Experts say that it's no coincidence that documentary films are enjoying boosted popularity at a time when trust in the media is at an all-time low. They didnt demand it, but they were right. The problem is, its not hard to convince people something is truthful. AfterHoop Dreamsbecame wildly successful, noted Gordon Quinn, Kartemquin Films shared profits (based on screen time) with everyone who had a speaking role in the film. My test for these things is, Does the audience know what its getting? . Then, its got our companys name on it. Ringer illustration. No, I never show rough cuts to subjects. Filmmakers were asked to speak about their own experiences, focusing on the recent past, rather than generalizing about the field. Filmmakers need to develop a more broadly shared understanding of the nature of their problems and to evolve a common understanding of fair ways to balance their various obligations. Their comments can be grouped into three conflicting sets of responsibilities: to their subjects, their viewers, and their own artistic vision and production exigencies. Its your reputation. They were minors, and might have problems with their families or with the law. Another director cited a situation where one high school kid would lift a girl and put her head-first in a trashcan after the teacher had left. a bartenders monthly pay consist of $2,400 base salary plus 10% in tips aon average for all drinks sold. In relation to subjects, they often did not feel obliged to protect subjects who they believed had themselves done harm or who had independent access to media, such as celebrities or corporate executives with their own public relations arms. And these are just a few examples. The trend towards faster and cheaper documentaries and the assembly line nature of work has proven challenging to filmmakers understanding of their obligations to subjects in particular. This study explores those questions. They commonly shared such principles as, in relation to subjects, Do no harm and Protect the vulnerable, and, in relation to viewers, Honor the viewers trust.. She said she was trained to think of archival this way, to think that as a filmmaker, you put it out there as truth. Someone else will be culling footage from your film. His promotion of the term has been criticized, by scholar Brian Winston, among others, for allowing ethical choices to go unexamined. I dont think you can call that a documentary because a documentary presents the whole picture.. They sometimes deal with hostile gatekeepers or powerful celebrity subjects. We said, We cant let this happen. We stopped filming and stopped this from happening. One filmmaker who made a documentary about a company that employed illegal immigrants simply left that fact out of the film and did not report it, either: We didnt call the policewe felt like that would be a breach of trust. Another filmmakers subject told a story about trying to bring her son across the border illegally. We want to build him up as a hero and show the fall.. (Documentaries) can offer in-depth, detailed looks at what the news media will only superficially cover, but theyre more and more opinion based and less fact based, said Wheeler Winston Dixon, Ryan professor of film studies at the University of Nebraska Lincoln. In one example, interviews were given and releases were signed on condition that they garble their voice and obscure their face . Another featured uniformed guardsa one-time, exceptional moment. It depends on the project.. Also included were four executive producers in national television programming organizations. The interview pool consisted of 41 directors or producer-directors who had released at least two productions at a national level and who have authorial control. The reason we still talk about [this] is because it was a perfect ethical conundrum. In thinking about their subjects, filmmakers typically described a relationship in which the filmmaker had more social and sometimes economic power than the subject. The larger truth is that this conversation is going to happen in this city, at some point, and so it doesnt matter that it doesnt happen at this moment. Individual filmmakers may develop concurrent projects with and for a range of television programmers, from PBS to the Food Channel, balancing sponsored work (for income) with projects of the heart. Entire Agreement. . Treatment of archival materials (especially still and motion photographic materials) was widely recognized as a site of ethical challenges, but there was a wide range of responses. Pat Aufderheide, But when art (like a documentary) shocks us, its never because were hearing something new. The growth of commercial opportunities and the prominence of politics as a documentary subject also produced tensions. Jon Else said: For years I never paid anyone for an interview. Controversies emerged about several documentaries. Filmmakers repeatedly referenced problems with using historical materials, which document specific people, places, and times, as generic references or in service to a particular and perhaps unrelated point. They typically assert that an independent media is a bulwark of democracy, and that the trustof both audience and subjectis