Saying More about Documentary? Notes on Formation, Continuity and Change in the Field of Study

By John Corner¹
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¹ University of Leeds.
Source: The Intellect Handbook of Documentary , pp 22-30
Publication Date: April 2025
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1386/9781835950685_3
Language: English

This article looks at the development of teaching on documentary from the perspective of the author's own experience, beginning in the 1970s. It considers the construction of a syllabus, and both the range of readings and of screenings used in what became a rapidly expanding area of study. It reflects on the aims and theories that informed study, the key texts that helped development and examines the difference between Film Studies approaches and the broader frameworks used in media research. Finally, it considers what the formative periods of documentary studies might indicate about the direction and shape of its future.

Keywords: Documentary ; Film Studies ; Media Research ; Sociology of Culture ; Teaching Methods ; Television

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References

Barnouw, Erik (1974), A History of Non-Fiction Film, New York: Oxford University Press.
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Corner, John (2000), ‘What can we say about documentary?’ Media, Culture and Society, 22:5, pp. 681–88.
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Corner, John (2002), ‘Performing the real: Documentary diversions’, Television and New Media, 3:3, pp. 255–69.
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Corner, John (2008), ‘Documentary studies’, in T. Austin and W. de Jong (eds), Rethinking Documentary, Maidenhead: Open University Press, pp. 13–28.
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Elliot, Philip (1972), The Making of a Television Series, London: Constable.
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Grierson, John (1932), ‘First principles of documentary’, Cinema Quarterly, 1:2, pp. 67–72.
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Nash, Kate and Corner, John (2016), ‘Strategic impact documentary: Contexts of production and social intervention’, European Journal of Communication, 31:3, pp. 227–42.
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Nichols, Bill (1976), ‘Documentary theory and practice’, Screen, 71:4, pp. 34–48.
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Nichols, Bill (1991), Issues and Concepts in Documentary, Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press.
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Nichols, Bill (1995), ‘At the limits of reality (TV)’, in B. Nichols (ed.), Blurred Boundaries, Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press, pp. 43–62.
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Slugan, Mario and Terrone, Enrico (eds) (2021), Studies in Documentary, Special Issue: ‘Documentary studies and analytic aesthetics in conversation’, 12:2, pp. 97–191.
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Vaughan, Dai (1976), Television Documentary Usage, London: British Film Institute.
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References

Barnouw, Erik (1974), A History of Non-Fiction Film, New York: Oxford University Press.
[Google Scholar]
Corner, John (2000), ‘What can we say about documentary?’ Media, Culture and Society, 22:5, pp. 681–88.
[Google Scholar]
Corner, John (2002), ‘Performing the real: Documentary diversions’, Television and New Media, 3:3, pp. 255–69.
[Google Scholar]
Corner, John (2008), ‘Documentary studies’, in T. Austin and W. de Jong (eds), Rethinking Documentary, Maidenhead: Open University Press, pp. 13–28.
[Google Scholar]
Elliot, Philip (1972), The Making of a Television Series, London: Constable.
[Google Scholar]
Grierson, John (1932), ‘First principles of documentary’, Cinema Quarterly, 1:2, pp. 67–72.
[Google Scholar]
Kaplan, E. Ann (1977), ‘Harlan County USA: The documentary form’, Jump Cut, 15, pp. 11–12.
[Google Scholar]
Lesage, Julia (1978), ‘The political aesthetics of the feminist documentary film’, Quarterly Review of Film Studies, 3:4, pp. 507–23.
[Google Scholar]
Lovell, Alan and Hillier, Jim (eds) (1972), Studies in Documentary, New York: Viking Press/British Film Institute.
[Google Scholar]
Nash, Kate (ed.) (2018), Studies in Documentary, Special Issue: ‘Virtually real: Exploring VR documentary’, 12:2, pp. 97–171.
[Google Scholar]
Nash, Kate and Corner, John (2016), ‘Strategic impact documentary: Contexts of production and social intervention’, European Journal of Communication, 31:3, pp. 227–42.
[Google Scholar]
Nichols, Bill (1976), ‘Documentary theory and practice’, Screen, 71:4, pp. 34–48.
[Google Scholar]
Nichols, Bill (1991), Issues and Concepts in Documentary, Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press.
[Google Scholar]
Nichols, Bill (1995), ‘At the limits of reality (TV)’, in B. Nichols (ed.), Blurred Boundaries, Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press, pp. 43–62.
[Google Scholar]
Slugan, Mario and Terrone, Enrico (eds) (2021), Studies in Documentary, Special Issue: ‘Documentary studies and analytic aesthetics in conversation’, 12:2, pp. 97–191.
[Google Scholar]
Vaughan, Dai (1976), Television Documentary Usage, London: British Film Institute.
[Google Scholar]

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