Best Documentary Essay Examples & Topics

Best Documentary Essay Examples & Topics

Updated:
389 samples

Watching documentaries is a great way to learn new things. These are films that shape and interpret facts for education and entertainment of their viewers. It has several social functions, which are to record, preserve, and reveal, and persuade. This form of motion films also aims to entertain and educate.

If you are struggling to write a good documentary essay, our experts have combined some helpful tips for you here. So, no need to worry.

First and foremost, you should find a topic. Focus on something you are genuinely passionate about. Think about the cause that matters to you: maybe it’s climate change, slavery, environmental cause, ocean pollution, or perhaps it’s something else. It is essential to find something that speaks to you. This way, you won’t struggle with composing your paper.

You can also find a list of essay topics for your documentary research below, checking our samples. Yet, to pick the right idea, we first need to understand what film types are available.

There are several genres of documentaries:

  • Expository documentaries. Such films present objective information with a ubiquitous presence. The filmmaker usually does not appear on the screen.
  • Poetic documentaries. They rely heavily on images and music rather than narration. That is to say, there is little verbal communication with the audience.
  • Essayistic documentaries. These movies feature an essay-like narration. The filmmaker relies both on speech and on the images to make their point.
  • Observational documentaries. They try to demonstrate an objective record of some activity. It almost does not have music and narration and tries to present the event as-it-is.
  • Participatory documentaries. The films are the complete opposite of observational ones. The filmmaker is an active participant in the movie. They appear on the screen and communicate the subject.
  • Performance documentaries. These movies feature a dramatic performance. It can be a concert, a play, or another performance event recorded in the form of a documentary.
  • Interview films. These are the records of a conversation between two or more people. It relies on communication on-screen to deliver the message rather than on images and music.
  • Dramatization. This type recreates an event using actors to bring the viewer to the event. Some argue that it is not a form of documentary.
  • Mixed documentaries. The films use different modes and techniques. It can combine poetic, expository, interview modes at the same time.
  • Animation films. Such movies are standard, too, and their most distinctive feature is the use of animation to present the material.

As for your documentary essay assignment, you can be asked to work with any documentary. Let’s figure out what tasks you will need to fulfill beforehand.

Documentary Review vs. Analysis

Not everyone understands the difference between a movie review and a movie analysis when watching movies and writing essays about the material. Sometimes these two terms are used interchangeably. Nevertheless, when it comes to grading and evaluating the paper, this difference is essential.

  • A film review essay is a “consumer-oriented” judgment that aims to recommend (or not) a movie. One can find documentary review essay examples in the newspapers, websites, or online databases.
  • An analysis of the film usually offers an interpretation and an evaluation of the movie. Some film theory is generally used as a framework to analyze and interpret the feature.

You can center your documentary essay assignment around not only a specific film but an entire genre of documentaries. You might be asked to write about a specific topic or an aspect of one movie in depth. Let’s try to see how it works!

How to Write a Documentary Essay

When you are asked to write an essay about a documentary, there are expectations. You will need to analyze specific elements in one film or a few.

No matter what your assignment is, we are here to help you nail it! Here is a short guide on how to write a documentary essay:

  1. Watch the documentary (and take notes). We highly recommended watching the film several times before you start writing anything. Throughout this process, you should take notes to recall essential elements later on. Schematically express your ideas and arguments.
  2. Choose your perspective. You need to understand the approach you will be using. However, your position should be supported by the examples and ideas from the film. Search for what others think and say on a similar issue and compare it to your thoughts.
  3. Pick what to discuss. After that, you need to start collecting the examples and ideas from the movie that support your viewpoint. All these elements should eventually connect to the main focus of your paper. You can try to do some additional research but do not forget to return to the movie continually.
  4. Outline your essay. The outline will help you stay within the word limit. This way, you’ll structure your thoughts and ideas on the paper before you start your essay. Plus, you will remain close to the intended format while writing.
  5. Write it! Start with a brief introduction about the documentary and your thesis statement at the end of it. Then, evaluate the film, developing your arguments logically. In your conclusion, restate your position on the matter and list the critical points discussed.

