What is the Purpose of Documentaries?

As Master of Suspense Alfred Hitchcock so eloquently says, documentaries are story-driven visual documentations of the real world: “In feature films the director is God; in documentary films God is the director.” 

Feature films are designed to inspire and conjure some type of emotional response. With documentary film productions comes a sense of urgency to change the world around us, to take action. Sure, emotions play a big part in that, but documentarians aim to challenge your perspective and educate the masses.

There’s no better way to do that than through the power of film.

So, why are documentaries important? How can we make an impact through documentary film-making? And what role do documentaries play in your business?

If you’re curious, you’ve come to the right blog post.

Why are Documentaries Important?

There are many ways that documentaries demonstrate their importance and purpose in the present day, but influential BBC producer and documentarian Parminder Vir said it best:

“Documentary films tell important, often unknown stories and bring awareness to a wider audience, and are some of the best resources for information, inspiration and entertainment. They have also become core elements and prompters of social issue campaigns.” 

Documentaries give the average person access to crucial information about global, social and political issues they might not otherwise be exposed to. For individuals, it’s important to constantly challenge your own perspective and to find inspiration to make the world around you a better place for everyone.

At a more micro-level, documentaries and documentary-style video content is a valid and growing way to debut brands and products in a way that feels genuine. A company could find value in explaining their unique process with branded storytelling or introduce their Founder in a single-character documentary style.

How to Make an Impact with Your Documentary

A documentary is only as effective as the creator’s passion for the story they’re telling.

Let’s break this down into 3 steps:

1. Identify your audience

Be as specific as possible. Think about who the message is targeted for, where they live, what their background is, where they are watching your documentary (online, broadcast, live stream). And then get even more granular; what are their jobs, what education do they have, how receptive are they to this new idea or new way of thinking? The more specific you can get, the easier crafting your message will be.

2. Determine the message

Documentaries more often than not have a call to action at the end. Determine what you want your audience to do after viewing your film. These actions could include donating to a charity, volunteering time for a cause, changing their habits, or considering your products/services. Can you change what someone believes, as well as what someone does with your message?

3. Invest in production

Even “found footage” documentaries have production crews behind them. That’s not to say that you have to shell out the money for a Hollywood-scale production, but it’s important to prioritize how you’ll produce your film. If you decide to work with a production company, it’s important to understand that they will not only execute the production of your film, but consult on the best way to spend your secured budget.

Purposeful Storytelling through Documentary-style Marketing

Once you’ve determined all of the above, the next step is to bring it all to life. If you’re ready to tell your story, your brand’s story or bring your product into the world—we’d be honored to help make that happen.

Check out our New Project Form to get in touch with a member of our talented team of storytellers.