Boundary Riding: Notes on the Australian Documentary Field

Most people probably feel that they could confidently define what a documentary is. But the form has always been complex, and with the recent proliferation of reality TV, it is even more difficult to settle on an all-encompassing definition. Pat Laughren outlines the methods of definition that have been used in the past, and proves that even in its ongoing transformation, the documentary continues to be crucial in the media classroom.

Additional keywords: Bill Nichols, reality television, John Grierson, Big Brother, Outback House, The Colony, genre, documentary modes, John Corner, Go Back to Where You Came From.