The codes and conventions of documentary film-making.

Documentary film-making has a history as long as that of fiction film-making and began in the late 1800s. From the first developments of film cameras many people found the need to 'document' the life they saw around them. Film gave rise to a new and very powerful way of looking at the things. Each decade brought with it lighter and easier to use camera equipment, as well as film stock which could be used in …

…has the power to shoot exactly what they want, to get shots that would have been impossible at the real event. It therefore can be a very persuasive tool where the truth can be twisted to the advantage of the film-maker, and can use the dramatic conventions of fiction films to convince the audience. Reconstructions can also have a symbolic and metaphorical value, where shots can be used to symbo1ise meanings to the audience.