Nichols' 'Modes of documentary' (1991);

He takes an influential approach to the study of documentary by looking at the 5 different modes/types of documentary. This can help organise documentaries into categories, but modes are defined with reference to documentary techniques rather than subject matter etc. The 5 modes are;

1) EXPOSITORY DOCUMENTARIES;

- speaks directly to the viewer (often in form of an authoritative commentary)
- uses voice over/titles
- proposes a strong argument
- they are a point of view and are rhetorical.
- most commonly seen on TV

- uses direct address for the audience

- e.g; “Interview with a Murderer”

- "March of the Penguins"

2) OBSERVATIONAL DOCUMENTARIES;

- referred to as "fly-on-the-wall" documentaries that aim to represent the world as it is

- they'll use long takes, hand-held camera work

- no interviews or voiceover

- audience shouldn't be aware of filmmaker. 

- e.g; "Salesman"

3) PARTICIPATORY DOCUMENTARIES;

- oppose the observational style

- filmmaker is foregrounded and are known

- makes it explicit that the documentary is from the filmmaker's point of view

- the filmmaker will often be the main character, so there will be a focus on their interaction with others

- can include voice overs, hand-held camera work and informal interviews. 

- e.g; food/travel documentaries.

- e.g; "The Thin Blue Line"

4) REFLEXIVE DOCUMENTARIES; 

- can often show the construction of a documentary to a viewer

- it is a reflection of what can be seen.

- e.g; "Stories We Tell"

5) PERFORMATIVE DOCUMENTARIES;

- linked to reflexive documentary

- investigates the relationship between the real world and the way in which documentaries represents it

- representations are based on the construction/manipulation of image 

- this documentary then takes this idea further by explicitly challenging the idea of documentary truth/emphasising the process of film language itself. 

- e.g; "Tongues Untied"