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Documentary - Free Essay Examples and Topic Ideas

A documentary is a non-fiction film or video production that carefully presents factual information in an engaging and informative way. Typically, documentaries explore important social, cultural, or historical topics, and often include a mix of expert interviews, historical footage, and observational footage. Documentaries are often used as powerful tools to educate and raise awareness about critical issues, and to inspire viewers to take action or make positive changes in their lives. They can be deeply moving and thought-provoking, and can challenge viewers to think critically about the world around them.

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  1. 1
    My Opinion about The Cove Documentary
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    The Cove documentary works to give logistical evidence against the corrupt practices in Taiji. The background information on what occurs in Taiji that the public isn't aware of, is explored and explained much further as the film progresses. It is argued that little action has been taken by government programs to stop the slaughter of dolphins. The documentary does this by introducing Rick O'Barry's perspective and his continuous struggle, up to this point in his life, to fight the government…
    DocumentaryFilm Analysis
  2. 2
    Portrayal of the Theme of Discovery in the Documentary Frank Hurley and Short Story Big World
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    New discoveries are necessary in instigating one’s personal growth, as they often lead to reformed perceptions, in turn encouraging the development of new values and beliefs. Simon Nasht’s documentary Frank Hurley: The Man Who Made History (2004) and Tim Winton’s short, coming of age story Big World (2004) both encapsulate this fundamental nature of discovery, emphasising how by encouraging individuals to challenge their beliefs, discovering for the first time can lead individuals to form a meaningful perception of the world,…
    DocumentaryFilm Analysis
  3. 3
    The Cove Documentary: Crimson Water
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    IntroductionFrom training dolphins for the famous American TV Series, Flipper, to now being an activist for these mammals, Ric O'Barry has been playing a major role in trying to uncover a dirty secret that is performed by the Japanese fishermen. "The Cove", an Oscar-winning documentary, directed by Louie Psihoyos shows the motives and passion that O'Barry had going into filming the truth on how dolphins were being captured and slaughtered in the city of Taiji. The film was made to…
    DocumentaryFilm Analysis
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  4. 4
    Deadly Deception: A Look Into the Tuskugee Experiment
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    The documentary, Deadly Deception, is based on the true story about the Tuskegee Study which was carried out in Macon County, Alabama over a forty year period. Sanctioned by the United States Public Health Service and the Tuskegee Institute, and paid for with taxpayer dollars, the study was to determine the effects of untreated syphilis on African-American men. The film takes us through the early formation of the study in 1932 until the end of the study in October of…
    Documentary
  5. 5
    Analysis of Documentary “My Scientology Movie”
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    The Documentary ‘My Scientology Movie’ was written by and stars Louis Theroux, and directed by John Dower. Theroux had been wanting to make a documentary on the church of Scientology for many years before the making of ‘My Scientology Movie’ initially wanting to see a different side of the church that the media did not show, but each time he reached out to the church in an attempt to gain a “look behind the scenes” he was denied entry by…
    DocumentaryFilm Analysis
  6. 6
    The True Cost: The Horrific Truth Behind Fashion Industry
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    Abstract After watching The True Cost, the knowledge I have obtained is that it’s evident that the success of major clothing brands are fueled by low-level workers from developing countries. These workers are suffering at the expense of their employers and due to the low cost of production, the top fashion companies have strived and developed production sites on those developing countries. However, labor laws and employee rights issues in these areas are not followed and the working conditions are…
    DocumentaryMovie Review
  7. 7
    Before The Flood Documentary: The Effects Of Climate Change
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    Before the Flood is a documentary about the impacts of climate change, it is 1 hour and 36 minutes long and was released in 2016. National Geographic, producer Fisher Stevens and actor Leonardo DiCaprio come together to chronicle DiCaprio’s exploration of how climate change is impacting the world and if its ramifications can be stopped. The documentary begins as DiCaprio is appointed as a United Nations Messenger of Peace on Climate Change, as both narrator and investigator DiCaprio sets out…
    Climate ChangeDocumentaryEnvironmental Issues
  8. 8
    The Beneficial Impacts of Social Documentaries on the World