essential. It spoke to the possibilities as well. March of the Penguins March of the Penguins Official Trailer #1 - (2005) HD Watch on Not only was March of the Penguins a legitimate cultural. . September 2009 What is the exact area of an equilateral triangle with sides of length 10 m? Furthermore, noncommercial public TV news programs explicitly placed journalistic standards above commercial mandates. Rather the opposite, in fact: faced with evidence of or a decision for inaccuracy or manipulation, they often moved the truth to a higher conceptual level, that of higher truth.. This baseline research is necessary to begin any inquiry into ethical standards because the field has not yet articulated ethical standards specific to documentary. I have to be careful not to abuse the friendship with the subject, but its a rapport that is somewhat false, said one. Its part of our work and our interpretation, said one. a company hires 14 new employees onto sales team A and 14 new employees onto sales Team B. within one year 2 of the new team A employees and 6 of the new team B employees have quit. You have to condense, but you cant manipulate., Dixon used the popular documentary Blackfish, about the quality of life of SeaWorld orcas, as another example. Anonymity permitted filmmakers to speak freely about situations that may have put them or their companies under uncomfortable scrutiny. But I feel like its important to get the big-picture truth of the situation on camera. within last week 6 students have dropped out of the basketball team and 2 students have dropped out of the debate tryouts. Where institutional standards and practices exist, as in the news divisions of some broadcast and cablecast networks, filmmakers felt helpfully guided by them. March of the Penguins (2005) Dir. People who love documentaries love Netflix because the streaming . One filmmaker said that she tries to be as authentic as possible, down to the year and the place. Making a Murderer is exploitation entertainment, Dixon said. Why? Oppenheimers film (currently streaming on Netflix and airing on PBS June 27) examines the fallout from a world that wasnt paying attention in the mid-1960s when thousands of people were killed in the Indonesian genocide many of the perpetrators and unapologetic murderers remain significant community members and political leaders in Indonesia today. I used it, and Im sure 99 percent of the people who watched the film thought it was him and his family. Documentary films are becoming more popular but are they fact or fiction? Watch documentaries that dont align with your opinion, Breyer said. Changes in camera technology also allowed filmmakers to capture more intimate and up-close moments cinema verite is known for, Woelfel said lighter, more portable cameras allowed the filmmakers behind "Primary" to follow John F. Kennedy and his family into cramped cars and hotel rooms, through crowds and into waiting rooms as poll results came in; places that older, more cumbersome equipment struggled to go. Are there music cues? The documentary became public due to its subject matter, it dealt with a sensitive topic but indicated the information in a plateable way. I insisted that they show me the cut and when I saw that they were implying that the girl had had an abortion, I said, You have to change that. The film becomes a historical document. The filmmaker believed this to misrepresent the conditions of the region. what would be the next number in the following series We loved the texture of the campaign commercials for various candidates. The decision to share material in advance with subjects was, typically, an informal decision. if the total sales of the beverages for that morning was $700, how many $3 beverages were sold, a school year begins with 24 students trying out for the basketball team 20 students trying out for the debate team. [Our subject] had one for radio; we used the audio and made a commercial [to go with the audio]. Should films such asGhosts of Abu GhraibandStandard Operating Procedurefeature images that further embarrass and humiliate their subjects? If you abuse this, then you wont get access to people for the next project.. A story of loving impossible loves and the torture of self-discovery in a world of demagogues and uncompromising hate, it has a tragic immediacy that makes it as contemporary as ever. Ken Burns recalled having to decide between two photographs to illustrate the point that Huey Long was often surrounded by bodyguards. inaccurately, for mood or tone, . . On the next take, they then asked, Should we break its leg again? . Twenty years later some people making a film about abortion wanted to use some of our footage to set the historical context of the times. Sometimes filmmakers are constrained by contract, but far more often they are constrained by the fear that openly discussing ethical issues will expose them to risk of censure or may jeopardize the next job. . . This study demonstrates the need to have a more public and ongoing conversation about ethical problems in documentary filmmaking. Another filmmaker said that while she would not show subjects the current work, she would show previous films she had made, as a way of gaining their