Don’t be fooled. Don’t be gaslighted. Don’t fall into the trap. In our world of saturated content spewing from every direction to grab our fickle attention spans it is easy to miss on the intent, style and authenticity of docu-style video and film. Just because a video was made in a docu-style fashion and had an authentic approach to nonfiction storytelling does not necessarily mean it is a full-on documentary. It’s important that filmmakers, videographers, content creators, editors, ad companies, business brands, audiences/viewers, and even (might I shamelessly add) film festival curators and organizers know how to differentiate what is documentary and what is not. Far too often anything that is labeled “unscripted” and “nonfiction” gets the quick tag of “documentary”. This includes reality television and branded content. Now, why is this important? It is important to know how someone or some entity (company or group) began a given project and initiative and what they want potential viewers to get out of it. This will lay out the authenticity of the story being portrayed, the ethical considerations employed in the making of such content, and even the very style and approach to making the content worthwhile and relevant.

In its purest form a documentary–whether short form or long form–is not meant to sell you on a product or service. While it may be slanted in its storytelling approach or biased in its curation the aim is more to convince you in a thought-provoking, enlightening and even inspiring way to see a subject or topic in a different, more informed aspect. Documentary lives for nuance and perspective. It is didactic as much as it is revealing. It is informative as much as it is engaging. It is educational as much as it is entertaining. It is largely constructed with the emphasis of getting the whole story right. No different than the journalist bent on covering a topic or issue over a long period of time. Documentary feeds on truth-telling and in-depth exploration of real-life issues. This applies to an environmental documentary, a biographical one, a political piece, or a historical work. As the audience in the theater or the viewer at home sitting on the couch, one should always ask this fundamental question initially before watching a documentary: what does the filmmaker want me to get out of this?

Branded video content has its place in this ever-splintering online ecosystem of digital marketing. Commercialization in the age of social media has taken on a personalized approach to selling goods and services. Big brands, large corporations and even small businesses have effectively raised awareness on their goods and services by sharing with the world docu-style branded content for their clientele base and potential buyers. Taking in the behind-the-scenes approach to telling a story of how a brand company began and how it has helped or brought value to a customer has been effective in the growth of a business. Most branded video content are really expanded versions of commercial ads. The kind of ads you’d see play out before, during, and after a television program you are watching. Also, the same kind of ads you and I would be quick to skip on a YouTube playlist. In order to make such branded video content companies utilize the skill and talent of documentary filmmakers. Their apt to capturing an authentic storyline with a cinema verite approach on content and on-camera interviews to voice such content makes for strong brand videos that prop up the legitimacy and relevancy of a given product or service. These same filmmakers also have an eye and pace to dig deep on the commercialized message the client of such brand content would like to dispel to viewers. Unlike traditional advertisements, branded content also seeks to use a scripted approach to connect viewers with the brand, thus, fostering brand loyalty and recognition.

Clearly, there’s an intent behind the making of a documentary and the making of a branded video content. The lines get blurry in the lay definition of both and the use and dissemination of both once they are done. In a world where the very products and services being advertised to us fall in the same line of attention to portraying a story, it is easy to miss on what makes a branded video content different from a documentary. Add to the fact that most film festivals, video showcases, venues for screenings, etc. depend on sponsorships and professional collaborations, branded video content can easily be added to presentations where the categorization of “documentary” is wrongly applied. It’s important for future content creators and filmmakers to know what it is they are doing and why they are doing it. The closer or farther away a person is to the moneyed message differentiates if a particular work is a documentary or branded video. It’s also important for us to call a spade a spade and not pretend because a docu-style branded video looks and feels good it should automatically fall into the category of documentary so it can reap the publicity, clout, recognition and awards to galvanize that specific storyline.