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    A specific ideological understanding and declaration of solidarity with the goal of radical social-political transformation. "We realized that the important thing was not the film itself but that which the film provoked" – Fernado Solanas (1969). Social documentaries excel at telling complex societal problems and deep human stories. Openly addressing societal problems, with the goal of making audiences aware and motivated for social justice, equality and democracy. Helping to engage members of the public as citizens rather than merely media…
    DocumentaryFilm Analysis
  9. 9
    Chasing Coral: A Call to Action for Our Disappearing Reefs
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    "Chasing Coral" is a powerful documentary film that takes viewers on a journey beneath the ocean's surface to witness the devastating effects of coral bleaching and the rapid decline of coral reefs worldwide. Directed by Jeff Orlowski, this eye-opening film not only educates audiences about the dire state of our reefs but also serves as a poignant call to action. In this essay, we will explore the key themes and messages conveyed in "Chasing Coral," the science behind coral bleaching,…
    DocumentaryFilm Analysis
  10. 10
    Where to Invade Next Essay
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    Where to Invade Next: A Comedy at a Glance At first glance, Michael Moore’s “Where to Invade Next” seems to be a comedic movie based on the insanity of U.S history, but it turns out to be a powerful film filled with a humanizing vision of better solutions, possibilities on how the US shares their historical roots, that challenge the brutal and degrading reality of gross inequality fostered by the endless greed of the power elites. In the film, one…
    Documentary
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  11. 11
    The Social Dilemma By The American Filmmaker Jeff Orlowski
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    Introduction In this modern world, social media already plays a significant role in our day-to-day lives and it's certainly affecting the way we interact with the real world. The modern technology indeed changed people’s lives, we became dependent on what technology can offer to us which could positively and negatively affects us. These different sides of social media have been emphasized in the newest documentary-drama film, “The Social Dilemma” directed by the American filmmaker Jeff Orlowski. The documentary mainly focuses…
    DocumentaryFilm Analysis
  12. 12
    The 13th Documentary Summary
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    America is home to five percent of the world’s population and twenty-five percent of the world’s prisoners (Lee). Starting with explaining that America has the highest leading numbers of incarcerated people in a land that is supposed to be free, the documentary “13TH” goes into depth about the prison system in the United States, and how it played a big role in racial inequality. The director Ava DuVernay aimed to explore the history of racial inequality in the United States,…
    13th DocumentaryDocumentary
  13. 13
    My Reflection over the Documentary Waiting for Superman
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    The documentary, Waiting for Superman, was eye opening and emotional to me. This film impacted me greatly as a teacher. I was also surprised the amount of empathy I felt for these children whom I have never met. I can interpret that the title of this film means that all society does is wait around for something or someone to swoop in and magically make everything better. There is no superhero that is going to save the education world. Waiting…
    DocumentaryMovie Review
  14. 14
    Timothy Treadwell’s Mentality As Depicted in Grizzly Man
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    The Mentality of Grizzly Man There is a lot to be said about a man who willingly travels out alone into the Alaskan wilderness for grizzly bears, whether or not people find him brave or stupid. Inside the mind of someone so willing to go would present a different picture to the outside world compared to what Treadwell may see inside his own head. Treadwell’s psychology throughout the documentary is established enough to label him as being sick, of what…
    DocumentaryMental Illness
  15. 15
    Why Beauty Matters Documentary: Standardised Degradation of Art
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    Roger Scruton’s documentary “Why Beauty Matters” evaluates post-modernist art culture through a perspective that assumes art has become a sort of “standardised degradation”. It can be assumed Scruton believes postmodernism is a ‘cult of ugliness’; arguing the importance of transcendental nature of beauty. Despite these works having a profound contextual and situational impact, Scruton struggles to adhere from the ideas that they promote alienation, arrogance and have become ‘soulless’ and ‘sterile’. This pattern established by Marcel Duchamp’s “Fountain”, was originally…
    BeautyDocumentaryFilm Analysis
  16. 16
    The Exploration Of Child Development In Babies, The Documentary
