PrinciplesofVisualAnthropology

editedbyPaulHockings

VisualAnthropologyinaDisciplineofWords
MargaretMead

Eachyearsomelanguagespokenonlybyoneortwosurvivorsdisappearsforeverwith
theirdeaths(3).
Departmentafterdepartmentandresearchprojectafterresearchprojectfailto
includefilmingandinsistoncontinuingthehopelesslyinadequatenotetakingofan
earlierage,whilethebehaviorthatfilmcouldhavecaughtandpreservedfor
centuries(preservedforthejoyofthedescendantsofthosewhodancearitualfor
thelasttimeandfortheilluminationoffuturegenerationsofhumanscientists)
disappears
(45).
Sheissayingthatnotetakingandwritingdownstoriesisanoutdatedformof
storytelling,sayingthatanthropologyhasreachedaplacewherewedonothave
towriteit.
Ittakesmorespecializedskillandgifttophotographandmakefilmsthanitdoesto
setataperecordergoingortakewrittennotes.Butonedoesnotdemandthatalinguist,
carefullytaperecordinginthefield,beabletoconstructasymphonyoutofhismaterials
whenhereturns.Samplesoffilmedbehaviorcanbemade,justasadequatelyascantaped
text(5).
Sheissayingthatitismorecomplex,havingthepowertobebetterNowyou
canbeevenmoreeffectivetheSymphonyiswheneverythingisinvolved.
Althoughnofilmhaseverbeenmadewithoutsomecooperationfromthepeoplewhose
danceorceremonywasbeingfilmed,ithasbeenpossible,inthepast,forthefilmmaker
toimposeonthefilmhisviewofthecultureandpeoplethataretobethesubjectofthis
film.Thiscannot,Ibelieve,everbeentirelyprevented(7).
Itcanoftenbethefilmmaker'sview,alongsidethesubjectofthefilm.Howthey
narratethestoryisadirectreflectiononbiasandbeliefofthefilmmaker
him/herself.
Theemergingtechnologiesoffilm,tape,video,and,wehope,360camera,willmakeit
possibletopreservematerials(ofafewselectedcultures,atleast)fortrainingstudents
longafterthelastisolatedvalleyintheworldisreceivingimagedbysatellite(9).
Whenfilmingisdoneonlytoproduceacurrentlyfashionablefilm,welackthelong
sequencesfromonepointofviewthataloneprovideuswiththeuneditedstretchesof
instrumentalobservationonwhichscientificworkmustbebased...Asanthropologistswe

mustinsistonprosaic,controlled,systematicfilmingandvideotaping,whichwillprovide
uswithmaterialthatcanberepeatedlyreanalyzedwithfinertoolsanddeveloping
theories.Manyofthesituationswithwhichwedeal,situationsprovidedbythousandsof
yearsofhumanhistory,canneverbereplicatedinlaboratorysettings.Butwithproperly
collected,annotated,andpreservedvisualandsoundmaterials,wecanreplicateoverand
overagainandcanpainstakinglyanalyzethesamematerials.Asfinerinstrumentshave
taughtusmoreaboutcosmos,sofinerrecordingofthesepreciousmaterialscan
illuminateourgrowingknowledgeandappreciationofmankind(10).
Whencut,itisnolongerhonestdocumentariesinthehonest,candid,
longshots,truthisfoundasuccessfulstoryistold.

BeyondObservationalCinema
DavidMacDougall

Byfocusingupondiscreteeventsratherthatuponmentalconstructsorimpressions,
andbyseekingtorenderfaithfullythenaturalsounds,structure,anddurationofevents,
thefilmmakerhopestoprovidetheviewerwithsufficientevidencetojudgehimselfthe
filmslargeranalysis(116).
ThisisMacDougallstheoryofhowwecantellastorysuccessfully,throughfilm
(observational).
Theyareobservationalintheirmanneroffilming,placingtheviewerintheroleofan
observer,awitnessofevents.Theyareessentiallyrevelatoryratherthanillustrative,for
theyexploresubstancebeforetheory.Theyare,nevertheless,evidenceofwhatthe
filmmakerfindssignificant(116).
Thisapproachtofilmingotherculturesseemedallbutinevitable,Itspromiseforsocial
scienceappearedsoobviousthatitwasdifficulttounderstandtheyearsofunrealized
potential.Why,weoftenwondered,withtimerunningouttodocumenttheworlds
vanishingcultures,haditnotbeenanthropologistsratherthanjournalistswhohadfirst
fashionedsuchauseforthecinemaandstruggledforitsperfection?...Theveryinvention
ofthecinemawasinpartaresponsetothedesiretoobservethephysicalbehaviorofmen
andanimals(117).
TheveryreasonwhyIamdoingthisproject.
Itseemedthatsucharelationshipbetweenviewerandsubjectshouldbepossiblewith
materialsfoundintherealworld.Inoursocietythishadindeedbecometheapproachof
filmmakerslikeLeacockandMaysles,whowerefondofquotingTolstoysdeclaration
thatthecinemawouldmaketheinventionofstoriesunnecessarytheiremphasisupon