Thank you for reading this article till the very end! We hope you found it helpful. Share this page with those who need our help. For your inspiration, you can check the list of documentary essay examples below.

🏆 Top 10 Documentary Essay Topics

  1. The roles of documentaries in culture
  2. The history of documentary film
  3. Documentary and propaganda
  4. Documentaries with and without words: compare and contrast
  5. Narration styles in modern documentaries
  6. Pseudo-documentary as a genre
  7. The role of documentary films in education
  8. Ethnographic film and its role in social science
  9. Documentary in the era of social-media platforms
  10. The ethics of documentary film

389 Documentary Essay Examples

Themes in Ava DuVernay’s “13th”

The other important themes accentuated in the film include mass incarceration, racism, social bias, the gender issue, the impact on the environment, the social impact, the ineffectiveness of a prison system, and education.
  • Pages: 4
  • Words: 1181

“The American Factory”: Plot and Issues Portrayed

In the film American Factory, Bognar and Reichert delve deep into the livelihoods of the American workers in Ohio and the problematic transition experienced by Chinese managers to American work culture and way of life.
  • Pages: 4
  • Words: 1069

Smartest Guys in the Room

Many people invested in the company and with the increase in the range of products, and consequently, the number of employees had to be increased.
  • 5
  • Pages: 7
  • Words: 1969

The Documentary “The American Nurse” by Carolyn Jones

The story of Jason Short demonstrates autonomy characterized by his independence and self-confidence, as he works alone and manages to help the members of his community without any support from other healthcare professionals.
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 650

The 2008 Banking Crisis in the Documentary “Inside Job”

Using the documentary "Inside Job", the paper presented below asserts that the malpractices of different banking experts, the ethical dilemma revolving around ratings agencies' actions, and the Gramm-Leach-Bliley and the Glass-Steagall Acts influenced the nature [...]
  • Pages: 5
  • Words: 1412

The Documentary “Waiting Room”

The patients featured in the film present the excruciating pains and frustrations the patients without insurance covers face in American public hospitals.
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 628

“The Corporation” Documentary Analysis

At the beginning of the film, different definitions of the corporation are provided, describing what contributed to their emergence, what made corporations powerful, what device they have, and their impact on people's lives.
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 637

The Documentary “Inequality for All?”

As competition continues to become fierce in the global market, more companies will be expected to engage in different malpractices thus threatening the lives of more people. Experts also believe that this problem will continue [...]
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 557

The Documentary “Age 7 in America” by Phil Joanou

Instead, they are interesting in hopes for the future, hobbies, and activities that do not represent traditional gender bias. The effects of being raised with attention to gender bias are evident in their values and [...]
  • Pages: 1
  • Words: 292

The Film “We Were Soldiers”

While the film focuses on the events on the battleground, it equally provides the viewers with a parallel story of the families and wives of the soldiers in the war as they grief for their [...]
  • Pages: 4
  • Words: 1202

Themes in “I Am” Documentary by Tom Shadyac

Shadyac wanted to tell everyone what he had come to know: that the world was a lie, and the activities which he had always considered to be improving it were, in fact, destroying it. I [...]
  • Pages: 3
  • Words: 876

The “They Call Us Monsters” Film Analysis

Jarad had a traumatic connection to seeing his stepfather try to commit suicide, while Juan grew up with the feeling that he was not accepted by his father and constantly felt that he competed with [...]
  • Pages: 4
  • Words: 1116

21st Century Hackers – Documentary Review

According to the documentary, hacking is of three different types: white hackers, black hackers, and grey hackers. On the other side, there are black hackers who use their hacking pedigree to extort money from innocent [...]
  • 5
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 547

The Century of the Self: Video Summary

This part concentrates on the changes the newly elected President Roosevelt was making to lead America out of the economic crisis, the alternatives to democracy that were being sought around the world, and Bernays' later [...]
  • Pages: 3
  • Words: 913

