History of documentary

 Before documentaries (pre-1900) there were products that were called actual films. This portrayed their meaning which was to capture shortcuts of real actual events.  The first movies ever made were documentaries. They were also called newsreels. Actuality films lasted one minute or less

During the 1920s in Russia, this could be described as the spirit of the documentary. The documentary started with the young poet and editor named Dziga Vertov. He created a series along with others called the Kino-Eye during the Russian Revolution.

However, the first original documentary in the world was called Nanook of the North, by Robert Flaherty (1922). The film records the lives of a real Eskimo family. However, the first time that the word documentary was used was in 1926 by John Grierson, he defined the word as a word to describe a non-fiction film.

During the 1930s and 1940s, documentaries became valuable propaganda tools for political purposes. Nazi Germany, America, and Britain were all a part of this. Documentaries were frequently used for this reason during World War 2.

During the 1950s-70s Cinéma Vérité and Direct Cinema occurred. New technology and lighter camera equipment. New filmmaking styles emerged to capture more spontaneous events. During the 1960s-90s, television became an important outlet for documentary filmmaking, putting more of an emphasis on journalistic and educational programs. In present times, documentaries have a boosted popularity due to the help of blockbusters.

Over time documentaries have evolved to become longer in length and to include more categories. They have now evolved to be very informative and are often used to teach principles. Documentary makers have a responsibility to be truthful to their vision of the world without misrepresenting a topic. Social media platforms have enabled documentaries to reach new audiences and have provided growth for the genre; increasing distribution area and ease of accessibility.