Documentary Impact

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With the way technology is advancing, information has become effortless to obtain. There are databases and search engines that humans can reach from their smartphones while laying in their PJs at home. The golden side of film documentaries is that they are films. Even the most boring films can be handled and give off some solid information. While there are boring films everywhere, there are also some films that are incredible and can change lives.

Most experience I have with documentaries stems from my interest in history. As far as history goes I love the 1940s. World War II was such a pivotal time in history not only for the United States, but the entire world. World War II in Color is a massive source of information on the entire era. Not only do they go through the war but series also focus on the lifestyle of the people who lived during the war. The 40s affected the entire world and the documentary has so much information to give.

Many people see World War II, or even the world history for that matter, and they immediately are bored to sleep. Aside from documentaries on historical aspects there are also very moving works that focus on modern issues. The Michael Moore documentaries are sometimes laughed at due to their content, but after weeding through some of the more humerus sides there is a lot of information that can be taken. In "The Big One" produced by Moore, he chases around cooperate CEOs, gets rejected most of the time, and tries to expose some of these companies for their poor ethics. In one example Moore actually wins over an interview with the CEO of Nike. Moore makes some very interesting points in his documentaries and really raised some questions. This is a prime example of how documentaries can kick start movements.

Documentaries not only kick start movements but they also raise awareness on issues and on the other hand of the spectrum they can be extremely informative. Some informative documentaries can be extremely boring, but some can be loaded with information and even some sort of advice to work towards solving a problem. In high school science classes, teachers will never shy away from showing "A Crude Awakening" in their class. The documentary focuses on the use of fossil fuels, oil specifically, but has plenty of information. The information is narrated over mind blowing imagery and it really sends a powerful message.

Documentaries are powerful tools if they are done correctly. In film the viewers do not want to sit down and fall asleep because of the never ending boredom, but they are viewers. Informative films need to have strong facts but also a solid layout so that viewers can actually retain the knowledge. I like to think of films such as "Fury" and "Straight Outta Compton" as informative entertainment. Not only were both movies very interesting but they grossed over $235 million. a number that staggering between two films only means that both films drew massive audiences and displayed the information to many. Those two films may not be considered "documentaries" but they did inform the viewer. The best documentaries are not only informative, but very moving and powerful.