The History and Theory of the Documentary Film Essay: From Richter to Marker and Beyond
Documentary Film Essay: A Guide for Students and Film Lovers
Do you love watching documentary films? Do you want to learn how to write an essay about them? If you answered yes to both questions, then this article is for you.
documentary film essay
In this article, you will learn what a documentary film essay is, why it is important to analyze documentary films, and how to write a documentary film essay step by step. You will also get some tips on choosing, watching, researching, writing, editing, and proofreading your documentary film essay. Plus, you will find some examples of documentary films for different topics and genres, sources and references for documentary film analysis, common errors and mistakes to avoid, and FAQs to answer your questions.
By the end of this article, you will be able to write a documentary film essay that is clear, coherent, engaging, and informative. So, let's get started!
Choosing a Documentary Film for Your Essay
The first step in writing a documentary film essay is choosing a documentary film to analyze. This may seem like an easy task, but it can be challenging if you don't know what to look for.
Here are some tips for selecting a suitable documentary film for your essay:
Pick a documentary film that interests you. You will enjoy watching and writing about it more if you are passionate about the topic or genre.
Pick a documentary film that is relevant to your assignment or purpose. You should check your instructor's guidelines or your own objectives before choosing a documentary film. For example, if you are writing an essay on environmental issues, you should pick a documentary film that addresses that topic.
Pick a documentary film that is accessible and available. You should make sure that you can watch the documentary film easily and legally. For example, you can check if it is streaming online or available in your local library or video store.
Pick a documentary film that is appropriate for your level and audience. You should consider your own skills and knowledge as well as your intended readers when choosing a documentary film. For example, if you are writing an essay for a college course, you should pick a documentary film that is not too simple or too complex for your level and audience.
Here are some examples of documentary films for different topics and genres:
Topic
Genre
Documentary Film
History
Biography
The Last Emperor (1987)
Politics
Investigative
Fahrenheit 9/11 (2004)
Society
Cultural
Bowling for Columbine (2002)
Science
Educational
Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey (2014)
Art
Creative
Exit Through the Gift Shop (2010)
Sports
Inspirational
Hoop Dreams (1994)
Watching and Researching the Documentary Film
The second step in writing a documentary film essay is watching and researching the documentary film. This is a crucial step because it will help you understand the documentary film better and prepare you for writing your analysis.
Here are some tips for watching the documentary film critically:
Watch the documentary film more than once. You may miss some important details or nuances the first time you watch it. You should watch it at least twice, preferably with some time in between, to get a deeper and clearer impression of it.
Watch the documentary film with a notebook and a pen. You should take notes while watching the documentary film. You should write down the title, director, year, main characters, main themes, main arguments, main techniques, main scenes, main quotes, and your own reactions and opinions.
Watch the documentary film with a question in mind. You should have a specific question or focus that guides your watching and note-taking. For example, you can ask yourself: What is the main purpose of the documentary film? How does the documentary film achieve its purpose? How does the documentary film affect me as a viewer?
Watch the documentary film with an open mind. You should be willing to learn from the documentary film and challenge your own assumptions and biases. You should not judge the documentary film based on your personal preferences or prejudices. You should respect the documentary film as a work of art and a source of information.
Watch the documentary film with a critical eye. You should be able to analyze the documentary film objectively and critically. You should not accept everything that the documentary film says or shows as true or valid. You should question the documentary film's credibility, reliability, validity, accuracy, completeness, fairness, and bias.
Here are some tips for researching the documentary film's context and background:
Research the documentary film's production and reception. You should find out how, when, where, why, and by whom the documentary film was made and distributed. You should also find out how, when, where, why, and by whom the documentary film was watched and reviewed. You should look for information such as interviews, reviews, awards, ratings, box office, controversies, criticisms, praises, etc.
Research the documentary film's topic and genre. You should find out more about the topic and genre of the documentary film. You should look for information such as definitions, history, characteristics, conventions, trends, examples, etc.
Research the documentary film's sources and references. You should find out more about the sources and references that the documentary film uses or mentions. You should look for information such as authors, titles, dates, publishers, locations, etc.
Research the documentary film's implications and significance. You should find out more about the implications and significance of the documentary film for yourself and others. You should look for information such as opinions, perspectives, arguments, counterarguments, evidence, examples, etc.
Research the documentary film's connections and comparisons. You should find out more about the connections and comparisons between the documentary film and other works or issues. You should look for information such as similarities, differences, contrasts, complements, influences, inspirations, etc.
Here are some examples of sources and references for documentary film analysis:
Type of Source or Reference
Writing the Documentary Film Essay
The third step in writing a documentary film essay is writing the documentary film essay. This is the most important and challenging step because it requires you to organize your thoughts and express them clearly and coherently.
Here are some tips for writing a clear and coherent thesis statement:
A thesis statement is a sentence that summarizes the main idea and argument of your essay. It should be specific, concise, and debatable.
A thesis statement should be placed at the end of your introduction paragraph. It should guide your writing and inform your readers of what to expect from your essay.
A thesis statement should answer the question or focus that you have established in your watching and researching step. It should also reflect your own position and perspective on the documentary film.
A thesis statement should include the title and director of the documentary film, the main purpose or argument of the documentary film, and the main points or reasons that support your analysis of the documentary film.
Here is an example of a thesis statement for a documentary film essay:
In his documentary film Bowling for Columbine (2002), Michael Moore explores the causes and effects of gun violence in America, arguing that it is a result of a culture of fear, media manipulation, and political corruption.
Here are some tips for writing an engaging introduction:
An introduction is a paragraph that introduces your topic and thesis statement to your readers. It should capture their attention and interest them in reading your essay.
An introduction should start with a hook, which is a sentence or a question that grabs your readers' attention. A hook can be a quote, a statistic, a fact, a question, an anecdote, or a personal experience related to the documentary film or its topic.
An introduction should provide some background information on the documentary film or its topic. This can include the title, director, year, genre, summary, context, or significance of the documentary film or its topic.
An introduction should end with your thesis statement, which summarizes your main idea and argument for your essay.
Here is an example of an introduction for a documentary film essay:
Did you know that there are more guns than people in America? According to the Small Arms Survey, there were 393 million civilian-owned firearms in the United States in 2017, which is more than the total population of 326 million. This means that there is more than one gun per person in America. Why is this so? And what are the consequences of this phenomenon? These are some of the questions that Michael Moore tries to answer in his documentary film Bowling for Columbine (2002). In this film, Moore explores the causes and effects of gun violence in America, arguing that it is a result of a culture of fear, media manipulation, and political corruption.
Here are some tips for writing a detailed body paragraph:
A body paragraph is a paragraph that develops one of the main points or reasons that support your thesis statement. It should provide evidence and analysis to back up your claim.
A body paragraph should start with a topic sentence, which is a sentence that introduces the main point or reason of the paragraph. A topic sentence should relate to your thesis statement and indicate what you will discuss in the paragraph.
A body paragraph should include evidence from the documentary film or other sources to support your point or reason. Evidence can be facts, statistics, quotes, examples, scenes, techniques, arguments, etc. You should cite your sources properly according to the citation style that you are using.
A body paragraph should include analysis of the evidence that you have provided. Analysis is your explanation of how and why the evidence supports your point or reason. You should also address any possible counterarguments or objections that may challenge your point or reason.
A body paragraph should end with a concluding sentence, which is a sentence that summarizes the main point or reason of the paragraph and connects it to your thesis statement and the next paragraph.
Here is an example of a body paragraph for a documentary film essay:
One of the causes of gun violence in America that Moore identifies in his documentary film is the culture of fear that pervades American society. He shows how Americans are constantly bombarded with messages of fear and danger from the media, the government, and the corporations. For example, he interviews Marilyn Manson, a rock musician who was blamed for the Columbine shooting by some media outlets and politicians. Manson argues that the media and the government use fear as a way to distract people from the real problems and to control them. He says, "Keep everyone afraid and they'll consume." Moore also shows how fear is used to sell products and services, such as guns, security systems, insurance, drugs, etc. He exposes how some corporations profit from fear and violence, such as Lockheed Martin, the largest weapons manufacturer in the world, which is located near Columbine High School. Moore suggests that the culture of fear creates a sense of insecurity and paranoia among Americans, which leads them to arm themselves and resort to violence.
Here are some tips for writing a concise conclusion:
A conclusion is a paragraph that summarizes your main points and arguments and restates your thesis statement. It should leave a lasting impression on your readers and make them think about your topic.
A conclusion should start with a restatement of your thesis statement, which is a paraphrase of your original thesis statement using different words. It should remind your readers of your main idea and argument for your essay.
A conclusion should include a summary of your main points and arguments, which are the main reasons that support your thesis statement. You should briefly recap what you have discussed in your body paragraphs.
A conclusion should end with a call to action, which is a sentence that urges your readers to do something or think about something related to your topic. A call to action can be a recommendation, a suggestion, a question, a prediction, a warning, or a personal reflection.