trust. Taped confessions? Its increasingly entertainment. We felt it was better not to use that scene. Up until 1960, with (director Robert Drews) Primary and the work of some others, documentaries were just lectures on film. Filmmakers felt frustrated that stations did not always honor the agreements they had made with their subjects. . The population spanned three generations. . Ultimately Im not of that position. Filmmakers were drawn into criticism of their peers, while lacking common standards of reference. I wanted to learn more about why she did the awful things . A substantial minority of filmmakers argued that they would never allow a subject to see the film until it was finished. It has no ethical or redemptive value . The ongoing effort to strike a balance, and the negotiated nature of the relationship, was registered by Gordon Quinn: We say to our subjects, We are not journalists; we are going to spend years with you. Unlike journalism, documentary filmmaking has largely been an individual, freelance effort. her less experienced colleague takes 1.6 hours to complete a root canal. We want to have a human relationship with our subjects, said Gordon Quinn, but there are boundaries that should not be crossed. We are a respected educational program provider, [and] we would have looked bad, disgraced by it., Filmmakers expected to get to truth via the vehicle of a story and held themselves responsible for its implications. 1, 3, 7, 13, 21, ? When Im working on a doc, I try not to lie, said Sam Pollard. In one case, a subject who had signed a release asked Stanley Nelson not to use an interview. . One filmmakers client hired her to make an educational documentary for middle school kids and to leave out the fact that Americans dropped the first atomic bomb. An independent filmmaker said that his financially strapped subjects could see that we had money to make the movie, and we were making money ourselves off their tragedy, at a time when they could not work because of dealing with [a difficult situation]. In this regard, many found institutional rules against payment to be arbitrary and even counterproductive. But those kinds of distortions are often necessary to tell the story or to compress ideas that would otherwise take too long. To achieve those goals, standards uphold accuracy, fairness, and obeying of law, including privacy law. Its important to lift up people who tell their stories, as opposed to making them victims. if the regular price of the hats is 25$, how many hats could be bought at the sale price it a shopper spent 105? Center for Media & Social ImpactSchool of Communication,American University4400 Massachusetts Ave NW It would have made a fabulous turning point in the film, but I didnt include it. But part of this subject matter is the graphic depiction of the attitude of the youths as they beat the man; they are represented as enjoying their act of brutality. At its face value, colorblindness seems like a good thingreally taking MLK seriously on his call to judge people on the content of their character rather than the color of their skin. Although the result was unintentional, he also felt no remorse. I have come around to believe that a small honorarium is OK, that we should cover the subjects expenses and lost work, and that we sure as hell should share profit if we can. Its become an easy thing to do to say that we dont pay. if it sells 200 more lamps in the next month how many lamps does it sell in august. A great documentary doesnt give you an answer, Breyer said. you have to be truthful. Louis Massiah reiterated this. her less experienced colleague takes 2.0 hours to complete an inspection. Shes a real person and you cant imply something about her that never happened. , However, filmmakers balanced this concern with the need to resell their footage to make a living and considered appropriate decision making part of maintaining their professional reputations. They also blurred the line between traditional documentary, reality, and hybrid forms. . That is the most deliberate falsification Ive ever done . Dave Chapelle attacked onstage while performing at LA festival, Here are the 14 inductees for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Utah is apparently the most Star Wars-obsessed state in the country, Five political statements guests made at the 2022 Met Gala. The felt power differential also led them to protect their subjects when they believed they were vulnerablenot, however, at the expense of preserving their own artistic options. Those are pretty boring, Woelfel said. I want you to sign the release, but we will really listen to you. One director recalled, I knew personal information about one of the [subjects] that I thought would make the film richer, but she was confiding to me in person, not as a filmmaker . Here are the best documentary films of all time. Experts say that its no coincidence that documentary films are enjoying boosted popularity at a time when trust in the media is at an all-time low. . For todays documentary filmmakers, it appears to grace a set of choices about narrative and purpose in the documentary. . In London, people expect fees for interviews, etc., anytime you take up someones time. The