Definition

Now I have completed research into how light can affect the overall impact of a documentary I am going to look deeper into the context of what a documentary really is.
Documentation stands for the contextual study and arrangement of reality woven into a style of film, historical references and realism are combined to create an output of life as real as it is. As with other modes of film there are conventions and codes which run throughout documentary's including a narrative containing a voice over which puts he viewer directly within the context of the facts being shown, this gives the viewer an in depth and personal experience. The  facts are presented along with what is presumed real footage which reinforces this idea of realism and adds an air of 'truth' to the documentary. Without this belief being portrayed throughout the viewing of such a genre the very existence would be nullified. Archived footage, stills and articles are portrayed again in order to build up this sense of trust and authenticity.
Techniques can include interviews, which again to popular belief add this sense of realism and encourage this breaking of the 4th wall, the viewer is targeted and is made personally involved. Dates and specific information linked to images and stills creates this sense of assertiveness and links well to other forms where information such as this is key for example in museums where they illustrate the time and date of the subject and where it was located.
Sound is also another key concept with the best use of digetic and non digetic sound's being overlaid, for example with non-digetic sounds they may overlay music to add ambience to a scene or create a mood, sound effects may be incorporated to again heighten sense.
Mise en scene is heavily important as it relates a scene to the real world or as close to the truth, it literally means everything in the scene and in the case if documentaries where realism is sought after this attention to detail is mandatory.
The whole sense of how the documentary is filmed is also key trailing right back to the way it is filmed, maybe  observational with hand held cameras or even a participatory  style where the crew is involved such as interviews with the subject.
The style of the documentary can be guided by its initial ruse and where the initial idea was born, was the documentary started to just observe and show a situation or was it created to attain a sense of morality as in a narrative of say an investigation.
artistically motages and reconstructions are useful tools in palnning out the narrative of the documentsry, and it presents visually a progression between scenes and information.
Location wise this interprets every value you are aiming to document, remeber the importance of mise en scene, wel use it to great extent upon the interviewing segmnet of the documnet as it provides the backbone for how you want the subjects portrayed.
In conclusion there are several elements I will have to take into account in order to complete this documentary as close to the genre and expectations of reality as I can.