Understanding "Actualities"

The term "actualities" is an interesting one. Using it here, it is referencing the short(or, potentially, long--usually short) bits of footage that have not been doctored in any way and don't attempt to create a story other than that which was presented within the given actual setting(i.e. documented events where the viewer hasn't been pre-situated). In class, shorts by Edison were viewed, most of those shown are examples of this genre. Often times, this cinema-verite-esque filmic style is understood as being somehow more real than other kinds of filmmaking, as it is presenting the events AS THEY WERE. The difficulty here is understanding what qualifies something as being 'real' and, furthermore, what it is that human beings go through in connecting with and creating their realities.
Since actualities don't situate the viewer, they don't tell the viewer what exactly is going on, the individual witnessing the filmic event is left to make guesses as to what circumstances have taken place to produce said event. The viewer must utilize his/her imagination. This leaves a large margin of error on the part of viewer's personal understanding of the presented footage. Because nothing is expressly said, the viewer must decide what happenings are progressing, if the viewer decides incorrectly, if the viewer assumes something is occurring that could be argued as being entirely wrong, then the viewer could be said to have misinterpreted what was viewed. In so doing, in misinterpreting, the audience member has distorted the reality and one may argue whether the audience's understanding of what has taken place could be understood as actuality or not. In this manner, in understanding reality through an agreed upon interpretation, one could say that a narrative film--where the situation is clearly dictated and understood--is more real than something that is misunderstood and, possibly, seemingly out of place. Furthermore, it could be argued as to whether or not there's relevance to something that can't be placed within an interpreters reality spectrum, i.e. if there is no dialogue to situate something for proper placement within other's realities, what is it's relevance to these others' existence? And, without relevance, what is it's reality?

Just some thoughts.

However: The historical relevance of such filmic documents can be argued, also the novelty of such footage, but that is for another essay.

Cait