Multimedia Seeds: Video: Videotape/DVD Collections: Informational and Documentary Video

Have you ever wanted to dive deep into the ocean, visit the Grand Canyon, or explore ancient civilizations? Nonfiction video titles can be found in every content area. For example, the BBC series The Blue Planet takes you to the depths of the ocean. Check out a short videoclip at Discovery Channel Store.

Documentaries are nonfiction videos. Lovers of A&E, the History Channel, BBC, PBS, HBO, Showtime, and other television channels are very familiar with this style. Many vacationers have seen documentaries such as Mission to Mir, Everest, Dolphins at the IMAX theatre.

Many documentaries are never seen in the theatre or television. kindergarten Even when they are released on video, they are often overlooked by video rental stores. However, they can be popular items in the library.

Award Winners. Each year an Academy Award is given for the best documentary. For example, Into the Arms of Strangers: Stories of the Kindertransport was the 2001 Academy Award winning documentary about a pre-World War II effort to rescue Jewish children from Nazi territory and place them with families in England. One Day in September was the 1999 award winner about the killings at the 1972 Olympics.

Popular Titles. If you're just starting to expand your documentary collection, consider award winners and popular films. Some documentaries quickly gain popularity in the library. For example, Hoop Dreams is a popular documentary about basketball. The works of Michael Moore such as a Roger & Me and The Awful Truth are also popular.

Entertainment. VH1 and MTV programs have made music documentaries popular. A Hard Day's Night, The Rolling Stones - Gimme Shelter, and Bob Dylan - Don't Look Back are examples. Concerts documentaries such as Woodstock can also be found. The Original Kings of Comedy focuses on comedians.

Be aware that the realistic nature of documentary film-making often involves raw language and graphic, sexual or violent situations. Most documentaries are not rated, but some come with warnings. For example, Scratch pays tribute to hip-hop DJs. This movie has an R rating.

History. Both PBS and BBC contain a wide selection of documentaries. Those by Ken Burns are probably best known. These include Lewis and Clark, Thomas Jefferson, Jazz, Civil War, Baseball, Mark Twain, Frank Lloyd Wright, and Liberty. Many of the programs have matching websites such as Mark Twain.

Others are starting to use a similar style such as Spike Lee's 4 Little Girls focuses on the 1963 church bombing in Birmingham.

Documentaries can be found on every aspect of history such as Coca-Cola, The History of An American Icon. A&E's The Impressionists does a great job capturing the time period as well as the art and artists.

National Geographic lovers will enjoy National Geographic's The Photographers and 30 Years of National Geographic Specials.

A&E and the History Channel are well-known for quality projects such as World War II - The Lost Color Archives, Founding Fathers, and Mummies.

Science. From Carl Sagan's Cosmos to The Life of Birds, science has always been a popular topic for documentaries. BBC, PBS, National Geographic, and Discovery Channel are well-known for their science and nature documentaries. For example, BBC's Walking with Dinosaurs series was a popular success. Space has always been a popular topic such as Stephen Hawking's Universe from PBS or Stargaze - Hubble's View of the Universe. Weather such as Weather Extreme from the Discovery Channel is another hot topic.

Health. Perspective parents might want to consider a video series like Pregnancy for Dummies. This video is one of many in the "Dummies" series.

Biography. People are often the focus of documentaries. For example, Joseph Campbell and the Power of Myth is a six hour interview with the teacher-mythologist. Chuck Jones - Extremes and In-Betweens, a Life in Animation is about the famous cartoonist. PBS's American Masters and Biography Channel's Biographies are both great choices.

Hobbies and Travel. Informational videos on pet care, biking, and travel can all be found cosmos in this area. Whether you'd like to explore your background or travel around the world, there are videos that can provide the background information you need. For example, the Emmy award winning Gardens of the World with Audrey Hepburn takes you on virtual visits to different types of gardens from England to Holland.

Sports. Sports enthusiasts can find endless selections of informational and documentary films. From Ken Burn's Baseball to World Wresting Federation videos, the possibilities are endless. Michael Jordan to the Max is a recent IMAX production and Olympic movies abound. All fans of the 1980 US Hockey Team video will want to see Do You Believe in Miracles. Sports bloopers are also popular.

In the same area, look for transportation videos. Kids and adults alike enjoy videos featuring monster trucks, cars, trains, and motorcycles.

Religious. Many religious organizations produce materials. In addition, you'll find information videos and documentaries such as Christianity - The First Two Thousand Years or Islam - Empire of Faith.

Others. Not all documentaries can be easily categorized. For example, Baraka, Koyaanisqatsi, and Powaqqatsi explore the world through a barrage of images and sound.

Some documentaries bridge categories. Is Crocodile Hunter's Croc Files a documentary or entertainment piece? You'll also find lots of documentaries on topics such as vampires, aliens, and Area 51. Some are docudramas and some are just for fun.

Docudramas such as Alive and Into Thin Air are a couple examples. There's a nice activity on comparing docudrama and documentary using the TNT film on the Buffalo Soldiers at their website.

Read the off-site article, Science on Video, by Stuart Bayens of the Stanley A. Milner Library as he describes the variety of options in his collection. Read the off-site article, Travel the World by Video by Darrell Podlubny from the Stanley A. Milner Library for examples of travel videos in public libraries.

Create a short newsletter article about a particular type of informational or documentary video. Use the examples above as models. For more information on documentary film, check the Documentary and Archival Films section of the Edmonton Public Library website.