“The 11th Hour” Environmental Documentary

Thus, to overcome the catastrophic events and to predict the worsening of the situation, it is important to answer questions about the causes of the processes and the ways to cope with the ecological crisis.
  • 1
  • Pages: 3
  • Words: 805

Fela Kuti: Music Is the Weapon

Shot in Lagos, Nigeria, at the peak of Kuti's career, the film contains a series of heartfelt, sincere, and courageous interviews with the pioneer of the Afrobeat genre.
  • Pages: 5
  • Words: 1393

What the Bleep Do We Know!? (2004)

One of the major themes is the representation of the physical universe as it is known to the human and the life that exists within this universe.
  • Pages: 13
  • Words: 3663

“Born into Brothels” Documentary Analysis

Title of the film: Born into Brothels: Calcutta Red Light Kids Date released: January 17, 2004 Producers: Zana Briski and Ross Kauffman I selected this movie due to the controversies that surround it.
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 749

The Documentary “Triumph of the Nerds”

The introduction of personal computers to the market revolutionized almost every aspect of human life today."Triumph of the Nerds" is a 1996 documentary about the history of personal computing since the creation of the first [...]
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 675

HBO Documentary Risky Drinking

The documentary displays how excessive drinking can shadow one's perception of life, and how the addiction can hinder people's strive to act upon their need to better themselves.
  • Pages: 1
  • Words: 363

The Documentary “Supplements and Safety”

The Frontline documentary, "Supplements and Safety," provides a thorough and insightful description of the main problems existing in the supplement industry: safety, regulation, and efficacy.
  • Pages: 3
  • Words: 900

Documentary Films Concept and Definition

The definition of documentary films addresses such features as the level of control, the institutional base, the structure of texts, and the attitude towards viewers.
  • Pages: 5
  • Words: 1356

Terms and Conditions May Apply Documentary

Specifically, the authors of the terms and conditions fraud theory address the issue as a secret strategy that hides the concrete objectives of a particular Internet company under the multiple pages of plain textual reiterations [...]
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 581

The “Central Park Five” Documentary

The documentary provides in-depth information on the arrests and interrogations of the suspects, the sentences, vacations of the convictions, and the interviews with the accused men.
  • Pages: 1
  • Words: 404

Jobs & Technology: “In the Age of AI” Documentary

The documentary film In the Age of AI by Frontline provides answers to these questions and talks about the prospect of retaining jobs and professions, the development of technology, rivalry between China and the United [...]
  • 5
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 656

“The Spirit of Crazy Horse”: The PBS Documentary

This is illustrated in the PBS documentary "The Spirit of Crazy Horse," in which the Indian tribe forgets its cultural customs, as evident when the young Indian activists return to the reservation to learn about [...]
  • Pages: 3
  • Words: 839

McDonald’s Ethics in Super-Size Me Documentary

In my opinion, it is every retailer's and food manufacturing company's ethical responsibility to clearly mention not only all the preservatives but also the processing that a food has been subjected to so as to [...]
  • Pages: 3
  • Words: 947

Hot Coffee Documentary

The film "Hot Coffee" informs the viewer about the facts surrounding the case. It informs the citizens why many corporations have continued to support this reform.
  • Pages: 3
  • Words: 827

Documentary “An Inconvenient Truth” by Davis Guggenheim

The problem of environmental protection is one of the most controversial and significant questions in modern society because today people need to realize the negative consequences of their activities on the environment and the planet.
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 594

The Movie “Color of Fear”

The issue of racism is introduced by the film's director right from the beginning. Therefore, by the end of the video the issue of race is already embedded in the mind of the viewer.
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 586

Waiting for Superman

From the analysis of this film, appeal based on the character of the speaker has been manifested in the author's belief about teaching and education.
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 682

The Speaking in Tongues Documentary Overview

The film Speaking in Tongues focuses on the experiences of four families with children in a DLI program in California, and interviews educators, researchers, and advocates who support and oppose bilingual education.
  • Pages: 5
  • Words: 1396

