Cinematography, hailed as the visual language of cinema, is the art of crafting images that enhance the narrative and emotional undertones of a story. While it’s usually associated with fictional films, cinematography plays an essential role in documentary filmmaking.
A documentary’s purpose is to present reality as authentically as possible. But how it is framed, lit, and captured can dramatically influence how viewers interpret that reality. In this context, the art of framing becomes a pivotal tool for shaping the narrative. It also guides the audience’s focus and evokes emotions that transcend the spoken word.
Cover photo by Jakob Owens
The Art of Framing: How Cinematography Shapes Storytelling in Documentary Film
Understanding the Power of Framing in Documentary Film
In documentary filmmaking, framing refers to how subjects and objects are positioned within the shot. This can, understandably, convey a range of meanings. This involves not just where the camera is placed, but how much of the subject is shown. The relationship between objects in the frame is as important as what remains unseen. By making deliberate choices in composition, a filmmaker can emphasize particular aspects of the story. This in turn offers deeper insights into the subject matter or even manipulates the audience’s perception of the truth.
For example, a tight close-up of a person’s face can bring the audience closer to their emotions. A wide shot of a person in a vast landscape might highlight their isolation or insignificance in the larger context. In a documentary, such framing decisions can be particularly poignant. They influence how viewers connect with the presented real people and real events.
Framing as a Storytelling Tool
One of the most significant roles of framing in documentary filmmaking is its ability to guide the viewer’s focus. Documentaries often deal with complex issues, whether social, political, or personal. The filmmaker’s job is to make these issues clear and engaging for the audience. Thoughtful framing can simplify a complex narrative by drawing attention to the most critical visual elements of a scene.
In the award-winning documentary 13th (2016), director Ava DuVernay uses framing and camera placement to highlight contrast. She changes the scene between personal interviews and archival footage. Her interviews focus intently on the faces of experts and activists through close-up shots. This creates a sense of authority and intimacy.
Meanwhile, wide shots of prisons and courtroom scenes depict systemic injustice on a massive scale. Through these framing techniques, DuVernay can explore a complicated issue—mass incarceration in the U.S.—in a visually compelling way. She does so to make the abstract feel immediate and urgent.
Emotional Impact and Character Connection
Framing doesn’t just convey information; it also stirs emotions. In many documentaries, filmmakers face the challenge of getting the audience to empathize with real people. These subjects are often from diverse cultural or socio-economic backgrounds. A filmmaker’s choice of framing can bridge the gap between the subject’s world and the audience’s emotional experience.
Take, for example, Life Itself (2014), a documentary about the life of film critic Roger Ebert. The film delicately balances the legendary critic’s public persona with the more intimate and vulnerable moments of his final years battling cancer. Director Steve James frequently uses close-up shots to capture Ebert’s physical decline and emotional resilience. This is particularly effective when showing him communicating after losing his ability to speak.
These close-ups invite the audience into Ebert’s private struggle. They create a sense of intimacy and empathy that enhances the storytelling. Through careful framing, the documentary becomes more than just a biography. It becomes a deeply emotional portrait of a man facing mortality with dignity and humor.
The Role of Camera Angles in Framing
Camera angles also play a critical role in documentary framing, as they affect how power dynamics and relationships are perceived within a shot. By choosing a low angle (where the camera looks up at a subject), a filmmaker can make a subject appear more authoritative or imposing.
Conversely, a high angle (where the camera looks down) might make the subject appear vulnerable or powerless. In documentaries, this is especially important. The framing and angle can subtly influence the audience’s judgment of a real person or situation.
In The Act of Killing (2012), Joshua Oppenheimer interviews former Indonesian death squad leaders who boast about their violent pasts. Oppenheimer’s use of camera angles is a masterclass in visual storytelling. In certain scenes, the camera is placed at eye level, giving these men the same stature as any interviewee.
However, when Oppenheimer switches to low angles, it emphasizes their self-aggrandizing behavior. The framing reveals their moral corruption without explicitly stating it. The audience is left to feel the unease, shaped entirely by how the men are framed within the shot.
Framing and Ethics in Documentary
While framing can elevate storytelling, it also carries a responsibility, especially in documentaries where real lives are at stake. Framing can manipulate reality, leading to potential ethical dilemmas. For instance, focusing too much on an individual in a crowd might unintentionally suggest that they are central to an event. Close-ups of tears might exaggerate emotions for dramatic effect, pushing a documentary into exploitation.
Documentary filmmakers must balance artistic expression with ethical integrity. They must ensure their framing choices do not distort the truth or unfairly represent subjects. This ethical consideration adds a layer of complexity to documentary cinematography. Every decision—whether to include or exclude certain visual elements—impacts the audience’s perception of the subject matter.
Visual Style and Subtext
In documentaries, visual framing also contributes to the subtext. This is to show the deeper meanings that lie beneath the surface of the film’s content. While narration or interviews provide a factual narrative, the cinematography creates a visual subtext that enriches the storytelling.
Honeyland (2019) is a documentary about a Macedonian beekeeper’s struggle to maintain traditional honey-harvesting methods in a rapidly changing world. The cinematography captures the lush, rugged landscapes as much as the personal dynamics. Wide shots of the Macedonian wilderness reflect the solitude and resilience of the protagonist. Close-ups of her hands as she handles bees speak volumes about her craftsmanship and connection to nature.
These carefully framed images create visual poetry. They speak to themes of tradition, sustainability, and human impact on the environment without a single word being uttered.
Creative Constraints of Documentary Framing
Unlike in fictional films, documentary filmmakers often don’t have complete control over the environment. The same goes for the lighting, or the actions of their subjects. They must respond in real time to unfolding events, making the art of framing even more challenging.
This unpredictability can, however, lead to inventive and authentic forms of framing that feel raw and immersive. Some of the most memorable moments in documentaries come from serendipitous visual captures. For example, a spontaneous reaction or an unplanned interaction that evokes authenticity precisely because they were framed in the heat of the moment.
For instance, Won’t You Be My Neighbor? (2018), the documentary about Fred Rogers, frequently uses unexpected moments where Rogers pauses or shifts his gaze. These moments, when framed simply, allow the audience to reflect on Rogers’ sincerity. This deepens the emotional connection. Such framing often occurs without meticulous planning. Here, the cameraperson relies instead on the filmmaker’s ability to capture and highlight small, but powerful, gestures.
Final Words: Framing as a Window to the Truth
In documentary filmmaking, framing is not just a technical exercise. It’s a storytelling tool that shapes how the audience interprets real-world events. The way a scene is framed can amplify emotions, highlight relationships, or subtly guide the audience’s understanding of a complex subject. While documentaries strive to present the truth, the reality is that every shot is a constructed decision. It is still shaped by the director’s vision and intent. Sometimes the client decides.
In this sense, the art of framing is about finding the balance between visual style and ethical responsibility. It is a way to tell compelling, human-centered stories while still respecting the authenticity of the subject matter. For documentary filmmakers, mastering the art of framing is crucial. Not just for capturing the facts, but the deeper truths lying within their stories.
