The History of Documentaries

Late 18^th early 19^th Century
In the early 1900’s documentaries were used to capture specific events and moments. Things such as a train entering a tunnel, people leaving work and a boat docking were most popular. This type of filming was known as actuality filming.
Between 1898-1901 a Romanian professor created 7 documentaries on Neurology. All these 7 documentaries have been preserved as they are some of the earliest documentaries created.
1920-1940 In the late 20’s and 40’s documentaries were used to persuade audiences point of view. Most documentaries in the UK focused on the world war and effect on the public. In Germany, documentaries were seen as a good propaganda tool, as Adolf Hitler commissioned many which range from the rise of the Nazis to stereotyping its enemies.
60’s-70’sDocumentaries took a dramatic change during this time, instead of producing scientific and wildlife documentaries, film makers focused of political warfare. One of the most famous political documentaries is Chile: A special Report, this helped a generation overthrow its government and replace it with army rule.
Modern DayAnalysts have seen an increase of film documentaries being produced and shown in cinema’s. This may be down to documentaries being far cheaper to make than films, but bring in higher profits. An example of a box office sensation is March Of The Penguins as it grossed over $127,000 world wide it was later released on DVD where profits soared.