What docos are really about

When I was young, when I heard the word documentary, the first thing that came to mind was footage of animals getting it on it the wild.

No thank you!

As I grew up I realised they’re not always about animals and their habitat. They can be about basically anything, and they are actually really interesting. Some popular modern documentaries include Supersize me, March of the Penguins and Fahrenheit 9/11.

In all seriousness… docuentaries are overlooked. They are a major source of information and entertainment. They are generally made for a purpose – to educate. Documentaries such as Supersize me educated people on the horrific effects of McDonalds and created awareness about the obesity rates in America. It’s a nice change to watch a film and come out feeling that you’ve actually learnt something.

Some documentaries offer a clear insight to things in the past such as war or 911. They offer ‘dirty reality’ (Birchall 2008) – very different viewing experience than we are used to.

And now, thanks to our buddy YouTube, people all over the world can easily make their own documentaries. They film their own footage, edit it and upload it for the world to see. People also have the opportunity to leave thoughts and comments which can ultimately help the creator enhance their work.

Documentaries give people a chance to create footage about something they are passionate about. Not only this, but a chance for them to show other people; to educate, inform and create awareness about something.