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    The documentary Babies follows four children and their journey from newborns to one-year olds. These babies come from different cultures and distant countries, Ponijao from Opuwo, Namibia, Mari from Tokyo, Japan, Bayar from Bayanchandmani Mongolia, and Hattie from San Francisco, California. The film shows how these infants develop physically, cognitively, and socially and although each one of them go through similar growth changes that are expected experiences during infancy for normal brain maturation to occur, they grow up differently and…
    Babies (Documentary)Documentary
  17. 17
    Stress: Portrait of a Killer: Documentary on Effects of Stress on Human Body
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    AbstractFrom the views of National Geographic, stress is a killer. Stress is a disease that can affect you in unimaginable ways, clogging arteries, restricting blood flow, affecting the heart, obesity in the torso, killing brain cells, unraveling chromosomes, and can even cause a person to have a shorter life span. Stress isn’t just a temporary feeling like most people assume, it is measurable and disastrous.Robert Sapolsky and his Study of BaboonsNeurobiologist Robert Sapolsky dedicated his career to studying the effects…
    DocumentaryStress
  18. 18
    Assessing the Impact of ‘The Social Dilemma’: An In-Depth Examination
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    Paper Type:Analysis essay
    Introduction Modern society is undeniably intertwined with the digital realm, and nowhere is this more evident than in the pervasive influence of social media. The documentary film "The Social Dilemma" has struck a chord with audiences worldwide, shedding light on the profound impact of technology on our lives. In this essay, we embark on an in-depth analysis of the film's key messages and explore the ramifications it poses for society. Released in 2020, "The Social Dilemma" delves into the hidden…
    ArtCinematographyDocumentaryFilm AnalysisFree EssaysMovie Review
  19. 19
    The 13th Movie: A Profound Reflection on Racial Injustice
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    The 13th movie, directed by Ava DuVernay, is an extraordinary documentary that delves deep into the history and current state of racial injustice in the United States. Through its powerful storytelling and thought-provoking analysis, the film sheds light on the systemic oppression that African Americans have endured since the abolition of slavery. DuVernay skillfully weaves together interviews, archival footage, and statistical data to construct a compelling narrative that exposes the underlying mechanisms that perpetuate racial inequality. The film's title refers…
    Documentary
  20. 20
    Business of Birth: Empowerment at Birth
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    Paper Type:Persuasive Essay
    The documentary "The Birth Case" directed by Abby Epstein and produced by Ricki Lake challenges the generally accepted norms related to childbirth and raises suggestive questions about the medicalization of the childbirth process. With the help of personal stories, interviews with experts and thought-provoking statistics, the film presents convincing arguments in favor of returning the experience of natural childbirth and empowering women to make informed decisions about their bodies and the birth of their children. "The Birth Case" sheds light…
    Documentary
  21. 21
    Kony 2012 Documentary Analysis
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    Kony 2012 was a film produced by the Invisible Children Inc. in year 2012. The purpose of this film was to encourage more people to stop the abducting, enslaving and abusing children done by a group of rebels that originated in Northern Uganda named LRA, the lords resistance army (Mentioned in video 9:50), and Joseph Kony was the leader of LRA. The Invisible Children Inc. is trying to make Kony known globally and have him arrested by the end of…
    DocumentaryInformationMy Favourite Artist
  22. 22
    What the Miss Representation Documentary Is About
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    My lifestyle shifted when I first observed Miss Representation on Netflix when I was a sophomore in college. This was the beginning of a transformation in my thought process towards how both men and women are portrayed in American society. Miss Representation is a documentary surrounding how women and girls gain a huge part of their identity from how they view women and girls being portrayed in today’s society. The problem is that these women and girls are shown in…
    DocumentaryMiss Representation
  23. 23
    Living in a Food Desert Documentary
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    I chose to do my reaction paper on “Living in a Food Desert” documentary. The term “Food Desert” was new to me until I watched the filmed. Food deserts are defined as “areas where people cannot access affordable and nutritious food. “ It was very interesting yet alarming to learn that in some scarceness areas, there are places that lack food providers such as farmer’s market, grocery stores, and other healthy providers. The underlining issue is that food desert can…
    DocumentaryFilm AnalysisFoodNutrition
  24. 24
    H.O.P.E. What You Eat Matters Documentary Analysis