Here is an example of a conclusion for a documentary film essay:
In conclusion, Michael Moore's documentary film Bowling for Columbine (2002) explores the causes and effects of gun violence in America, arguing that it is a result of a culture of fear, media manipulation, and political corruption. He shows how Americans are influenced by fear-mongering messages from the media, the government, and the corporations, which create a sense of insecurity and paranoia among them. He also shows how these messages are used to distract people from the real problems and to control them. He suggests that the solution to gun violence is not more guns, but more awareness and critical thinking. He challenges his viewers to question the sources and motives of the information that they receive and to seek the truth behind the lies. He also urges his viewers to take action and demand change from their leaders and representatives. As he says in his film, "The kids at Columbine were not just shooting at their classmates. They were shooting at us."
Editing and Proofreading the Documentary Film Essay
The fourth step in writing a documentary film essay is editing and proofreading the documentary film essay. This is an essential step because it will help you improve the quality and clarity of your essay.
Here are some tips for editing and proofreading the documentary film essay:
Edit your essay for content and organization. You should check if your essay has a clear and coherent thesis statement, introduction, body paragraphs, conclusion, and citations. You should also check if your essay has relevant and sufficient evidence and analysis to support your thesis statement. You should make sure that your essay follows a logical structure and flow.
Edit your essay for style and tone. You should check if your essay has an appropriate style and tone for your level and audience. You should also check if your essay has an engaging and conversational style as written by a human. You should avoid using jargon, slang, clichés, or informal language that may confuse or offend your readers.
Edit your essay for grammar and punctuation. You should check if your essay has correct grammar and punctuation rules. You should also check if your essay has consistent verb tenses, subject-verb agreement, pronoun-antecedent agreement, parallelism, etc.
Edit your essay for spelling and vocabulary. You should check if your essay has correct spelling and vocabulary words.
your essay has varied and precise vocabulary words. You should avoid using repeated or vague words that may weaken your argument.
Proofread your essay for typos and errors. You should read your essay aloud or use a tool such as Grammarly or Hemingway to check for any typos or errors that you may have missed. You should also ask someone else to read your essay and give you feedback.
Here are some examples of common errors and mistakes to avoid in your documentary film essay:
Type of Error or Mistake
Example of Error or Mistake
Example of Correction
Unclear or weak thesis statement
This essay is about Bowling for Columbine.
In his documentary film Bowling for Columbine (2002), Michael Moore explores the causes and effects of gun violence in America, arguing that it is a result of a culture of fear, media manipulation, and political corruption.
Irrelevant or insufficient evidence or analysis
Moore interviews many people in his film.
Moore interviews many people in his film, such as victims, survivors, witnesses, experts, celebrities, and politicians, to show different perspectives and opinions on gun violence.
Inappropriate or informal style or tone
The film is awesome and Moore rocks.
The film is impressive and Moore is persuasive.
Incorrect or inconsistent grammar or punctuation
The film shows how fear is used to sell products and services. Such as guns, security systems, insurance, drugs, etc.
The film shows how fear is used to sell products and services, such as guns, security systems, insurance, drugs, etc.
Incorrect or repeated spelling or vocabulary
The film adress the problem of gun violance in America.
The film addresses the problem of gun violence in America.
Conclusion
Writing a documentary film essay can be a rewarding and enjoyable experience if you follow the steps and tips that we have discussed in this article. You will be able to write an essay that is clear, coherent, engaging, and informative. You will also be able to analyze documentary films critically and creatively. You will learn more about the documentary film's topic and genre, as well as your own position and perspective on it. You will also improve your writing skills and confidence.
We hope that this article has helped you understand what a documentary film essay is, why it is important to analyze documentary films, and how to write a documentary film essay step by step. We also hope that you have found some examples of documentary films for different topics and genres, sources and references for documentary film analysis, common errors and mistakes to avoid, and FAQs to answer your questions.
Now that you have learned how to write a documentary film essay, we encourage you to apply what you have learned and write your own documentary film essay. You can choose any documentary film that interests you and follow the steps and tips that we have provided. You can also use this article as a reference or a guide whenever you need help or inspiration.
We wish you all the best in your writing journey. Remember to have fun and be creative!
FAQs
Here are some frequently asked questions (FAQs) about documentary film essays:
What is the difference between a documentary film essay and a documentary film review?
A documentary film essay is an academic paper that analyzes a documentary film in depth and detail. It has a clear thesis statement that summarizes the main idea and argument of the essay. It also has an introduction, body paragraphs, conclusion, and citations that support the the