theeconomicandsocialenvironment,seemedlikemirrorimagesofthefilmswehoped
couldbemadefromrealeventsintheongoinglivesoftraditionalpeople(119).
Yetdocumentaryfilmmakershavebeensosuccessfulinachievingthisgoalthatscenes
ofthemostintimatenaturehavebeenrecordedwithoutapparentembarrassmentor
pretenseonthepartofthesubjects.Theusualmethodistospendsomuchtimewith
onessubjectsthattheyloseinterestinthecamera.Finallytheymustgoonwiththeir
lives,andtheydosointheiraccustomedways.Thismayseemimprobabletothosewho
havenotseenithappen,yettothefilmmakersitisafamiliarphenomenon(119).
Intimacycomeswhenthecameraisintegratedwithagroupforsolongthatthey
nolongercarethatitisthere.Exampleinuse:
WhilemakingToLiveWithferds(1972)amongtheJieofUgandaIused
aspecialbracewhichallowedmetokeepthecamerainthefilming
positionfortwelveormorehoursadayoveraperiodofmanyweeks.I
livedlookingthroughtheviewfinder.Becausethecamerarannoiselessly,
mysubjectssoongaveup,tryingtodecidewhenIwasfilmingandwhenI
wasnot.AsfarastheywereconcernedIwasalwaysfilming,an
assumptionwhichnodoubtcontributedtotheirconfidencethattheirlives
werebeingseenfullyandfairly.WhenItookoutastillcameraattheend
ofmystayeveryonebeganposingaclearsignthattheyhadunderstood
anessentialqualityofthecinema(119).
Iwouldsuggestthatattimespeoplecanbehavemorenaturallywhilebeingfilmedthan
inthepresenceofanordinaryobserver.Amanwithacamerahasanobviousjobtodo,
whichistofilm.Hissubjectsunderstandthisandleavehimtoit.Heremainsoccupied,
halfhiddenbehindhismachine,satisfiedtobeleftalone.Asanunencumberedvisitor,he
wouldhavetobeentertained,whetherasaguestorasafriend.Inthis,Ithink,liesboth
thestrengthandtheweaknessoftheobservationalmethod(119120).
Thepurposebehindthiscuriouslylonelyapproachofobservationalcinemaisarguably
tofilmthingsthatwouldhaveoccurredifonehadnotbeenthere.Itisadesireforthe
invisibilityoftheimaginationfoundinliteraturecombinedwiththeaseptictouchofthe
surgeon'sgloveinsomecasesalegitimization,inthenameofartorscience,ofthe
voyeur'speephole.Ithasevenbeenreducedtoaformulaforanthropology:Ethnographic
filmisfilmwhichendeavorstointerpretthebehaviorofpeopleofoneculturetopersons
ofanotherculturebyusingshotsofpeopledoingpreciselywhattheywouldhavebeen
doingifthecamerawerenotthere(Goldschmidt1972)(120).
Connectiontowhyfilmisbetterthanliteraturewhentellingstories.Whenhe
says,combinedwiththeaseptictouchofthesurgeonsglove,hearguesthatthe
combinationofimaginationfromawriter,andthevisibilityofwhatisgoingon
tellsthestorysynonymously.

 Whenfilmslikethesearefunctioningattheirbest,thepeopleinthemseembearersof
theimmeasurablewealthandeffortofhumanexperience.Theirliveshaveaweightthat
makesthefilmthatcaughtbutafragmentseemtrivial,andwesitinakindofaweofour
ownprivilegedobservationofthem.
Thatemotionhelpsusacceptthesubjects'disregard
ofthefilmmaker.
Forthemtonoticehimwouldamountalmosttoasacrilegeashattering
ofthehorizonsoftheirlives,whichbyallrightsshouldnotincludesomeonemakinga
filmaboutthem.
Thisistheanswertowhyitworksthiswaywhyobservationalcinemais
successfulintellingthestory.
Filmmakersbeginasmembersofanaudienceandcarrypartofthatinheritancewith
them.Buttheactoffilmingtendstointerposeitsownbarriersbetweentheobserverand
theobserved.
Connectstohislaterarticle
WhoseStoryIsIt?