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    My biggest take-away and realization from watching the documentary “H.O.P.E. What You Eat Matters” is that the cure for disease is in our diet, not in conventional medicine. Additionally, It is more sustainable to eat a plant based diet in comparison to a meat based diet. After watching “H.O.P.E. What You Eat Matters” recently and “What The Health” in the past, I find it somewhat comical but also frustrating that conventional medicine is seen as the logical cure for diseases…
    CinematographyDocumentaryFilm Analysis
  25. 25
    Documentary Supersize Me by Morgan Spurlock
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    Supersize Me (Spurlock, 2004) is a documentary starring Morgan Spurlock, incidentally Spurlock directed this documentary as well. This documentary trails Spurlock as he endeavors to eat only McDonalds food for thirty days. Spurlock eats everything on McDonald’s menu at least once. He decided to do this experiment to prove the changes that can occur to our bodies when we eat unhealthily, and that obesity is spreading, and the fast food companies don’t or won’t do something to fix it. This…
    DocumentaryMcdonald'S
  26. 26
    Reflection of Documentary of John Berger’s “Ways of Seeing”
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    One of the ideas in the video that caught my attention was Berger’s pronouncement of our tendency to perceive visual art through the frame of our personal experiences, which I think is just psychologically natural for any person, but nevertheless it is worth mentioning and expounding. Also, another idea associated with the one mentioned above is how the historic invention of camera and the subsequent reproduction of images changed the way we perceive the meaning of visual arts, in particular…
    Documentary
  27. 27
    “Incident at Morales” Executive Summary
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    Executive Summary In this paper, I will discuss about the incident at Morales. I will identify some ethical, technical, and economical issues. I will also identify the stakeholders and some social and political constraint on some solutions. Finally, I will state some alternate actions and evaluate them according to basic ethical values. Introduction Ethical responsibilities continue past the U.S. borders. Wherever the engineer practice, they should prioritize the safety and health of the public. The professionally duties of the engineers…
    Documentary
  28. 28
    “What the Health” Documentary Critique
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    Animal products are a staple in the diet of many Americans. Most Americans eat things like cheese, eggs, and meat on a daily basis, but how does it affect their health? This was the main question that the documentary What the Health was trying to answer. While it is a well-structured and informative documentary, most of the focus is on the impact that eating animal products takes on our health, while it scarcely mentions the environmental impact of eating and…
    DocumentaryHealth
  29. 29
    Prison System of the United States in “13th” Documentary
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    13th is a documentary that goes into depth about the prison system in the United States. In the documentary Obama says, “the United States is home to five percent of the world’s population, but 25 percent of the world’s prisoners” and in the documentary it says “40 percent of them are black.” (DuVernay) It shows how the American justice system has been driven by racism from the start of slavery to today and our mass incarceration, which shows the role…
    DocumentaryThe 13th Amendment
  30. 30
    Analysis of Incredible Documentary “13th”
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    The documentary, “13th” by Ava Duvernay presented an incredible documentary in which she went in-depth displaying the prison house scheme in the United States and how it played a big part in racial inequality. Duvernay uses various sociological theoretical perspectives, particularly structural functionalism. What is structural functionalism? The communities of people are viewed as each aspect of society’s roles as independent, meaning that the community of people of each individual has their own goals which lead to the society coming…
    DocumentaryThe 13th Amendment
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  31. 31
    Analysis of the Documentary “13th”
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    The documentary “13th” follows the timeline from when the 13th Amendment was signed to the 2016 presidential election. The documentary depicts how the American justice system has been driven by racism from the days of slavery to today’s era of mass incarceration. It is named for the constitutional amendment that abolished slavery with the exception of punishment for crime. The film opens with a pretty alarming statistic: The United States accounts for five percent of the world’s population, but 25…
    DocumentaryThe 13th Amendment
  32. 32
    Analysis of “13th” Documentary
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    Abraham Lincoln approved an Amendment to the U.S. Constitution that would forever change the culture of America; “Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction” (U. S. Constitution Amend. XIII). At the time this proclamation was issued it seemed to give a bright future for America; however, a loophole was widely exploited that allowed for a…
    DocumentaryThe 13th Amendment
  33. 33
