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Characteristics: Narrator explains content, often with a 'voice of God' approach, frequently addresses the audience directly. Filmmakers: Ken Burns, Michael Moore.

Characteristics: Personal stories or experiences told with an expressive and subjective approach. Filmmakers: Michael Moore, Werner Herzog.

Characteristics: Aimed to create change by persuading the audience on a certain point of view, often includes a call to action. Filmmakers: Davis Guggenheim, Louie Psihoyos.

Characteristics: Highlights societal problems with the intention to inspire change or awareness. Filmmakers: Steve James, Laura Poitras.

Characteristics: Filmmaker interacts with the subject, often includes interviews or direct involvement. Filmmakers: Morgan Spurlock, Nick Broomfield.

Characteristics: Emphasizes a fly-on-wall technique, minimal interference from filmmaker, reality is observed as it happens. Filmmakers: The Maysles brothers, D.A. Pennebaker.

Characteristics: Deals with historical events using archival footage, interviews, and re-enactments. Filmmakers: Ken Burns, Claude Lanzmann.

Characteristics: Focuses on in-depth investigations into a topic or story, with the aim to expose truth. Filmmakers: Errol Morris, Alex Gibney.

Characteristics: Captures animal and plant life in the wild, with a focus on nature and conservation. Filmmakers: David Attenborough, Jacques Perrin.

Characteristics: A personal and subjective exploration of a topic blending thoughts, philosophy, and images. Filmmakers: Chris Marker, Orson Welles.

Characteristics: Filmmaker becomes part of the narrative, acknowledging their role in the film. Filmmakers: Ross McElwee, Agnès Varda.

Characteristics: Focus on experiences, images, and showing the audience the world through a different light without a linear narrative. Filmmakers: Ron Fricke, Godfrey Reggio.

Characteristics: Blend of documentary and fictional elements that present factual stories with narrative flourishes. Filmmakers: Werner Herzog, Abbas Kiarostami.

Characteristics: Studies cultures and people from an anthropological perspective, with an emphasis on observation. Filmmakers: Jean Rouch, Robert Gardner.