Documentarist Brett Morgen spent about five years going through David Bowie's personal libraries, master recordings, and archives as sanctioned by the late musician's estate in the hopes of understanding and deconstructing the musical artistry and spiritual journey of the English global icon. The resulting film features narration in Bowie's own voice as the story presents how he crafted his multidisciplinary artistry, working not only in music and film but also in painting, dance, sculpture, theater, video and audio collage, screenwriting, and acting.