    The Netflix Film “13th” and its Relationship to Philosophical Ideas
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    The Netflix documentary 13th, directed by Ava DuVernay, is a documentary that takes an in-depth look into the details of the United States prison systems and its relationship to racial inequality in America. The documentary begins by introducing some statistics about the United States prison system. The United States makes up only five percent of the world’s population, however, twenty-five percent of the people in the world who are imprisoned are in the United states; that statistic is absolutely staggering.…
    DocumentaryThe 13th Amendment
  34. 34
    Modern-Day Prison Labor System in 13th Documentary
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    America is the universal symbol of freedom, many countries look to us for guidance when in need of liberation. However, very few are aware that America has 5% of the world's population, yet has 25% of the world's prisoners. America-land of the free has ¼ of the population incarcerated 2.3 million prisoners 323.1 million Americans. America has the highest rate of incarceration in the world and yet, we’re the “land of free”? Directed by Ava DuVernay, “13th” exposes the modern-day…
    DocumentaryNetflixThe 13th Amendment
  35. 35
    Bill Nichols’ Observation of Documentary Filmmaking
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    Paper Type:3000 Word Essay Examples
    Throughout film history, documentary and fiction films have denoted the polar opposites of film form with each representing two distinct and separate traditions, the cinema of reality and the cinema of fiction (Doherty 16). However what was once a clear distinction has become blurred as the increasing popularity of mockumentary continues to weaken the assumed boundaries between fact and fiction (Sicinski). Prior to this ‘blurring of the lines’ the documentary genre enjoyed a privileged position amongst screen forms due its…
    DocumentaryEntertainmentFilmmaking
  36. 36
    Heartless the Documentary
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    Paper Type:1000 Word Essay Examples
    Elisha Harrison "Lord, sweet Lord how come she [is] so ugly. Ugly. Ugly." Imagine being a mere child and having this said to you, from your own parent, with it being such a significant thought that it becomes an all-consuming belief. Constance Briscoe knows all too well of this reality she faced for years of her life, with this being one of the more docile examples of abuse, that both her mother and stepfather took part in. Hello TV executives…
    CourageDocumentaryEmpathy
  37. 37
    The Corporation: Examining the Theory of Corporations
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    Paper Type:2000 Word Essay Examples
    The documentary, The Corporation looks at the theory of the corporation throughout recent history up to today's day dominance. Corporation has become a dominant economic, political and social force around the globe. Joel Bakan one of the writer of the film The Corporation, did an extensive interview with authorities in the corporate world and each person had their own definition of a corporation. One person define corporation as part of a jigsaw in society as a whole, which if you…
    Corporate WorldCorporationDocumentary
  38. 38
    Review on Beer Wars Documentary
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    Paper Type:750 Word Essay Examples
    Beer Wars is a documentary film directed and produced by Anat Baron and released in April of 2009. It focuses on the struggle between the dominating corporate businesses of Anheuser-Busch, Miller Brewing Company, Coors Brewing Company, and the smaller independent businesses of “craft beers” such as Dogfish Head Brewery, The Boston Beer Company, and The New Belgium Brewing Company. The film covers many aspects of the beer “wars” between the companies such as competitive advertising, product quality, price, distribution, and…
    DocumentarySuper Bowl
  39. 39
    Who Killed the Electric Car: Documentary Analysis?
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    Paper Type:1600 Word Essay Examples
    The audience is the jury. Paine is the lawyer. The case: who killed the electric car? Suspects: the government, consumers, battery technology, oil companies, California Air and Resource Board (CARB) and the hydrogen fuel cell. Directed by Chris Paine, Who Killed the Electric Car? is a documentary about the demise of the electric car seen through the eyes of an electric car activist (previous GM EV1 owner) and current electric car driver (Toyota RAV4 EV). As Chris Paine takes the…
    DocumentaryElectric CarElectric VehiclesHybrid Cars
  40. 40
    Why Documentaries Are Important?
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    Paper Type:300 Word Essay Examples
    A week ago, I watched the documentary "Super Size Me" and I thought that it showed very well how dangerous it is to eat fast-food on regular basis. It affects your body and I don't think many people know that. How could they know it if they aren't going to read studies on how dangerous it is. Not many people have the time, or want to make time, to read a study. It is more fun and effective when you…
    CinematographyDocumentaryEnvironmentEnvironmental IssuesGlobal WarmingUnhealthy Eating Habits
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