So do first amendment lawyers and E&O insurers. Poitras credited institutions like BRITDOC and Participant Media for supporting those risks when it came to Citizenfour. Filmmakers should always consider whether a risk is worth taking. Gibney counseled, however, that we should be prudent. When asked about any moments of self-censorship, both Poitras and Gibney chimed in to say that even after legal meetings, they never made changes to story when something was important to say. With respect to the law, in the end it can’t be a work for hire, otherwise you can’t claim journalistic integrity, said Poitras. Protections for journalists exist in the pursuit of that truth. Gibney added that filmmakers, like journalists, have to maintain a reputation for truth-seeking. For Poitras and others, any editorial review with subjects is for purposes of safety and not story. Editorial control is essential for maintaining one’s position as an independent filmmaker. The filmmakers all also emphasized the importance of maintaining editorial control, which is a central tenant in both fields. Each angle gives us a different view of the character for consideration, all of them carrying a version of the truth. We are presented with Michael Dunn’s interview immediately after arrest, his testimony at trial, and recorded conversations with his fiancee while incarcerated. In “3 1/2 Minutes,” we experience the many faces of the accused/guilty Michael Dunn. Silver had a similar experience of the question of truth. For Gibney, this was more truthful, with the essential caveat that the fact of the acting was made transparent. Traditional methods like voice distortion didn’t allow the audience to sympathize with the character. In “Client 9: The Rise and Fall of Eliot Spitzer,” Gibney chose to use an actress to read the account of an escort who wished to remain anonymous. And for filmmakers, that means a willingness to adhere to certain journalistic principles.īut the panelists agreed that where documentary film has a unique distinction from journalism, is in storytelling technique. So should documentary filmmakers have the same protections as journalists? Gibey says unquestionaby, “yes.” The definition of journalist should be expansive. As Alex Gibney put it, he’s a filmmaker with “journalistic baggage.” It seems evident that recognition of journalism or journalistic practices has real advantages for documentary film. He never previously considered himself to directly be a journalist, but as a citizen in the UK, registering with the National Union of Journalists allowed for ease of visas for many production trips to the US. He then had the experience of being with Jordan’s parents in the evenings when that footage showed up on CNN.įor Silver, there is a journalistic layer at the base of documentary filmmaking, with a visual layer that goes on top. Silver found himself in the unique position of providing a courtroom camera feed directly to news media, in a deal struck with the judge to obtain footage of the trial for the documentary. Marc Silver of “Who is Dayani Cristal?” fame, premiered his latest film at Sundance, “3 1/2 Minutes.” News junkies will recall the tragic death of Jordan Davis, who was fatally shot after an exchange about loud music. Laura Poitras Becomes an Oscar Frontrunner with Her Nan Goldin Documentaryįall Festival Reactions to 'TÁR' Make Cate Blanchett an Undeniable Best Actress Contender Poitras was also careful to make the distinction that she considers herself to be a visual journalist.ĭocumentarian Laura Poitras Slams Hillary Clinton Docs: It's 'Alarming' to See Festivals 'Whitewashing' History But once she arrived in Hong Kong, she was documenting events as they happened. When Poitras was contacted by Edward Snowden, she took on the journalistic obligation of source protection. Filmmaking isn’t meant to be breaking news. READ MORE: Tig Notaro on What It’s Like to Star in a Documentary About YourselfĪre you a documentary filmmaker, or a journalist, or both? For Laura Poitras, there’s no blurry line, “it’s journalism plus.” Documentary filmmaking is journalism (fact finding) plus storytelling that reveals something more about the human condition. To find documentary films involving high stakes investigative work look no further than this year’s Oscar nominees, “ Citizenfour” and “Virunga.”įilmmakers Laura Poitras (“Citizenfour”), Marc Silver (“3 1/2 Minutes”) and Alex Gibney (“Going Clear: Scientology and The Prison of Belief”) debated the issue live at a Sundance panel discussion “Bringing Truths to Light,” moderated by distinguished producer Bonnie Cohen (Catapult Film Fund). The blurry lines between documentary filmmaking and journalism were a hot topic at this year’s Sundance Film Festival.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Details
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |