The Nichols Reading

Although the style of writing is less conversational than others, Nichols' insight into the world of documentary is very interesting. Prior to this class (and this reading in particular), I wasn't aware of the nomenclature and sub-classes that exist within the field, much less what separates each category.

I really appreciated his explanation of "reflexivity" as a way to understand documentaries.

That said, I feel that the language was an unnecessary barrier when trying to explain an already complex genre. Some of the words even seemed made-up (talismanic).

Regardless, it provided new terms to help dissect what we've seen in class, and distinguish the real from the fake. Even if his vocabulary falls in the gray.