Documentary: What is the Observational Mode?

In an observational mode documentary, the filmmaker watches what happens in the world around them without interfering. The filmmaker stays out of the way while real-life events and people unfold.

Cinéma Vérité, which literally translates to “truthful cinema,” is another name for this kind of filmmaking. In observation mode, the camera follows natural events as if the director were not there. The videographer makes an effort to blend in. The lyrical form is highly allusive and emotional. Read on to learn its history, documentaries to watch, and some notable filmmakers.

The Observational mode is one of the six modes of documentary outlined by Bill Nichols.

The History

Documentaries that use an observational approach to their subject matter aim to watch their subjects in natural settings with as little interference as possible. The poetic mode was generally seen as too abstract by filmmakers working in this subgenre, whereas the explanatory mode was deemed too didactic.

The earliest observational documentaries may be traced back to the 1960s when technology advancements like lightweight mobile cameras and portable sound recording devices for synced sound allowed filmmakers to capture their subjects in natural settings.

This kind of filmmaking typically did not include things like voice-over commentary, reenactments, or post-synchronised speech and music. The films attempted to reveal human character in everyday settings emphasising immediacy and closeness.

Ones To Watch

Chronicle of a Summer (1961)

Jean Rouch is well-known for crafting films that blur the lines between the retrospection and objectivity of the two dominant cinematic styles. One of his most well-known works, directed alongside Edgar Morin in 1961, is the interview/cinema vérité mashup Chronicle of a Summer.

Rough Aunties (2008)

The South African film Rough Aunties follows five mothers who advocate for their abused and neglected offspring. This film is heartbreaking and inspiring in equal measure, capturing both the drudgery of daily living and the kind nature of the Aunties.

Don’t Look Back (1967)

As a member of the Drew Associates, D.A. Pennebaker primarily focused on producing films related to the theatre. Don’t Look Back (1967), which followed Bob Dylan on his tour of Britain in 1965, is his most important documentary.

Young Plato (2021)

This film is about the life of working-class students in a high school in Belfast, Ireland. The narrative depicts the efforts of the forward-thinking Headmaster to inspire and teach his students. He hopes that by teaching them about philosophy, mythology, and history, he might enrich their lives and expand their horizons.

The film was honored with a Special Jury Award at the 2022 Thessaloniki Documentary Film Festival.

Grey Gardens (1975)

One of the most well-known seventies observational films, Grey Gardens, follows two former socialites who have lost their status and their fortune as they go about their daily lives. The documentary’s directors and producers, Albert and David Maysles, also make an appearance.

Salesman (1969)

The tale of four traveling salesmen peddling expensive, elaborate bibles from door to door. They must deal with being ignored, moving around a lot, and working nonstop. The film took home the Cinema Eye Honors Award three years in a row.

Primary (1960)

To further their “pictorial journalism,” filmmakers in the New York area were brought together by Robert Drew in an organised effort. The Drew Associates were responsible for some of the earliest experimental documentaries.

The film Primary, which Drew made with director Richard Leacock, is widely regarded as a landmark in the development of the documentary cinema genre. After John F. Kennedy and Hubert H. Humphrey competed in the 1960 Democratic primary election in Wisconsin, the film shifted its focus to the following general election.

Children Underground (2001)

Romanian street kids are the subject of the documentary Children Underground. The film depicts the kids’ daily fight for survival in Bucharest’s rough neighbourhoods.

Award consideration came the film’s way in 2002 for the Best Documentary Oscar. It was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival and earned the Special Jury Prize.

Public Housing (1997)

One of Wiseman’s latest works, Public Housing (La Huerta Publica), focuses on the low-income tenants of a Chicago, Illinois, public housing development. The film focuses on the inhabitants, police enforcement, and social workers at the housing development, as well as the effects of addiction on some of the most vulnerable individuals.

Hoop Dreams (1994)

This is a great film for basketball fans. In Hoop Dreams, we follow a group of Chicago. They are high school basketball players trying to make it to the NBA. It reveals how they’ve been affected by injuries, academic performance, and training.

High School (1968)

Frederick Wiseman documented Philadelphia high school students’ routines and interactions in High School. Wiseman’s documentary provides an unfiltered view of the dynamics of authority in the classroom, despite being shot in black and white. Some others even go so far as to call Wiseman the “master” of observational filmmaking.

Armadillo (2010)

The film Armadillo provides an objective look at the battle. The story follows a group of Danish troops serving in Afghanistan for six months. No actors are used; instead, the film team follows real soldiers as they engage in combat.

Our Yorkshire Farm (2018–2022)

Occasionally, we all wonder what it would be like if we weren’t a part of this advanced civilisation. What if we took things easy for a while? This documentary series closely examines a family’s life on a farm in rural Yorkshire, England. It shows the unusual way of life that modern sheep farmers lead. Their level of cooperation and teamwork is amazing.

This is a must-watch if you spend at least an hour a day looking through social media.

Characteristics of the Observational Mode

There are no re-enactments

While some documentaries may use actors to play out situations the camera didn’t catch, an observational documentary would never resort to such a technique since it would destroy the film’s authenticity.

No use of voiceover

Filmmakers who produce observational documentaries typically let the film speak for itself rather than attempting to convey a specific message to the audience.

Long takes

Since the cameras follow the action as it unfolds, observational documentaries frequently use lengthy takes with no editing to draw the spectator into the experience.

Notable Filmmakers – Observational Mode

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