core data was gathered in long-form, hour-long interviews, grounded in open-ended questions, conducted usually by phone. Its not about 1965, its about the terrible consequences of impunity in the present.. if Rauls sister is 25 years old how old is Rauls brothers, a store selling posters featuring Yosemite national park carries posters in three different sizes, with twelve different designs, and each poster is available in four different frames. Click hereto view or download a PDF of this report. When the filmmaker showed a scene of a handcuffed minor in juvenile halla crucial and pivotal sceneto the family, in spite of having releases, the mother objected. In still another case, an HIV-positive mother addicted to drugs asked filmmakers not to reveal where she lives. . Public more agency in news gathering, Cross said. They argued that the responsibility to control the films point of view lay squarely with the filmmaker. That could be good or bad, depending on the story being told, Cross said. This survey demonstrated that filmmakers generally are acutely aware of moral dimensions of their craft, and of the economic and social pressures that affect them. Following is further discussion of ways in which ethical questions about relationships with subjects surfaced in interviews. Its not increasing anyones knowledge. Budgets demand efficiencies that may be ethically troubling. . I may get in by a sneaky way but hold up standards in the final product. Another gained access to someone in prison by writing on BBC letterhead stationery, although he was not working for the BBC. If you're in tech, you might have subject matter experts for web-hosting, agile methodology, and more. Every organization has its own host of subject matter experts. To me the difference is that journalism offers us a window into new information and ideally tries to put it into context so it can be useful somehow. When you have a scene or moment in the film, you may realize its just a great moment, and then you realize the subject doesnt want that moment on screen. One of the most effective approaches for how to become a Subject Matter Expert in eLearning is to hone your skills. The opening . Filmmakers who thought of themselves as journalists resisted even the idea of payment. These developments often troubled documentarians: [Facts] are not verified . In one case, a filmmaker decided to withhold information about a public figures drug addiction in order to create the strongest cinematic experience. The filmmaker whose subjects were financially strapped did not talk about money in initial conversations, but a year later, when he was still filming, he offered his subjects a $5,000 honorarium. Her reasons were goodshe did not want her son to grow up and maybe have a family, and 25 years from now have his kids find out he was arrested for attempted murder. The filmmaker allowed the family to consider; eventually, the kid himself spoke up and said that he was ok with it . A funny thing happened over the past decade in the short subject documentary space: It became competitive. A journalist wouldnt show you the footage. The producer who lines up subjects or oversees production is often separated from editing and postproduction. As one filmmaker noted: I am in their life for a whole year. Class 12 Class 11 Class 10 Class 9 Class 2 Class 1 A Practice Book of English Class 11 English Medium NCERT Class 11 English - Hornbill High School English Grammar and Composition Book by Wren & Martin to figure out which of those statements could put the character at risk. The filmmaker removed an incriminating line, while keeping the general information and preserving the filmmakers interests as a creator. He said, I didnt have a [moral] dilemma. One filmmaker sometimes paid because it was the easiest way to get the work done. These interviews demonstrate, indeed, a need for a more public and focused conversation about ethics before any standards emerging from shared experience and values can be articulated. " Free Chol Soo Lee " charts the . I feel like I approached the subject differently. Some filmmakers acknowledged that they occasionally would resort to bad faith and outright deception, both with subjects and with gatekeepers who kept them from subjects. you decide what your film is going to be, you have to put your traditional issues of friendship aside. . In some ways, Michael Mann's Ali, starring an Oscar-nominated Will Smith in the title role, plays like When We Were Kings stretched out into a moody, ambient-leaning slow motion. The ethical tensions in the first relationship focused on how to maintain a humane working relationship with someone whose story they were telling. Jump cuts might be more honest about the rearranging going on but might be unwatchable. Its a moral decision not to enter their lives to only show how poor they are, said one. The terms of these releases are usually dictated by insurers, whose insurance is required for most television airing and theatrical distribution. It eats me up every day. Steven Ascher said that revealing a subjects weaknesses or positions that the audience is likely to find laughable or repellant can be justified when they are taking advantage of other people