Martin Scorcese, Documentary vs. Narrative

"Very simply stated, narrative filmmaking is a pre-scripted movie with actors.
Documentary filmmaking is capturing reality in some way with the script often written AFTER the shooting has begun.
With narrative, the story and script are crafted in the beginning and with documentary, the story (often) unfolds as it happens." - not from Scorsese, but from a short article on the argument, Narrative vs. Documentary.

This statement is partly true, as for realism, documentaries need to be shot in reality. however, the exception being quality acting, like in Spinal Tap. The film This Is Spinal Tap is entirely scripted, and is a comedy movie, though this film seems so real, and that we are actually watching the lives of idiots, it is scripted and completely fake. It only looks real, as it uses the conventions of a documentary, using certain modes that i have stated in an earlier blog post.

"Some people think that to record it is documentary, to interpret it is dramatic fiction." - Scorcese.
This is a perfect quote, as it can be taken in different ways. To record things without the backstory, or any relevance, is a documentary, as you can mediate it, and say whatever you want about it, which is also interpretation; for example, you can randomly film a man getting punched in the face on a street corner, put it in a documentary titled "abuse on the street," and theres your story for the footage, however the real story could be something completely different, like the man insulted someones wife, you don't know. all i'm saying is that, documentary isn't just record as Scorcese says some people say, documentary is also interpreted. an this is what Scorcese goes on to say. "I think it's the same, i don't see the difference."-Scorcese.

"I'm constantly going between that urge to record something, so that we can share it with others... or to interpret it, and sometimes you do both." - Scorcese.
This quote is perfect as it reinforces the statement i made earlier, that documentaries and narrative dramatic fiction, are that of the same thing, and you actually do both.