An authored documentary is a documentary that presents the subjective view of its author on the topic of the documentary. In sharp contrast to observational documentaries, which are supposed to be unbiased, authored documentaries are intended to present a definite point of view. They tend to be popular with audiences favoring the positions they advocate, because of their ability to mobilize popular opinion and interest. For the same reason, they tend to stimulate public controversy.[1]: 102 At an extreme, authored documentaries may take the form of "hybrid" documentaries that incorporate techniques used in fiction.[2]
Authored documentaries include both feature films and television series. Authored documentaries originally made as feature films are often eventually presented on television; as films, they are generally exempt from the constraints on bias that are normally imposed on television programs.[1]: 102
The format, expanding upon the presenter/author's thesis over a number of episodes was popularized with Kenneth Clark's landmark BBC 2 series Civilisation. The success of this series led to other authored documentaries being produced, including The Ascent of Man, Jacob Bronowski's partial refutation of Kenneth Clark's thesis that the major driving force of cultural evolution was the arts, not the sciences. The genre also includes documentary series like David Attenborough's Life on Earth, Carl Sagan's Cosmos, and Simon Schama's A History of Britain.
Academic analysisedit
The notion of authorship for a documentary is in tension with the pressures of modern corporate radio, television, and film production, which tend toward consolidation of all claims of authorship in the corporate producer entity. In December 2009, the online media arts and culture journal Scan[5] published a theme issue of articles on the topic of this tension.[6]
Awards and honorsedit
In his will, Alan Whicker established cash awards to encourage the making of authored documentaries in the UK.[7]
Referencesedit
^ abc Orlebar, Jeremy, ed. (2011). The television handbook (4th ed.). New York: Routledge.
^Merewether, Janet (December 2009). "Shaping the real: directorial imagination and the visualisation of evidence in the hybrid documentary". Scan: Journal of Media Arts Culture. 6 (3). from the original on 2018-03-12. Retrieved 2017-08-22.
^Levy, Paul (October 23, 2005). "Michael Gill". Independent (Obituary). UK. from the original on 2017-08-23. Retrieved 2017-08-22.
^"Michael Gill, 81; developed new form of documentary". Los Angeles Times (Obituary). October 28, 2005. Archived from the original on 2017-08-22. Retrieved 2017-08-22.
^Scan: journal of media arts culture. Sydney, Australia: Media Department, Macquarie University. ISSN 1449-1818.
^Delofski, Maree; Madsen, Virginia (December 2009). "Authorship and the documentary". Scan. 6 (3). from the original on 2017-08-23. Retrieved 2017-08-22.
^"Alan Whicker awards to fund documentaries". BBC News. June 7, 2015. from the original on 2017-08-23. Retrieved 2017-08-22.
External linksedit
British Film Institute's page on authored documentaries
Whicker's World Foundation (includes £80,000 award for best pitch for an authored documentary)
This article about a non-fiction television series is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.
authored, documentary, authored, documentary, documentary, that, presents, subjective, view, author, topic, documentary, sharp, contrast, observational, documentaries, which, supposed, unbiased, authored, documentaries, intended, present, definite, point, view. An authored documentary is a documentary that presents the subjective view of its author on the topic of the documentary In sharp contrast to observational documentaries which are supposed to be unbiased authored documentaries are intended to present a definite point of view They tend to be popular with audiences favoring the positions they advocate because of their ability to mobilize popular opinion and interest For the same reason they tend to stimulate public controversy 1 102 At an extreme authored documentaries may take the form of hybrid documentaries that incorporate techniques used in fiction 2 Contents 1 History 2 Examples 2 1 Film 2 2 Television 3 Academic analysis 4 Awards and honors 5 References 6 External linksHistory editThe authored documentary form was invented by Michael Gill and Adrian Malone 3 4 Examples editAuthored documentaries include both feature films and television series Authored documentaries originally made as feature films are often eventually presented on television as films they are generally exempt from the constraints on bias that are normally imposed on television programs 1 102 Film edit Among the best known examples of the genre are An Inconvenient Truth directed by Davis Guggenheim and Super Size Me directed by Morgan Spurlock Michael Moore is also well known for his authored documentary films including Bowling for Columbine Capitalism A Love Story Fahrenheit 9 11 and Sicko 1 102 Television edit The format expanding upon the presenter author s thesis over a number of episodes was popularized with Kenneth Clark s landmark BBC 2 series Civilisation The success of this series led to other authored documentaries being produced including The Ascent of Man Jacob Bronowski s partial refutation of Kenneth Clark s thesis that the major driving force of cultural evolution was the arts not the sciences The genre also includes documentary series like David Attenborough s Life on Earth Carl Sagan s Cosmos and Simon Schama s A History of Britain Academic analysis editThe notion of authorship for a documentary is in tension with the pressures of modern corporate radio television and film production which tend toward consolidation of all claims of authorship in the corporate producer entity In December 2009 the online media arts and culture journal Scan 5 published a theme issue of articles on the topic of this tension 6 Awards and honors editIn his will Alan Whicker established cash awards to encourage the making of authored documentaries in the UK 7 References edit a b c Orlebar Jeremy ed 2011 The television handbook 4th ed New York Routledge Merewether Janet December 2009 Shaping the real directorial imagination and the visualisation of evidence in the hybrid documentary Scan Journal of Media Arts Culture 6 3 Archived from the original on 2018 03 12 Retrieved 2017 08 22 Levy Paul October 23 2005 Michael Gill Independent Obituary UK Archived from the original on 2017 08 23 Retrieved 2017 08 22 Michael Gill 81 developed new form of documentary Los Angeles Times Obituary October 28 2005 Archived from the original on 2017 08 22 Retrieved 2017 08 22 Scan journal of media arts culture Sydney Australia Media Department Macquarie University ISSN 1449 1818 Delofski Maree Madsen Virginia December 2009 Authorship and the documentary Scan 6 3 Archived from the original on 2017 08 23 Retrieved 2017 08 22 Alan Whicker awards to fund documentaries BBC News June 7 2015 Archived from the original on 2017 08 23 Retrieved 2017 08 22 External links editBritish Film Institute s page on authored documentaries Whicker s World Foundation Awards page includes 80 000 award for best pitch for an authored documentary nbsp This article about a non fiction television series is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Authored documentary amp oldid 1172535156, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
