New Books in Film Jacob Bricca, "How Documentaries Work" (Oxford UP, 2023)
Dec 28, 2025
Jacob Bricca, a documentary editor and professor, discusses the art of crafting documentaries in his book, revealing the conventions often overlooked. He explores 'presence framing', contrasting TV and feature formats, and examines ethics in documentary production. Their conversation touches on pacing in docu-series and the impact of sound design on viewer perception. Bricca also dives into archival films and the complexities of interviews, reenactment, and documentary evolution, providing insights that appeal to both enthusiasts and students.
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Documentary Craft Shapes Viewer Understanding
- Documentary choices shape how audiences digest information, not just how films are made.
- Jacob Bricca aims to reveal the hidden conventions that create those impressions.
Pick And Stick To A Presence Framing
- Decide early which presence framing your film will use and mostly stick to its rules.
- Deliberately break the framing only when you understand the audience effect.
TV Docs Demand Faster Setup
- TV documentary formats often demand faster, explicit setup than feature docs.
- Comparing TV shows and feature films exposes how commercial constraints shape storytelling.
