Modern documentaries generally fall into six modes of storytelling, as categorized by theorist Bill Nichols:
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: Documenting the treatment of participants and the importance of ethical standards, like those advocated by the Documentary Participants Empowerment Alliance (DPEA). Modern documentaries generally fall into six modes of
: Effective use of existing footage and interviews to ground the story in history. : Effective use of existing footage and interviews
The has not always been critical. In the 1940s and 50s, studios produced "fluff pieces"—short reels showing glamorous actors drinking coffee on set, designed to sell the dream.