Britney: For the Record is a 2008 documentary television film of American recording artist and entertainer Britney Spears, following her return to the recording industry after her much-publicized personal struggles the year prior. The film was shot in Beverly Hills and New York City during the third quarter of 2008; main shooting began on September 5, 2008, two days before Spears's appearance at the MTV Video Music Awards. It was directed by Phil Griffin. MTV, one of the two official distributors of the documentary, posted on their website the first promotional trailer on October 9, 2008. Britney: For the Record premiered on MTV on November 30, 2008 in the United States, two days before the release of her sixth studio album, Circus, for which the documentary served as a promotion tool. It received mixed reviews from critics, but was broadcast to high ratings and positive fan reactions.