Thefragilityoftheseculturesandtherarityoffilmingthemturns~hefilmmakerintoan
instrumentofhistoryanobligationwhich,ifacceptedorevenfelt,mustnecessarily
weighdownhiseffortstopursuespecificlinesofinquiry...Asmembersofanaudience
wereadilyaccepttheillusionofenteringintotheworldofafilm.Butwedosoin
completesafety,becauseourownworldisascloseasthenearestlightswitch.We
observethepeopleinthefilmwithoutbeingseen,assuredthattheycanmakenoclaims
uponus.Thecorollaryofthis,however,liesinourinabilitytoreachthroughthescreen
andaffecttheirlives.Thusoursituationcombinesasenseofimmediacywithanabsolute
separation.Onlywhenwetrytoinvadetheworldofthefilmdowediscoverthe
insubstantialityofitsillusionofreality.Inhisattempttomakeusintowitnesses,the
observationalfilmmakeroftenthinksintermsoftheimageonthescreenratherthanhis
presenceinthesettingwhereeventsareoccurring.Hebecomesnomorethantheeyeof
theaudience,frozenintotheirpassivity,unabletobridgetheseparationbetweenhimself
andhissubjects(121122).
Thoseinfilmcannotharmus,sowefeelsafe,butalienatedfromthematthesame
time.
Atfirstglance,.filmseemstoofferanescapefromtheinadequaciesofhuman
perceptionandafactualcheckonthecapriciousnessofhumaninterpretation.The
precisionofthephotographicimageleadstoanuncriticalfaithinthecamera'spowerto
capture,nottheimagesofevents,buttheeventsthemselves...Thefilmimageimpresses
uswithitscompleteness,partlybecauseofitspreciserenderingofdetail,butevenmore
becauseitrepresentsacontinuumofrealitywhichextendsbeyondtheedgesoftheframe
andwhichtherefore,paradoxically,seemsnottobeexcluded.Afewimagescreatea
world.Weignoretheimagesthatcouldhavebeen,butweren't.Inmostcaseswehaveno
conceptionofwhattheymightbe(123).

 Itispossiblethatthesenseofcompletenesscreatedbyafilmalsoliesintherichnessof
ambiguityofthephotographicimage.Imagesbegintobecomesignsoftheobjectsthey
representyetunlikewordsorevenpictographs,theyshareinthephysicalidentityofthe
objects,havingbeenproducedasakindofphotochemicalimprintofthem.Theimage
thuscontinuallyassertsthepresenceoftheconcreteworldwithintheframeworkofa
communicativesystemthatimposesmeaning(123).
Involvementwithone'ssubjectscanbecomeakindofposethefleetingrecognitionof
thefilmcrewwhichgivesasenseofcandorbutreallyrevealsnothing.Forafilmtogain
meaningfromthebreakdownofoldnarrativeconventions,thatrecognitionmustdevelop
intoagenuineconversation(127).
Thisisakindofparticipation,butitremainsoneinwhichthefilmmanipulatesits
subjects.Afurtherstepwillbefilmsinwhichparticipationoccursintheveryconception
andrecognizescommongoals.Thatpossibilityremainsallbutunexploredafilmmaker
puttinghimselfatthedisposalofhissubjectsand,withthem,inventingthefilm(128).
thefutureoffilmmaking

PhotographyandVisualAnthropology
JohnCollier,Jr.

Photographsonlysuggestlifeinmotion(249).
Timeandmotionstudiesgiveallthefactsfilmbreatheslifeintotherecord...butfilm
movesrealisticallythroughtimewithagenuinepastandpresentandaconcretefuture.
Timeandmotionstudiesrecordslicesoftime,butaninvaluablefluencyismissingthat
seriouslylimitsresearchingwithstillphotographs(249).
Thefulfillmentofethnographicfilmaseducationisnotjustitsabilitytopresentthe
culturaldrama,butmoreimportantlytopresentmanshumanity,modernorancient...To
dealhonestlyandrealisticallywiththehumanconditionandthesensitivityofmeninall
environments.Thecamerarecordcanaccomplishthisimage,wherethestricturesof
scientificabstractscanfail(252).
Hefocussesofmotionandtimeoffilm,sayingthatfilmistheonlythingthatcan
accomplishthetrackingoftimeeffectivelyandtruthfully.

VisualizingTHEORY
editedbyLucienTaylor:

WhoseStoryIsIt?
DavidMacDougall

Photographandfilms,perhapsmorethanwrittendescriptions,seemliabletodistortions
inthisway,becauseofthecontinuitytheysharewiththephysicalandsensorylifeof
theirreferents.Suchtiestoanotherexistence,atoncesubversiveandatoddswiththe
intentionsofthemaker,andyetalsofrequentlyincollusionwiththem,canbecomethe
strengthorthedemiseofmanyanethnographicfilm.Iwillgiveyouoneinstanceofwhat
must,forfieldworkers,beafairlycommonbutperhapsundescribedphenomenon:thatof
feelingone'sworkdisintegratingandbepulledbackandrecleanedbytheliveswhich
generatedit(28).
InsomeunaccountablewayIfeltthatfilmfootagewasnowboundupwiththeboyand
belongedtohim,notinaproprietarywaybutexistentially..Itseemslikeaphysicalpiece
ofhislife,hishopesandhisdeath,andinseparabletoofromthecommunitywhichhe
belonged.Althoughthischangedperspectivewasoccasionedbyhisdeath.Ibelieveit
wasalwaysaninherentlyavailableone.Whenweyouheardofthedeathwefeltthatthe
film,asafilm,hadalsodied(29).

Ifanthropologistsonceresistedthedatathattheyweretellingstories,theyhave
nowcertainlymadeupforit.Modernethnographiesareoftenextremelycomplexstories
ofotherlives,orstoriesofanthropologicalencountersInthefield.Theyareoften
manifoldconstructions,juxtaposingindigenoustextwithanthropologicalreflectionsand
analysis.Byusingthewordsoftheirinformants,anthropologist(andethnographic
filmmakers)Bringintotheirworkthenarrativeformsandculturalassumptions
embeddedinspeech.Whereverquotationoccurs,anindigenousnarrativemodelis
possible.
Forallthat,therearepersistingdoubtsaboutthisformofrepresentation.If
ethnographiesnowincorporateothervoices,whattextualindependencedothesevoices
actuallyhave?Inanabsolutesense,alltextsusedinthiswayaresubordinatedtothetext
oftheauthor.Thismaybemoretruewrittenethnographythanfilm,inwhichmore
unencodedinformationcanbesaidtoleakfromtheimages,butinbothcasesthe
authordecideswhattextstoincludeorexclude.
Itcanbearguedthatwhereweareallowedtohearothervoices,itisonlyatthe
authorswillbuyaprocessoftransmission.Butthequestionofhowothervoicescan
betransmittedisreallypreemptedbuyanotherquestion:howthematerialsoutofwhicha
workismadeactthemselvestodefineandcontrolitsmeaning.Ifafilmisareflectionof
anencounterbetweenfilmmakerandsubject,itmustbeseentosomedegreeasproduced

bythesubject.
Itisararebookorfilmthatemergesattheendoftheprocessastheauthor
preconceivedit
.Theshapeofthetextmaybesaidtotakeoncharacteristicsofthesubject
byvirtueofexposuretoit,likeaphotographicplate.
Thisofcourse,isthisspecificaimofcertainfilms.Observationalfilmmakingwas
foundedontheassumptionthatthingshappenintheworldwhichareworthwatching,
andthattheirowndistinctivespatialandtemporalconfigurationsarepartofwhatis
worthwatchingaboutthem.Observationalfilmsarefrequentlyanalytical,buttheyare
alsoapointofbeingopentocategoriesofmeaningthatmighttranscendthefilmmakers
analysis(31).
Textismanipulatedbytheauthor,withmanysubjectsinfilm,moretruthcanbe
inferred.
WheneverculturalforceswithinasubjectactuponstructureofafilminthewaysIhave
describedthroughthepatterningofanevent,apersonalnarrative,appropriationtoalocal
function,orinsomeotherwaythefilmcanbereadasacompoundwork,representinga
crossingofculturalperspectives.Sometimestheprocessgoesnofurther.Wearefamiliar
withfilmsinwhichweseethroughtheassumptionsofthemakertothoseofthe
subjects,andareawareoftheirmutualillegibility(35).
Theyneedtoapproachfilminginsteadasawayofcreatingthecircumstancesin
whichnewknowledgecantakeusbysurprise(35).
sayingthatthisisanopportunitytobeimpressivemorethanjusttellinga
story.
Visualmediahasthepowertoinvolvemorepeopleitisnolongerjust
tellingthestory.
objectifiednownolongerastruebothofourstories.
orthatbecausewemakethefilm,itisourstorytoophysicallymakingit
andexperiencingthesubjectmatter.

FilmsofMemory
DavidMacDougall

Filmshaveresemblancetomemory,theyregisterimageswiththelensesandemulsion
inaprocessbetterunderstoodbutoftennolessastonishinginthepsychologicalprocess
andIandbrain.Sometimesfilmseemsevenmoreastonishingthanmemory,an
intimationofmemoryperfected(260).
Andyetmemoryoffersfilmitsalternateproblem:howtorepresenttheminds
landscape,whoseimagesandsequentiallogicarealwayshiddenfromviewWeseem
toglimpseimages,hearsounds,useunspokenwordsandreexperiencesuchphysical
sensationsaspressureandmovement.Itisinthismultidimensionalitythatmemory

perhapsfindsitsclosestcounterpartinthevariedandinterestingrepresentationalsystems
offilm(261).
Physicalobjectsmightbethoughttobeatleastsubjecttosuchvagaries,providing
filmswithakindofindependentbaselinememory.Thisindeedistherationaleofmany
museums.Butobjectswhichsurvivefromthepastarenotthesameobjectsthattheywere
inthepast,andtheycanthusstandforthememoryofthemselvesonlyobliquely(261).

Despitethis,manyfilmsequatememorywithsurvivingobjects,including
Photographicimageofthepast.Withtheoriginalsourcesofmemoryforeverbeyond
reach,filmmakersaretemptedtousethesurvivingphotographicrecord
asiswere
memoryitself(261).
Thus,amongthevarietyofsignsthatfilmsemployfortheobjectsofmemory,
photographsandarchivalfootagetendtobeusedtheleastcriticallyandmost
misleadingly(262).
Filmsofmemorydrawuponadistinctiverepertoireofsigns.Perhapsmostcommonand
whatmightbetermed
signsofsurvival
,areimagesofobjectswhichhaveaphysicallink
withtherememberedpast.Thesememorabiliaserveassymbolsofexperiences,halfas
physicalproofthattheyoccurred(262).

Ifobjectsdonotsurvivetofilmed,filmsofmemoryoftenresortto
signsof
replacement
similarobjectsofsoundsand,atthefarthestextent,reconstructionsandre
enactments,suchasthoseofdocudramas...Journeysintheretracingofstepsare
especiallyfavoredbuyfilmsofmemorybecausereadvisitingplaceslikeviewing
photographsproducesemotionsofbothretrievalandloss(262).
Fetishobjectsfromthepast,oldphotographs,archivalfootageandmusic.Thisformula
isusedwithequalimpartialityineverythingfrombrieftelevisionitemstwelvepartseries
anddocumentaryfeatures.Itisasubgenrewhichpurportstotellusourtrue,unwritten
historythroughthetestimony"Ordinarypeopleandfamouseyewitnesses.Ithasa
tendencytobeelegiac,asthoughrememberingwereinitselfavirtue.Theageofa
speakerisanimportantindexofauthority:theincreasingreverencewithwhichhistorical
eventsareviewedastheyrecedeintothepastistransferredtothosewhorememberthem.
Fewfilmsofthisgenreaskedchildrenwhattheyrememberedaboutlastweek(263).

Filmsseemlikedreamsbecausewewatchthemhelplesslydeprivedofourown
volition.However,anotherexplanationforthiseffortmaybethatfilmscreateasynthesis
ofvariedmodesofrepresentationwhichcloselymimicthemodesofmental
representation.Althoughfilmsareavisual,theyarealsoaural,verbal,narrativeand
enactive.Theyslidethroughdifferentcognitiveregistersinawaythatwefindstrikingly
familiar,sothatevenpeoplewhohaveneverseenfilmsbeforequicklyfindthem
comprehensible,despiteculturallyspecificcodesofnarrationandediting(266).

 Butatthispointwemustaskwhetherfilmsofmemoryarereallyengagedin
representingmemoryatall.Theymayinsteadhavemovedoutsidethemoreverifiable
significationsupotherdocumentaryfilmtextsandintoadomainrevocation(267).
Theimagesoffilmandtelevisioncombinethedurabilityofartifactswiththeforceof
theoraltradition.Theyareconcretereportsfromthephysicalworld.Inthepreliterate
societythesereportsareconveyedbyart,ritualandwordofmouth(ephemeral)and
becomeaconstantlyrevisedtradition.Withtheadventofwriting,printing,
photography,andelectronicstheybecomefixed,evenpetrifiedpointsofreference
certainimagesofthepastkeeprecurringand,likefamousstillphotographs(the
napalmedVietnamesegirltheAndeanflutePlayerinT
heFamilyofMan
)losetheir
historicity(theirstatusasphotography)andbecomeculturalsymbols(268).
Thefocalnarrativesofhistoryprovidesamediumforpoliticalcontestationandchange:
Socialmemory,althoughitmaybepowerfullyshapedbyfilmandtelevisionisclearlyas
vulnerabletorevisionasthetraditionofearliertimesbutbecausethesenarrativesare
repletewithambiguityandparadox,Aninherentversatilityininterpretationarisesthat
followsforconflictingreadingsanddissidentchallengingvoices(269).
Yetaresidueofaclearly
physical
natureremainsinfilmimageswhichisnotavailable
inverbalnarratives,anditsimportanceshouldnotbeunderestimated.Filmimagesmaybe
reinterpretedinavarietyofnewcontacts,buttheunalterablerecordofappearanceand
placecontainedinthemmaybeultimatelyprovetohaveamoreprofoundeffectuponour
memoryofhistorythentheinterpretationsweattachtothem(269).
Essentiallyasking,throughouthisessay:Torememberthestories,whatdoyou
needtodoinfilmtoachieveit?

DocumentaryFilmandHistory
DesmondBell
Oneareawheretheconversationbetweenhistoriansandfilmmakersmightusefully
beginisaroundtheuseandinterpretationofthearchivalimage.Theseimages,bothstill
andmoving,serveasbothtestimoniestopasteventsandasanexpressiveresourcefor
visualstorytelling.Indeedtheindexicalcharacterofthephotographicimageisseento
underwritethedocumentaryfilmsclaimtofacticity.Thephotographicimagesignalsthe
presenceofthecameraonthesceneatthehistoricalmomentofimagecapture.The
archivalimageappearstobetheclosestwecangettotheoriginalhistoricalreality,asort
ofseconddegreeoriginal.
Thisisoneofmyfirstsourcesthathastappedintotheimportanceoftheimage.

NightWillFall
AndreSinger
AbouttheliberationoftheJewsAndtheproofsofthefrightfullcrimesoftheNazis.
Theopeningmusicwasverycaptivating,alongwiththeimagesthatwentwithitthe
fluiditywithphotographs,music,andfootagearebeautiful.
Itsoundsinterestingwhenthereismusic,andtheoldsoundsofcamerascrankingand
cracklingovershadowtheorchestrations.
Whatreallymattersishowtheinformationisformattedwhatcomesafteranother
makesitverypowerful.
Whenitiscandidwhengrownpeoplecryyougethowhorrificthingsactuallywere.
Thedeadwhichlaytheretheyshowedtheimages/videoswithoutmusicmadeitso
powerful.
RayeFarrUnitedStatesHolocaustMuseum
ThefilmshotatBurgenbelsanbytheBritishcameramenrevealeverylevelof
humanity,toamuchgreaterextentthananyotherofthefilmevidence.Itfeelsas
ifthewholehumanstoryisthere.
Difficultyinfilminganatrocity=youhavetorevealthatbygettingclosetotheperson
wentagainstthetraditionofcombatcameramen.Averyhardthingtodo.
ItwastoshowthegermanpeoplethatthereISevidence.
showingnotonlythehorrificdeadbodies,butthereactionsonpeoplesfacesBernstein
isagenius.
Thenarrationisprofoundaswell
EX:Nothingwaswasted,eventheteethweretakenoutoftheirmouths
byproductsofthesystem.Toothbrushes,Nailbrushes,shoebrushes,shaving
brushes.Ifonemanintenwearsspecktacles,howmanydoesthisheaprepresent?
Allthesethingsbelongedtomen,womenandchildrenlikeourselves,quite
ordinarypeoplefromallpartsoftheworld.(atapproximately29min)
Thiscorrespondedwithlongpausesforimagesgavethetimeformeto
think,andfortheimages/filmtobeimpactfulonmegavemetimeto
processandthinkverygood.
Thecommentaryfromsomesurvivorsweresohonestandpure.
EX:EvaMozesKor
Istoodtheremaybe30minutes,itwassnowing,Icouldntsee,andata
distanceIsawlotsofpeople,theywereallrippingthemselvesinwhite
camouflageraincoats,theyweresmilingfromeartoear,andtheydidnt
lookliketheNaziswhichwasthemostimportantpart.Weranupto
them,theygaveuschocolate,cookies,andhugs,andthiswasmyfirst
tasteoffreedom.

 Likewhosstoryisit?Itissomanythementhatwerefilmingweresoimpactedthatit
becametheirstoryofunderstandingwhathadhappenedtheiremotionsandfeelingsadd
tothestoryoftheholocaustasawhole,makingevenmoretrue.

"CapturingReality"
PepitaFerrari

Documentaryfilmmakingisaboutbeinginspiredbythemoment,itsaboutthejoyof
lettingsomethingaffectyou,andrespond,whetheritswithyourcamera.orwhether
yourselfasaperson,ifyouretheinterviewer,itaboutrelatinginaspacelikedancing.

JenniferFox
Itsaverysortofsuperrealthingyouaredoing,itshighlycharged,itforcespeopleto
examinethemselves,itsveryintense.
NickBroomfield
Itsanartformthatoffersawayoflookingattheworld,ofgivingitshape

SylvainLEsperance
Ithasthepowertoplantquestionsinpeoplesminds,ithasthepowertomakeyou
empathizewiththingswhichyouneverreallyknewyoucouldempathizewith

SabihaSumar
Itsanemotionalmedium,itsnotamediumofintellectandintellectualdiscourse,its
aboutengagement,andemotion
ScottHicks

Theysayforagoodmovie/documentaryiswhenthefilmmakerisactuallyinterested
enoughtoputtheirtimeintoalongfilmproject.theneedtomakeityouneedto
wanttoknowmore.
Itisthefilmmaker'sjourneylikewhatMacDougallsayswhosstoryisit
Itsimportantthatyouchoosesomeoneyoucanconnectwith,andhopefully
thingswillhappenthatwerenotpredictedspecificallybeforeyougotintoit,but
thingswilltaketurnforastory
AlbertMaysles
Peoplewanttotalktocamerasmostly,notbecausetheywanttobefamous,itsbecause
thereissuchaseductivityofjustaneutrallistener,andusuallywevebeentrainedtobe
listenerswhenwehaveacamera,andthatisararethinginourworld.Somebodytojust
listentoyou
JenniferFox
Peoplewillsaythingsinfrontofacamerathattheywouldntevensaytotheirloved
onesThatswhatIfindissostrange.Acamerahasanaffectonyouthatsomehow,
becauseoftheartificialityofthesituation,youremorehonest,andmoretruthful,rather
thanlesshonestandtruthful,andIdontknowwhythatis
KevinMacdonald
Theysaythatyouhavetotrustthemwhentrustisshownbetweenthefilmmakerand
subject,themoretruethestoryendsupbecoming.

 AndthatiswhatwecallTheArtofCinema,itistotransformalifeexperianceinto
cinema,andtomakeitintoyourlifeexperienceasaspectator
HubertSauper
Whenyourecompletelyfocusedontheperson,whenyousharetheirtearsbecause
yourehearinganincrediblestory,thentheinterviewworksAninterviewisa
fundamentalexchangeaboutlife.Itsacinematicspace.
PatricioGuzman
Youhavetogetpeopleintheiressence
rollingwhenknockingonthedoor
(good
tip)itsnaturalandhonestitswhattheyareactuallylike.wetakein
informationsoquicklyaudienceincluded.
Ithinktherehasbeenatraditioninthepastofgoinginandinterviewingpeople,and
changingtheirsittingroomallaround,andhidingit,andallyouaredoingisdestroying
theverythingsyoushouldbefilming
NickBroomfield
Thisfilmhelpssomuchabouthowtostructureacomplex,andmosteffective
interview.eyecontactstructurehowtogetthemtoopenup.
thereisnosuchthingasanobjectivefilm/voiceyousitthemthereandtheyare
talkingtoyoutheyarechangingtheirmannerismstheyaredifferentafter
editing
Asastoryteller,youwanttoimpactyouraudienceandshowthemhowterriblethis
eventwas.Isaidifyouwantpeopletofeelthatsomeoneisreallytoblame,youneedto
showthemwhatthey'retoblamefor.Sointheend,theyagreedthatthephotoshould
stayin.
KevinMacdonald
~(OneDayinSeptember)responsetogruesome
footagehefeatured.
Reasoningbehindputtingphotographs(inmycontextofconcentrationcampsto
showwhostoblame(theNazis)itsnoongeratheoreticalthing,itsnotreality
totheimaginationsandmindsoftheviewer/audience.
Wethinkofitasakindofnobleenterprise,revealingandcapturingpeoplesstories,
transformingthem,sharingthemwithpeople,butinfactwerelyverymuchonpeople's
stories,sowearesucking,inacertainway,thestoriesrightoutpeople

PeterWintonick
Youknowitsadifficultjobsometimes,theresaconflict,sometimesyouwant
somethinginthefilm,andtheydon'twanttobeinthefilm,andtheresabitofafeeling
ofgrabitandrunthere'satemptationtowanttodothat
BarryStevens
Dealingwithwhattoputinthefilmhowtorespectyoursubject
TimelapsephotographyItsnoteyecandy,it'snotjustspecialeffects,it'sreallyabout
tryingtobreakthroughpatternthinking,andallowusafreshperspectiveonsomething

VelcrowRipper
Somethinkthatthevisualindocumentaryfilmmakingisnotfocusedonenough
butitsbecauseofthefactthattellingthestoryiswhatisreallyimportantthey
aresofocusedonthepeopleandtherightnessoftheissuethattheysometimes
forgetthattheyhavetotellanotonlyintellectualstory,butavisualoneaswell.

 Yourepresentingapalletofcolorsfortheeditorssothatheorshecanreallyeditwith
pacing,andwiththeabstract,ratherthantheliteral,andthenyouarereallystorytelling

NettieWild
Newpointofincorporatingtheeditorhowheorshecanmakeita
story.
Recreatinganimage
(reenacting)withactorsishard,becausethenwe
don'tknowwhatisrealornot(confusing)wehavetobecarefulaboutit.
Weoughttoknowthatfictionfilmisbydefinitionmuchlessillusoryandmuchless
deceitfulthansocalleddocumentarycinema,becausebothdirectorandspectatorknow
thatitsfiction,whichistosaythatitstruthisconveyedthroughtheimagination.Onthe
otherhand,documentarycinemahidesitsfictionanditsimaginingsbehindthefacadeof
reality.
EdgarMorin
Ithinkthesoundistheheartbeatofthefilm.Ifthesoundisntgood,thanthefilmis
thin,youknowthesoundiswhereyougettheemotionofthefilm
KimLonginotto
Oneofthethingsthatsreallyanerror,inthewaythingsaregoingthesedays,isthat
peopleactuallythinkthatasoundrecordistsisdisposable,andthatyoucandoityourself,
orthatyourpoorcamerapersonthatssupposedtobeframingandmakingsurethatthe
worldsisinfocusandlitproperly,issupposedtotakethison?Orgodforbidthedirector
doit?
NettieWild
Musicwithinadocumentarytendstodiminishtheimage.

StanNeumann
Musicisaninterpretation,itsthefilmmakerwhosays,alright,Imgoingtomakeyou
listentomusichereontopoftheseimagestocreateacertainimpression.Its
impressionismIdontthinkdocumentaryisaformofimpressionism,itsrealism,and
musichasnoplacethereIdon'tthinkyoushouldemphasizethedramaofasituation
byaddingmusic.Youhavetobeverycarefulandcarefullydeterminewheretoputit.

PatricioGuzman
Noteveryonethinksthat(justthepurists)nowmanybelievethatitsnotonly
visual,butoral.Theylikemusicthatlaysabed(underlining),butnotmusicthat
makesyouthink.
Musicgivesnewinsightsandperspectivesnewvisions
Thetransferfromfilmmakertoeditorlettinggotheexperianceyoufaceditisvery
difficulttoletgoyourstory.
somethinkthatthecuttingroomisaplaceforsimplificationyoufindthemes
andargumentsinthematerialtomakeitmoreobvious.
Documentaryfilmmakingisevolvingmoreartisticbeingmoreaccepted.

WhoamIwritingFor?theteachersthatcouldusemycurriculum?