“A Beautiful Mind” Directed by Ron Howard

When he is working on his graduate studies, he is so concentrated on proposing a unique concept that he does not have a moment for anything else, and it rewards off in the end.
  • Pages: 6
  • Words: 1682

“When the Levees Broke” by Spike Lee

Firstly the question of the awful performance of the government in dealing with the disaster and sufferings of people, and secondly the state sponsored ignorance of the masses who were made to suffer the horrifying [...]
  • Pages: 3
  • Words: 942

The Movie Life and Debt

In fact, tourists enjoy the best of weather, imported food, and entertainment in a country where the mass is in absolute penury.
  • Pages: 5
  • Words: 1359

The “Ten Billion” Documentary Reaction

It was interesting to learn about the effects of population growth on the environment and global poverty and the potential solutions to managing population growth.
  • Pages: 1
  • Words: 394

The Documentary “The Lost Libraries of Timbuktu”

The historic and exotic city is positioned strategically north of the large Niger River on the southern edge of the Sahara Desert. The text written in the margins was added after the original text of [...]
  • Pages: 3
  • Words: 1254

The Documentary “Last Train Home”

The social issues that have been shown in the documentary are living condition of migrant workers in cities, the growing gap between the children and their absentee parents, and the change in the position of [...]
  • Pages: 5
  • Words: 1385

The Documentary “Taboo: Blood Bonds”

One of the things that attracted my attention is that women have to ensure the wellbeing of children almost independently, while their spouses do not have to take many responsibilities. This is one of the [...]
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 566

Why We Fight by Eugene Jarecki Documentary

The analysis of the position of the American government according to the military conflicts round the world and the level of participation in them of the national troops can support the idea that the American [...]
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 627

The Summary of Harvest of Empire

Thus, the active immigration processes and the 'invasion' of the Latinos in the USA are the logical consequences of the prolonged territorial expansion of the USA and its economic influence in the region that is [...]
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 567

No Rest for the Wicked

The sixty-minute documentary produced by historian Tristan Hunt unravels the influence of Calvinism, Puritanism, and the Industrial Revolution on the current global order that is dominated by capitalism.
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 961

The “Kids Behind Bars” Documentary Review

Some of the most interesting findings in the documentary relate to the public and system response to the offenders. However, this does not deny the significance of socioeconomic and other components in such predictions.
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 676

“The People’s Republic of Capitalism” Documentary

The central themes of The People's Republic of Capitalism are the intricacies of the Chinese experiment with capitalism restrained by the authoritarian government and interdependence of American and Chinese economies.
  • Pages: 3
  • Words: 968

Documentary Presentation: The Confessions

The case involves four ex-soldiers from the US Marines accused and convicted of the murder of Michelle Bosko in 1997. Critics argue that The Confessions reveals the weaknesses of the American justice system.
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 553

Elizabeth Leiter’s The Abortion Divide Review

Undeniably, The Abortion Divide film adequately shows the gradual growth in differences between the pro-choice and pro-life supporters but fails to bring a solution to the moral problem of abortion.
  • Pages: 3
  • Words: 1023

Documentary Review “Killer Landslides”

The geologists collaborating with the filmmakers examine the samples of soil and clay in the area affected by the landslide to investigate the contributing factors, such as heavy rains in the Pacific Northwest.
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 563

Frozen Planet Documentary in Natural Sciences

This can be backed up by the interesting coverage of the documentary which takes the Pavlovian cues and the marvelous dramatic pullback zooms that resemble the production of Planet Earth and Life or the Blue [...]
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 603

“Touching the Void” by Kevin Macdonald

A brief insight into the filming of the movie revealed that the mountain used to make the film was not only the actual Siula Grande of the Peruvian Andes but also Mount Blanc in the [...]
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 583

The Documentary “The Lost World of Communism”

