NEW MEDIA STUDIES

Submission Form

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NAME: Sean Gallagher

STUDENT NUMBER: N00192889

YEAR: 2020

MODULE: Documentary Studies _

ASSIGNMENT: Drama Documentary Essay Word count 1659

By ticking the boxes below, I declare that I have:

Read IADT’s plagiarism policy (available on Blackboard) x

Acknowledged all sources used in completing this assignment x

Referenced all sources, in text, at the point that they have been cited x

Signed: Sean Gallagher (on date of submission of assignment)

Date: 09/12/20
Essay Question 4:

Since its inception the moving image has been continuously manipulated and reworked for

the purpose of narrative output. Some of the earliest forms of cinematographers and in turn

documentarians used this manipulation of facts and perception to retell stories with the

images they had captured in a more entertaining form. This type of storytelling has developed

over the years into what is now referred to as Drama Documentary or Docu-drama. The aims

of drama documentary are numerous, but can be simplified to re-telling of historical events in

a dramatized format so to provide a more entertaining and arguably more engaging product.

“It is frequently presumed that documentary drama is to deal with issues in contemporary

history; for works that do not, designations such as “chronicle” or “history” are used.”1

Drama documentarians aim to re-imagine and represent noteworthy figures in a dramatized

manner, whether they be historically noteworthy individuals or ordinary citizens of a

particular era. One of the debateable goals of docu-dramas is to engage the audience with

events or instances of significant historical standing in a medium which captivates and

entertains them during the process of education and provocation of discussion. In this essay, I

aim to outline the development of drama documentaries and the results of using this format as

an accurate recreation of factual events through the use of examples and recorded studies.

One of the earliest recorded instances of docu-drama development comes from the work of

the Lumiere brothers, pioneers of early cinematic technique development. In 1895, the

Lumiere brothers debuted their film “Workers leaving the Factory”, a short clip of modern-

day workers exiting their workplace at the end of a shift. This seemingly irrelevant piece is

considered to be a pre-cursor to what eventually has become known as documentary, and

more relevantly drama documentary. While the brothers claimed their film to be a purely
1
Clas Zilliacus | Documentary Drama: Form and Content | Vol.6 | Comparative Drama | 1972 | pg. 227
observational piece it becomes quickly apparent that the workers are instructed of the

camera’s purpose and position. This, along with the obvious instructions given to the workers

by the brothers to walk and where to walk disqualifies it from being classified as an

observational film and defines it as a recreation instead. The idea that true documentary must

be observational and cannot interfere with its subjects is obsolete as the presence of a camera

undeniably alters the actions of those being filmed. The trick of a documentary is to tell the

story of something or someone that existed in its particular period while giving a clear,

balanced representation of fact. It’s important to also remember that documentary can never

be truly objective; someone has to choose what to film in the first place, how to film it, how

to edit, if any music is to be placed over the visuals, and so on. All of these choices push the

viewer, in way or another, into feeling a particular way. However, a clear distinction can be

made between observational documentaries, wherein the aim is to retain authenticity through

minimal interference and drama documentaries, where events are recreated entirely and as

accurately as possible so to provide a cinematic element to the narrative.

One example of early docu-drama is Leni Riefenstahl’s “Triumph of the Will”. Released in

1935 the documentary served as one of the most predominant pieces of Nazi propaganda

during World War 2. The documentary itself encapsulates the events surrounding the 1935

Nuremburg Rallies, a mass show Nazi prowess and strength. Riefenstahl was commissioned

by Adolf Hitler himself to capture the events on film in the manner that most flattered the

Nazi party. “Hitler saw Leni Riefenstahl as a director who could use aesthetics to produce an

image of a strong Germany imbued with Wagnerian motifs of power and beauty.”2 While

there is merit behind the claim that Triumph of the Will is largely an observational

2
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, Washington, DC |
https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/leni-riefenstahl | [accessed 08/12/20]
documentary, it is the manner in which Riefenstahl frames these observations that betrays the

film’s true nature to be more akin to drama documentary standards. While Riefenstahl did not

have a direct hand in the event management of the rallies, she did play the predominant role

in the staging of the event and how it appeared on camera. Instead of retaining the

observational documentary standard of the “fly on the wall” technique, Riefenstahl instead

opted to accentuated and posturise the Nazi’s in a manner that benefited them. She used long,

drawing shots to do so, using low angle camerawork to highlight the power and presence of

Hitler and others during their speeches, and high angle shots to capture the enormity of the

masses of supporters and army personnel. While there is no direct interreference from

Riefenstahl with regards to the crowd’s actions or the speeches given, it is the style of

cinematography she used to capture these events that add the dramatic element to the piece,

making it a docu-drama.

