This chapter is an in-depth examination of three film styles that serve as alternatives to traditional cinematic forms: the documentary (non-fiction) film, the experimental film, and animation.

After reading the chapter, you should be able to understand:

1. Documentaries present factual information, ranging from every day stories to sensational events. They can advocate specific points of view, present problems and solutions, and/or simply inform and educate audience members. Though documentaries are considered non-fictional, they often include fictional elements and the line between the two is frequently blurred.

2. There are many styles of documentary films. Documentaries are typically presented in two main forms: categorical, which organizes information into categories, and rhetorical, which makes an argument.

3. Experimental film typically challenges traditional ideas of what a film can show and how it can show it. Made for many reasons, they are usually made independently of any studio system. Some are narrative, but many are not. Also called avant-garde, experimental film is recognized by its efforts at self-expression or experimentation outside mainstream cinema.

4. Avant-garde films fall into two forms: abstract and associational. Ballet Mecanique is an example of an abstract experimental film. A Movie is categorized as an associational form. Abstract films convey their messages through the formal, visual elements of the images themselves. Associational films create meaning through the juxtaposition of otherwise unrelated images.

5. Animated films are a series of images shot one frame at a time that when projected, create illusory motion that resembles live action footage. Animated films can take the form of experimental or narrative structure. There are several types of animation including drawing, clay, model or puppet, pixillation, and computer imaging.

6. Duck Amuck is an animated film that follows a narrative structure. Fuji is an example of experimental animation.