The reflexive mode incorporate the filmmaker and the camera into the final product.
The nonfictional reflexive mode documentary style poses doubtful questions to its audience and approaches its subjects with an air of hesitation. Reflexive films frequently include shots of the camera or the production staff to erase preconceived notions about the film’s substance or intent. Read on to find out how reflexive mode differs from participatory mode and the reflexive mode films you should watch.
The reflexive mode is one of the six modes of documentary outlined by Bill Nichols.
At A Glance
- The History
- Characteristics of the Reflexive Mode
- Reflexive Mode vs other Modes
- Reflexive Mode – Ones To Watch
- Notable Filmmakers
The History
The documentary’s reflexive form analyses its own quality, explaining its methods and weighing its consequences. As an added bonus, the film itself features filmmakers.
Dziga Vertov‘s Man with a Movie Camera was released in 1929. In the video, he showed clips of his brother and wife working behind the camera and in the editing room, respectively. Including these photographs was intended to help the audience comprehend the filmmaking process and foster an educated and critical outlook.
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