Burns and television (A&E, History Channel, etc.) styles.

Those looking for the most direct form of documentary storytelling should explore the straightforward expository style. It is one of the best ways to share a message or information. If I had to compare this style with one type of modern genre or style, it would be the video essay. So think about something like Nerdwriter that covers a specific topic with exciting visuals and straightforward narration that makes points towards their argument.

One of my favorite examples of a modern expository documentary film is Room 237. While not providing any talking head shots of the interviewees, we hear their voices as they discuss at length why they believe what they believe, providing the exposition and story to the audience. I highly recommend checking it out if you haven’t already.

Some examples of expository documentaries include:

The Plow That Broke the Plains (1936) — Dir. Pare Lorentz
City of Gold (1957) — Dir. Colin Low and Wolf Koenig
Waiting for Fidel (1974) — Dir. Michael Rubbo
March of the Penguins (2005) — Dir. Luc Jacquet

3. Observational Documentaries

Observational documentaries aim to observe the world around them. Originating in the 1960s alongside advances in portable film equipment, the Cinéma Vérité-style is much less pointed than the expository approach.

Observational documentaries attempt to give voice to all sides of an issue by offering audiences firsthand access to some of the subject’s most important (and often private) moments. The observational style has been very influential over the years, and filmmakers often use it in other film genres to create a sense of realness and truth. One of the most famous examples of this is Harlan County, USA, directed by Barbara Kopple.

In terms of observational documentaries being a product of “cinema verité,” this is the best example I can think of. It’s raw, authentic, and the storytelling is immaculate as Kopple follows her subjects around with an objective view with a handheld approach and an empathetic lens. If you’re into this style of filmmaking, be sure you have a telephoto lens, as following the action and being ready at a moment’s notice to capture what’s happening is the key to making a good observational-style documentary.

One filmmaker has only made observational documentaries throughout his career, and he happens to make a film almost every year. His name is Fred Wiseman, and he might be my favorite filmmaker. Take, for example, his film, Boxing Gym, which is just that – a documentary of one boxing gym and all the people that come through it. You hear people tell stories and express doubts, fears, and failures, and you’re next to them for the whole ride.

The best way I can describe his films is “fly on the wall.” It’s not so much any one person’s point of view as it is an omniscient perspective, allowing the viewers to sit on the outside watching in. By doing this, the audience can come to conclusions and make decisions independently, forming narratives for themselves and leaving the film with only meaning they understood.

Some examples of observational documentaries include:

Crisis: Behind a Presidential Commitment (1963) — Dir. Robert Drew
Salesman (1969) — Dir. Albert Maysles, David Maysles, and Charlotte Zwerin
Hoop Dreams (1994) — Dir. Steve James
The Monastery: Mr. Vig and the Nun (2006) — Dir. Pernille Rose Grønkjær

4. Participatory Documentaries

Participatory documentaries include the filmmaker within the narrative. This inclusion can be as minor as a filmmaker using their voice to prod their subjects with questions or cues from behind the camera—or as major as a filmmaker directly influencing the actions of the narrative. In the example above, Michael Moore is directly influencing how his subjects react to his questions and, therefore, influencing the overall narrative of the film in a way I would label as participatory. But Michael Moore is a particularly complicated filmmaker, but we’ll talk more about him later.

There’s some debate in the documentary community as to just how much filmmaker participation it takes to earn a documentary the label of “participatory.” Some argue that, due to their very nature, all documentaries are participatory. Regardless, this style might be one of the most natural for those starting off.

A modern example of this would be Free Solo. The directors, Jimmy Chin and Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi, often engage with the subject and give their thoughts and influence to the story. It’s a wonderfully insane look at how the filmmaker can now be so involved with the issue without it getting distracting. However, there are parts in the film where they even mention the fact that the crew being there shooting the documentary is going to affect the outcome of the story. Fascinating stuff.

Some examples of participatory documentaries include:

Chronicle of a Summer (1961) — Dir. Edgar Morin and Jean Rouch
Sherman’s March (1985) — Dir. Ross McElwee
Paris Is Burning (1990) — Dir. Jennie Livingston
The Danube Exodus (1998) — Dir. Péter Forgács

5. Reflexive Documentaries

Reflexive documentaries are similar to participatory docs in that they often include the filmmaker within the film. However, unlike participatory, most creators of reflexive documentaries make no attempt to explore an outside subject. Rather, they focus solely on themselves and the act of making the film.

The best example of this style is the 1929 silent documentary Man with a Movie Camera by Soviet filmmaker Dziga Vertov. It’s a classic showcase of the creative — and quite challenging — images a true reflexive documentary can create.

A modern example of this would be Kirsten Johnson’s Cameraperson. This documentary is fascinating in its approach to telling a story about the filmmakers themselves. Only taking shots from cameras she’s used on jobs throughout her career, Johnson paints a portrait of what she sees as a filmmaker and who she is.

Other examples of reflexive documentaries include:

…No Lies (1973) Dir. Mitchell Block
Surname Viet Given Name Nam (1989) Dir. T. Minh-ha Trinh
Biggie & Tupac (2002) Dir. Nick Broomfield

6. Performative Documentaries

Performative documentaries are an experimental combination of styles used to stress subject experience and share an emotional response with the world. They often connect and juxtapose personal accounts with larger political or historical issues. This has sometimes been called the “Michael Moore-style,” as he often uses his own personal stories as a way to construct social truths (without having to argue the validity of their experiences).

A more recent example of this would be something like Won’t You Be My Neighbor? A film about the life and legacy of Mr. Rogers. The film takes interviews, but also relies on old footage from the TV show, blending different styles and tones to deliver an emotional gut punch towards the end of the film that is in part a product of how the film is constructed.

Some examples of Performative Documentaries include:

Drifters (1929) — Dir. John Grierson
Night and Fog (1956) — Dir. Alain Resnais
The Thin Blue Line (1988) — Dir. Errol Morris
Bowling for Columbine (2002) — Dir. Michael Moore

Again, the performative, reflexive, and participatory styles can sometimes seem confusingly interchangeable. Nonetheless, the takeaways offered by these different styles can help inform your own documentary-style decisions as you choose the best methods to tell your unique stories.

If you’re looking for more documentary filmmaking advice and insight, explore the additional resources below.

Cover image via Amkino Corporation.