Dramatic structure and storytelling in documentaries are often expressed with a modifier called ‘dramatic’. The dramatic structures in <Old Partner>(2008) and <Nanook of the North>(1922) have also been considered to have borrowed from the genre of drama. However this view results in taking storytelling in documentary as a taboo. This is because it implies that these films are not considered to have the characteristics of documentaries any more. However it is unavoidable to take narrative and a narrative structure when a documentary is a film. <Nanook of the North> which lies in extended line of travelogue was clearly differentiated from the traditional travelogue in aspect of storytelling. Even though the first full-length documentary was stemmed from storytelling, a narrative is still considered as dramatisation or fiction as long as the general concept of documentary excludes a narrative component. However those understandings make the relationship between documentary and narrative rather ambiguous. Storytelling is not an exclusive property of fiction. Therefore it is required to reconsider the view, recognizing the storytelling in <Nanook of the North> as an introduction of dramatisation in documentaries. No matter what Grierson meant by ‘creative treatment of actuality’, which has been a subject of debate, the documentaries after <Nanook of the North> have been heading towards ‘dramatic -structure storytelling’.
The premise of the actuality and aesthetics of drama contradicting each other would restrict fundamental debate of documentary. Consequently, it might lead us to unproductive debates when there is no clear answer to what documentary is. There have been discussions on the need of aesthetic extension in documentary, and also a question has been raised on how the aesthetic component comes into conflict with the actuality of documentary. If we do not convert this dilemma to another angle, the discussion on documentary will be returned to the same point constantly. Hence this study brings up that there are various views on storytelling in documentary mixed together, and has the means to re-evaluate the storytelling as not only a dramatic aesthetic component, but also as a traditional way of representing documentary. By comparison, <Old partner> and <Nanook of the North> points out the backlash of <Old partner> towards dramatic film device represents the attitude from prototype realism which means documentary records as it is. Documentaries are not simply a recording of what has happened. Ultimately the discussion is caused by confusion from dichotomous thinking. The study will contribute to give storytelling a meaning in documentary by studying the possibilities and limitations of storytelling in documentary.