Abstract: Bill Nichols has written a number of books pertaining to audio/visual documentary. Throughout, he has highlighted the some of the many ethical issues surrounding documentary procedures. Throughout time, documentary has produced reoccurring conventions and techniques that Nichols has grouped into what he calls modes of representation. The focus of the present study is an exploration of these modes of representation in relation to their effectiveness when applied to Te Ao Māori. This leads to a discussion of some issues Māori might face when utilising these modes in a Māori context, and an exploration of aspects in the modes that are inappropriate, that need to be altered or that need to be discarded.Bill Nichols has written a number of books pertaining to audio/visual documentary. Throughout, he has highlighted the some of the many ethical issues surrounding documentary procedures. Throughout time, documentary has produced reoccurring conventions and techniques that Nichols has grouped into what he calls modes of representation. The focus of the present study is an exploration of these modes of representation in relation to their effectiveness when applied to Te Ao Māori. This leads to a discussion of some issues Māori might face when utilising these modes in a Māori context, and an exploration of aspects in the modes that are inappropriate, that need to be altered or that need to be discarded.