or when they are so completely convinced of their own rightness, they would be happy with their portrayal. In both cases, militating against what filmmakers might prefer personally to do was the obligation to complete a compelling and honest documentary story within budget. By the late 1990s, U.S. documentary filmmakers had become widely respected media makers, recognized as independent voices at a time of falling public confidence in mainstream media and in the integrity of the political process. They may be encouraged to alter the story to pump up the excitement, the conflict, or the danger. Its one of those areas where our responsibility to our audience and our responsibility to our subjects can be at odds. legally I could have put it in [without the familys approval], but hey, I want to sleep at night. SeaWorld declined to cooperate with filmmakers and called the film propaganda.". For instance, filmmakers also regularly used re-creations (re-staging of events that have already occurred, whether in the recent or distant past), although they widely believed that it was important that audiences be made aware somehow that the footage is recreated. Clockwise from top left: Casting JonBenet; Homecoming, Dirty Money, They'll Love Me When I'm Dead; Miss Americana; Jim & Andy. When (filmmakers) feel we have to pick up the ball dropped by the news media, that means we will not prioritize being artists anymore. The trouble is, most viewers dont know the difference. Institutional standards and practices remain proprietary to the companies for which the filmmakers may be working and do not always reflect the terms they believe are appropriate to their craft. to prove that other sresidents considered the new billboard to be a _______ on the neighborhood, he conducted a survey in hopes of documentary his neighbors negative reaction to it. There are purists who would feel thats not right. The second time, he was crying, I was crying, we were all crying. The keenly felt power differential between filmmaker and subject led some filmmakers to make unilateral storytelling decisions, usually to omit material, with empathy for the subjects. . For example, the main subject of "Silence" an optometrist, Adi Rukun, who was born after his older brother was murdered openly confronts his brother's likely (but unconfirmed) killers in front of the camera as a sort of impromptu and very damning confessional. by working __________ the new employee hoped to prove that he could excel in his new position, the student offered information to his classmates under the _____________ of altruism, but in reality, the information was false, and he sought to ______________ their grades, the author has been criticized for the __________ views expressed in his book; while his words may have once been met with agreement; they are now met with disappointment. Another argued that letting subjects, especially celebrities or other people with social power, have input would threaten the credibility of the final product: I dont think the film stays credible if subjects are approving their sound bites, said filmmaker Maggie Burnette Stogner. [30] One featured his typical bodyguards, in street clothes. [Our broadcaster] asked if it was real. How much do their own reasoning processes correlate with existing journalism codes? This is an area that we havent really worked out, where a big conversation needs to happen. A new mini documentary, released Thursday on YouTube by crypto consulting firm Emfarsis and gaming company Yield Guild Games called "Play-to-Earn," follows several Filipino people who play the . When filmmakers face ethical conflicts, they often resolve them in an ad-hoc way, keeping their deep face-to-face relationship with subjects and their more abstract relationship with the viewers in balance with practical concerns about cost, time, and ease of production. an=(4.5,2,0.5,3,5.5,)? Filmmakers observed these principles with widely shared limitations. Its too misleading to the audience. They also respected broadcasters fact-checking departments, and some found that people in those departments were willing to push back against network pressures to fudge facts or artificially enhance drama. But that doesnt mean that I dont bend the truth. . They were fully aware that their choices of angles, shots, and characters were personal and subjective (a POV, or point of view, was repeatedly referenced as a desirable feature of a documentary), and justified their decisions by reference to the concept the truth. This concept was unanchored by validity tests, definitions, or norms. Documentary filmmakers typically are small business owners, selling their work to a range of distributors, mostly in television. Angela says that (7c2d+12cd2+3)+(5c2d2cd28)=22c2d25\left(7 c^{2} d+12 c d^{2}+3\right)+\left(5 c^{2} d-2 c d^{2}-8\right)= 22 c^{2} d^{2}-5(7c2d+12cd2+3)+(5c2d2cd28)=22c2d25. In the case of viewers, they believed that they were obligated to provide a generally truthful narrative or story, even if some of the means of doing that involved misrepresentation, manipulation, or elision. The whole truth is always more complex than whats on newsprint or celluloid.
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