Drama documentary saw its renaissance during the 1960’s, when many cinematic techniques

and styles were re-examined and redeveloped. During previous years, the category of drama

documentary was undefined and relatively unreferenced. The nomenclature for docu-dramas

was underdeveloped and most films such as Triumph of the Will were filed under the much

broader distinction of “documentary theatre”, due to its dramatized elements of storytelling.

Documentary was originally conceived as a means of fact relation in a cinematic medium,

devoid of influence and input. When the style of drama documentary first emerged, it was

treated with discontent and disregard as it was considered misleading and untrue as a form a

documentary. Through development though, public consensus began to change as more focus

was given to the means in which these films were presented as well as the content itself.

Through the dramatization and re-enactments of real-world events, docu-drama became a

subgenre in which facts and accurate recounts of events were presented in an engaging and
entertaining format. Drama documentary became a means of recounting events accurately

while trying to evoke emotion from the way in which it is presented.

A modern example of drama documentary is the series “Tiger King” released in 2020. This

documentary is a heavily dramatized account of real-world events, designed to engage the

consumer on not only an intellectual level, as all documentaries should, but also on an

emotional level. Throughout the show, emotional connections are established between the

viewer and the characters involved. These connections serve as a means of enthrallment, a

way to attach viewers to story of the documentary. While the majority of the information

presented in the show is accurate, it is impossible to ignore the show’s influence on the

audience’s perceptions of the information. When watching the show, it is apparent that there

are two narratives running in parallel with one another; one based in facts and one based in

perception. This provides as an example as to why docu-dramas are contested with to be

documentaries at all. In essence a documentary is meant to portray an event or a people or a

story as accurately as possible with as little external influence as possible. The dramatization

of documentary is not itself the issue, for as long as these standards are met the medium in

which they are delivered is essentially irrelevant. However, when a docu-drama alters the

viewers perception of the narrative through emotional provocation it unintentionally comes in

direct contention with the basic aims of documentary, which is to be uninfluential on the

narrative.

The argument for whether drama documentary is an effective subgenre of documentary is one

that has merit on both sides. It can be argued that docu-dramas provide a more engaging

format in which accurate re-enactments can be represented, without fabrication. On the other
hand, it can be argued that medium in which docu-dramas are told is too influential on its

source material, contaminating facts and accuracy by moulding it within an emotive lens.

“Documentary theatre, as Weiss defines it, chooses sides; it is not only politically partisan but

it also takes sides against positivistic particularity.”3 The evocation of emotion in drama

documentaries is key to their success as a subgenre, the reason why they are popular

compared to the plain documentary format. Viewers who are able to form a connection of the

heart with the content they are consuming are far more likely to both initially engage with the

source material but also retain the wealth of information that documentaries are made up of.

This is due to the investment of time and interest viewers make when they form one of these

connections. While this does lead to an increase in the consumption of documentaries it is

argued that docu-dramas taint the sanctity of documentary making. The emotional connection

in these films is created, fabricated by the creator of the documentary. The creators portray

accounts of the past through their own individual perceptions i.e., they film what they regard

as relevant and important rather than what is objectively relevant and important. The

formation of connectivity between characters and viewers creates a subjective perception of

the events involving these characters, and creates bias, which contrasts the inherent aims of a

documentary.

There are reasonable arguments on both sides of the docu-drama debate. It is undeniable that

drama documentaries have an effective method of enticing viewing through the evocation of

emotion. It helps create connectivity with people of the past and their struggles. It also

provides a means of expression that is beneficial in the representation of these past events. On

the other hand, drama documentary is inarguably influential on its source material and more

often than nought it is influential on the viewers’ perceptions and interpretations of said

3
Clas Zilliacus | Documentary Drama: Form and Content | Vol.6 | Comparative Drama | 1972 | pg. 226
source material. I believe it is fair to assume that neither pro nor con outweigh each other,

that both influence the subgenre of drama documentary in a balanced manner. As

documentary, despite what it strives to be, will never be a medium of recountment that is one

hundred percent objective, it is reasonable to state that docu-drama is a legit format within to

operate.

Bibliography:

1. Zilliacus, Clas | Documentary Drama: Form and Content | Vol.6 | Comparative Drama | 1972

2. United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, Washington, DC |

https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/leni-riefenstahl