Romania was no exception, and the period from the 1960s to the 1980s is known as an epoch of the Ceausescu dictatorship. It reveals the dreadful truth about the power of the Ceausescu family and [...]
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 649

“Daughter from Danang” a Film by Gail Dolgin

For instance, in the movie, 'Daughter from Danang', Heidi's adoptive mother plays a major role in terms of showing her the need to forego her Vietnamese culture in order to fit into the American way [...]
  • Pages: 3
  • Words: 977

Documentaries as a Education Tool

In this context, the importance of ensuring that the audience is interested in the documentary's content is critical. In this regard, the effectiveness of a documentary in providing information is realized ethically.
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 541

“Helvetica” by Gary Hustwit

He describes the font as being "neutral," and this is an important fact because "the meaning is in the content of the text and not in the typeface".
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 559

Documentary Review: Kony 2012

The documentary's goal is to make people aware of the horrors that are still taking place in Uganda, the work completed by the organization called TRI and to make people join the community of those [...]
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 621

Sicko: U.S. Health Care System Issues

Basically, it compares universal health care system in other countries to that of United States. This reached its peak during the warm up to 2008 elections in which major components of health care reforms were [...]
  • Pages: 3
  • Words: 931

Inside North Korea: Michael Wood’s Documentary

In connection to this statement, the movie highlights the character of the King as a cult which is very much profound to the extent that it pervades every aspect of the ordinary life of a [...]
  • Pages: 4
  • Words: 1235

The Film Baraka and Its Spiritual Reflections

The instances of silence between the music are as imperative as the music itself. The film director seizes this opportunity to propose the theme of the film through as simple and a plain cut.
  • Pages: 4
  • Words: 1069

Beyond the Nuclear Family

Such issues as the definition of family, family structures and roles, influential factors for changing families, and the family of the future are discussed in Beyond the Nuclear Family directed by Suzi Taylor.
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 570

The Grizzly Man

He believes that the turmoil in that landscape was synonymous with the turmoil in the lead character's soul. The author wanted to contrast the illusions that were perceived by Treadwell and the reality that existed [...]
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 637

“Shadow of Hate” Film Analysis

Irish Catholics were also the subject of hate propaganda and were viewed as agents of the Vatican and the Pope; hysterical American Protestants used all means to stop the spread of Catholicism in America, and [...]
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 598

The Documentary “A Thousand Roads” by Chris Eyre

I can compare A Thousand Roads to a dart thrown into the bullseye because the film achieved its two goals with surgical precision. Given the short yet meaningful form of A Thousand Roads, I composed [...]
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 604

Episode 1 of “Unnatural Causes” Documentary

The first episode if the documentary series "Unnatural Causes" discusses the modern system of healthcare in the United States and the causes of health inequalities between different groups of the population.
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 550

The Rise of the Mammals Documentary

The film explores how the rise of mammals reshaped the planet after the mass extinction of the dinosaurs. I liked how it showed the different stages of evolution and how the animals adapt to their [...]
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 524

The Plastic Planet Documentary Analysis

Thus, the director intends to advocate for less plastic production by showing the dangers of plastic production and consumption to the environment and human health.
  • Pages: 4
  • Words: 1199

Episode Five of “The Full Swing” Documentary

By featuring male and female golfers together, the LIV Golf Tour seeks to promote gender variety in the sport. In this episode, justice is primarily demonstrated through the competitive nature of the LIV Golf Tour.
  • Pages: 4
  • Words: 1104

Response to “The Last Colony” Documentary

The director claims that the United States and Puerto Rico's fates are intertwined. I knew the US and Puerto Rico have a paradoxical political, societal, economic, and territorial relationship.
  • Pages: 1
  • Words: 396
Research Title Generator
We’ll help you brainstorm great title ideas for your essay, research or speech in no time!
Research Question Generator
Get a list of ideas for your essay or term paper. We’ve prepared the best research question generator.
Title Page
Generator
Craft a paper title page with just a couple of clicks. Get it in APA, MLA, Chicago, or Harvard without any effort
Updated: