cinematography - not just limited to 'drama'

As the title suggests, this is an aspect to documentary that requires virtually just as much planning across the genres. Today's was quite an informative lecture, and I really liked the fact that David and Paul has Christine sitting down as the subject, offering different suggestions about conducting our interviews. These suggestions ranged from the lighting, to mise en scene (eg- the rule of thirds), to depth of field and focal length - the kind of nitty-gritty that can dramatically affect the end product, and is pertinent to the day of shooting so needs to be well thought-out.

One thing I'll need to clarify with the boys is the way we intend to use lighting.. I think we can really do better than one redhead (currently what we've opted to hire) and think imaginatively about how lighting can compliment the transition our subject undergoes. It is something worth thinking about at least and definitely worth finalising in the next couple of days.

I found the reading about Kirsten Johnston quite inspiring this week. Particularly given that she has worked on a lot of autobiographical documentaries, a lot of what she had to say is both relevant and useful. Nicely tied in with the ethical boundaries we discussed last week, she commented on the notion of politically questioning documentaries, and the need to take risks with people who (she) believes have a vision about a particular subject matter. This really reflects the direction in which we wish to steer Amazon - ours (and his) dream is for the eventual cohesion within the gay community and worldwide understanding/acceptance of all character types, whether it be drag queens or another minority group.

The ways we then use the production elements can then act as a salient reinforcements of this positive vision, but only if they are executed in a subtle and engaging manner. The way the shots are framed, for example, needs to be quite specific depending on the content we are discussing. The start and the end of the film are going to be quite different in emotional tone, and thus the other elements such as lighting and compositon need to be able to complement this shift.

done and dusted

Well, with the final proposals all tweaked and submitted, there's not much left to do except sit back and wait for our next meeting with Christine, while preparing anxiously for our shoot in little over a week's time.

It's too bad neither of the boys are on campus today, because I'd have liked to make a start on editing the material we filmed in the tutes the other day. For those out of the know, we were asked to film an observational scenario, i.e. a conversation, by getting a few different angles (but keeping the audio consistent in editing) and just seeing how the production elements turned out. I am positive our sound is going to be crap, as we filmed at a noisy construction site, for starters, and the guy who spoke to us about what was happening - while an altogether friendly and likeable character - spoke at the rate of a million miles a minute in his exceedingly thick Irish accent. We didn't get enough time to film anyone else, so it'll have to do, but I have a feeling we're going to be blushing (me in particular, cause I have a feeling I'm on the tape too) in front of our peers when we go to play it back - ah well, live and learn I suppose.

I should add, though, that I thoroughly enjoyed the next instalment from Rabiger in this week's dossier. I just love the way he has put information together to create such cohesive and ultimately helpful chapters. Given that our main interview is so closeby now, having his suggestions for setting and technique have really been a timely source of inspiration. He makes a point that I touched upon in one of my earleir posts, about how directing 'need not be manipulative'. His way of defining an 'interview' - as a meaningful exchange between two or more people - really forces us aspiring doco-heads to consider the ways in which we approach our subject, as not just an interrogative force but an entrusted body. It is setting, preparation, skill and forethought all rolled into one - it is the essence of the production and the sole foundation upon which audiences will base their concluding judgements.

Due to its brevity, this is the sort of thing that can't be 'winged': audiences will be able to discern whether or not this relationship is a truly trusting one or just a 'face' for the camera. Fortunately I have spent quite a bit of quality, get-to-know-you time with my subject, who in fact offered to be involved in this production without me having to ask. Fingers crossed this will come through in the material and the final product, because I would hate to think my own lack of preparation or consideration could affect everything else... like a dangerous domino effect in reverse.

you can lead a horse to water...

'Whatever else movies do, they invite viewers to think for themselves, without intermediary, narrator or correspondent.'
-Robert Drew



...Or do they? In a perfect world, documentaries are a perfect balance of revelation and judgement - that is, their point of view is so subtle and undemanding, audiences are inadvertently implicated within it. The article the above quote came from is part of this week's third reading - the first part, to be exact. Neither the boys (there is only 3 of us now, by the way, as Christine has gone to another group) nor I had even suggested using a narrator for this documentary, however we did stay back on Wednesday after class to watch Sadness - a doco directed by William Ayres, that centers around the life story of William Yang and how he grappled with his Asian identity and losing so many of his friends to the AIDS epidemic of the early 1990s. This film contained quite a bit of narration by Yang, something that both Deno and I thought detracted from the content because of its prevalence. The story would have been much more effective if it hadn't been so formulaic, and had strove to step outside the square much more than it did. Especially considering how powerful some of the content was, it could definitely have been executed in a more discrete manner - a more aesthetic one, at the very least. Something else for us to keep in mind with our own productions, that's for sure.

I want to catch another doco @ MIFF this weekend, seeing as it's about to wrap up, but I'll have to play it by ear and make sure I have enough cash and everything else. It'd be good to see though. I'm also considering hiring out 'Capturing the Freidmans' for a bit more inspo... everyone I'ce talked to about it said it was good, and David did mention that there were a few twists in it. And we like twisted, don't we? (Rhetorical question, I know)

the great divide: arguing for argument's sake?

The first reading for this week, written by Paul Ward (entitled Fiction and Nonfiction: The Grea Divide?) highlights an ongoing debate between the respective genres of doco and drama that has been simmering away in the cauldron for decades. Personally, I don't see why so many people get their knickers in a twist when one mode borrows stylistic elements from the other and appropriates them as it sees fit. To me, it's kind of like that whole naturalistic VS digital photography debate... it's old! And anyone who thinks otherwise needs to get with the times and move on, and accept the fact that technological convergence has given birth to a certain convergence in genres over the years, that is not nearly as much of a bad thing as the puritans would have us believe.

Take, for instance, Aussie filmmaker Murali K. Thalluri's feature length debut of last year - 2:37. Though it was a completely dramatised account of one girl's final day in school (the day the commits suicide), it contains several interview-style black and white sequences typical of documentary, but used in this case to heighten the sense of drama and conflict within the narrative. In this day and age, filmmakers don't just use these unconventional effects willy nilly, they're there to serve a particular purpose. And if blurring the distinctions from time to time makes anyone uncomfortable, I feel sorry for them!

In postmodern times, we should be revelling in the opportunity to experiment and borrow from other genres. We plan to use aesthetic elements from both naturalistic and experimental documentaries.. there's nothing wrong with hybrids, people! If you can balance one thing with another, then that is a work of genius - not madness. The fact of the mater is, documentary to modern audiences consists of far more than your average discovery channel polemic - it requires artistry and craftsmanship if it is going to succeed against its increasingly stiff competitors - yes, including drama.

leacock's reading - 'a search for the feeling of being there'

I gotta say, the tone and articulacy with which Richard Leacock recounts his experiences in filmmaking is quite inspiring. Maybe that's something for me to strive towards in this blog - getting just the right amount of description, infused with an insatiable zest and exuberance for a medium as addictive as the air we breathe.

After doing my readings this week, which have centered mostly on how to capture the essence of documentary - and how to define it - I feel like I am in a position to tackle it in a creative sense. Rabiger's reading, entitled 'The Director's role' makes a very resonating quote: "There are no limits to documentary's possibilities, but it always reflects a profound fascination with, and respect for, actuality". From thereon you can take the debate as to what constitutes 'actuality' in any direction you like, but the assumtpion remains the same. Documentary aims to uncover something tangible, something real, and the camera acts as the all-seeing visual apparatus at a level that our own eyes are incapable of reaching.

As a genre, I think documentary succeeds because it connects, most importantly, with our deeply-rooted desires for knowledge. Unlike drama, which plays upon our emotions, it offers us a sense of assurance and even privilege. This, I think, can be attributed to the switch in point of view, i.e. to an more observational mode of filming. Although the drama and doco are becoming increasingly convergent, I think it's important to remember exactly why each has its respective place - both in culture and in the industry.