Here is a very brief overview of the six different Modes of Documentary Film by Bill Nichols as described in his 2010 book:
The Poetic Mode
This mode is more focused on conveying specific moods, feelings, and experiences to the viewers rather than just facts. The editing of poetic documentaries is very intentional and specific (Nichols, 2010, p. 162). Like in the expository mode, the poetic mode will often not focus the relationship between individuals and the filmmaker. Individuals are shown but viewers never really get to know them (Nichols, 2010, p. 156).
The Expository Mode
In expository documentary films viewers are addressed directly in order to convey information to them. Sometimes filmmakers will use the Voice-Of-God, a stylistic choice where we cannot see the speaker but hear them throughout the film. This is the classical voice over used in many documentaries (Nichols, 2010, p. 167). In expository documentaries rhetoric methods are used to make points as clear as possible. These types of documentaries usually move within a framework that has existed beforehand. They add to the viewers’ knowledge pool, but they do not question or challenge existing structures (Nichols, 2010, p. 169).
The Observational Mode
While poetic and expository documentaries often collect raw material aiming to edit it into something aesthetically compelling or informative, fitting their exact ideas of the film, observational documentary filmmakers will often just see what happens in front of the camera without any intervention. Often there will also be no voice over or commentary in observational documentaries (Nichols, 2010, p. 172). This also allows for viewers to choose the focus instead of the filmmakers (Nichols, 2010, p. 174). With more authentic pacing of the films, the viewers also get to experience the actual timing more realistically (Nichols, 2010, p. 176).
The development of newer, lighter, more mobile equipment has helped observational documentaries flourish by guaranteeing the camera almost disappears (Nichols, 2010, p. 172). Individuals ideally tune out the cameras as much as possible, especially when being preoccupied with their own struggles. This authenticity and closeness to ones struggling can many times be uncomfortable to watch, feeling very intrusive. This has raised some ethical questions about this mode of documentaries as well (Nichols, 2010, p. 174). Also, the non-involvement of the filmmakers in this mode of documentaries can create some ethical dilemmas. Moreover, the omission of any form of commentary or clarification can lead to a problematic misrepresentation of certain situations or behaviors (Nichols, 2010, p. 175).
The Participatory Mode
In participatory documentaries the filmmaker does not just passively observe the subjects but actively interacts with them and influences the events. Conversations and interviews are an important part of these documentaries and the film becomes a reflection of the interactions between filmmaker and individuals (Nichols, 2010, p. 179). The filmmaker develops from some ominous, neutral presence into an actual human, interacting with others (Nichols, 2010, p. 182). Like in the observational mode and the performative mode, participatory documentaries feel like meeting the individuals. The influence filmmakers have on them, however, can raise some ethical questions (Nichols, 2010, p. 157).
With some participatory documentaries, the interaction does not stop with filmmaker and subject, but also the viewers can participate via interactive websites or art installations (Nichols, 2010, p. 180). However, participatory documentaries are not the first example to foster interaction with their audience. For example radio shows where hosts and callers interact, or anthropologists living among their research subjects also rely on the interaction between individuals (Nichols, 2010, p. 181).
The Reflexive Mode
Where the participatory mode provides exchange between filmmaker and subject, the reflexive mode focuses on the interaction of filmmakers and viewers. Reflexive documentaries do not just talk about history, facts or experiences, but about their representation within the film. The focus is shifted from the content to the film itself (Nichols, 2010, p. 194).
The Performative Mode
Similar to the poetic mode, the performative mode of documentary filmmaking tries to convey emotions instead of facts. The focus is less on delivering information and more on creating emotional understanding (Nichols, 2010, p. 199). Performative documentaries are also often used by filmmakers to talk about their own personal experiences or those of communities they are a part of (Nichols, 2010, p. 205).
This was just a brief overview of the existing modes of documentaries; there is a more detailed table describing more specific qualities for each of the mentioned modes which I might include in the appendix. For analyzing and categorizing documentary films, this more extensive information will surely be useful, but I believe that for this part of my work the shortened down version of the description will suffice in giving an overview of the different modes.













