The Technique of Film and Video Editing, 5th Edition

 

 

CHAPTER 26

Innovations in Documentary I

Too often in the past two decades, the announcement has been made, “The documentary is dead.” But stubbornly, it has held on. The reason, principally, is the documentary’s flexibility. Associated so long with educational and political goals, the documentary has more recently aggressively embraced the entertainment impulse that has swept through broadcast news and reality programming. Less obvious but no less important is the documentary’s hold on past generations. Its affiliation with political, social, and educational goals has given the documentary a gravitas or weight that is deeply meaningful. The form consequently has not lost its audience as so many other story forms have. Whatever the reason, ...