. . He said, Its a rotten thing to have done journalistically. Its not increasing anyones knowledge. Budgets demand efficiencies that may be ethically troubling. Making a Murderer is exploitation entertainment, Dixon said. But the emotion-first approach can be problematic, Dixon said, when the line between documentary film and what he calls advocacy films is blurred based on what a filmmaker chooses to include or emphasize. Jon Else said: For years I never paid anyone for an interview. What are their concerns? When the facts of a film are up to a single filmmaker, the truth, too, can become subject to style choices. You have to open your eyes and trust yourself. That is the most deliberate falsification Ive ever done . What hes done isnt quite documentary filmmaking, but it certainly isnt fiction either, Slate Magazine film critic Dana Stevens wrote of Oppenheimers work. The ethical tensions in the second focused on ways to maintain a viewers faith in the accuracy and integrity of the work. we operate under a do-no-harm policy.. We consume news in very small bites now like on Twitter, but we naturally tend to want to be able to sink our teeth into something, whether 8,000-word magazine piece or big documentary, Woelfel said. Not everyone who paid did so in recognition of social inequality. The relationship between documentary subject and documentarian has been fraught with conflict since the genre's evolution beyond "actualities" and into a narrative format pioneered by Robert Flaherty. In both these cases, the choices not to honor the subjects requests reflected the fact that the subjectsboth experts, not less-powerful subjectsattempted to exert control over the films outcome that differed from that of the filmmakers. Most kept filming and postponed the decision of whether or not to use the footage. In relation to viewers, they often justified the manipulation of individual facts, sequences, and meanings of images, if it meant telling a story more effectively and helped viewers grasp the main, and overall truthful, themes of a story. its a case-by-case example. 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. I regret it. In a certain sense there is something deceptive about that. Public more agency in news gathering, Cross said. The problem is, its not hard to convince people something is truthful. At a time when there is unprecedented financial pressure on makers to lower costs and increase productivity, filmmakers reported that they routinely found themselves in situations where they needed to balance ethical responsibilities against practical considerations. They nonetheless subscribed to shared, but unarticulated, general principles. 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. The differing styles of documentary and injection of cinematic elements that arguably make them more interesting has made it harder to define documentary and its goals even among professionals, no two definitions of a documentary are quite the same. 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.. . In both situations, they used deception to keep someone with the power to stop the project from doing so, and they regarded it as entirely ethical because of an ends-justifies-the-means argument. . Documentary clients have included Sonia, Power Trip, Afghan Women, Trembling Before G*D and Blacks & Jews. The difference is, if Im making a fictional film, Superman can fly. Up until 1960, with (director Robert Drews) Primary and the work of some others, documentaries were just lectures on film. However, when filmmakers did not empathize with, understand, or agree with the subjects concern, or when they believed the subject had more social power than they did, they overrode it. Notably, this attitude does not extend to celebrities, whom filmmakers found to be aggressive and powerful in controlling their image. At the end of the day, it became a mother-son deal and they worked it out. In this case, the filmmakers objective was maintaining the relationship and salvaging key footage. Advertisement. Its increasingly entertainment. Taped confessions? Here this guy worked for five days and they get no glory, they go back to their regular jobs. The producer noted that the filmmakers work for a for-profit venture, and were making our money based on these peoples stories . For the most part, however, when it comes to standards and ethics (and even independent fact checking), documentary filmmakers have largely depended on individual judgment, guidance from executives, and occasional conversations at film festivals and on listservs. Filmmakers expected to shift allegiances from subject to viewer in the course of the film, in order to complete the project. It would have made a fabulous turning point in the film, but I didnt include it. Filmmakers grounded this permission in two arguments: they wanted to demonstrate a trust relationship with the subject, and they wanted to make a film that was responsible to the subjects perspectives. The opening . 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. 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. This study provides a map of perceived ethical challenges that documentary filmmakersdirectors and producer-directorsin the United States identify in the practice of their craft. But ultimately it has to be our decision. In some cases I will say, If there is something that you cant live with then well discuss it, we will have the argument and real dialogue. The trouble is, most viewers dont know the difference. I always decide not to use that moment, said another. Woelfel said changes in journalism in the last 20 years have paved the way for audiences to crave the detail of documentaries. a group of numbers has an average of 18. the first three numbers are 12, 24, 16. what is the other number, an investor purchases cryptocurrency for $1000 unit. Hopefully you do it in a way that ultimately, with the finished product that I had a clear conscience. At the same time, documentary television production was accelerating to fill the need for quality programming in ever-expanding screen time, generating popular, formula-driven programs. Filmmakers were asked to speak about their own experiences, focusing on the recent past, rather than generalizing about the field. Its part of our work and our interpretation, said one. Filmmakers often felt that subjects had a right to change their minds (although the filmmakers found this deeply unpleasant) or to see the material involving them or even the whole film in advance of public screenings. . The core data was gathered in long-form, hour-long interviews, grounded in open-ended questions, conducted usually by phone. Its one of those areas where our responsibility to our audience and our responsibility to our subjects can be at odds. Accompanying the represented sub-ject matter is the film's attitude toward its . To look at a homicide that happened seven years ago, and look at who did itits good entertainment. Because investigative journalism has been cut in American media, nonfiction filmmakers easily take on the duty of going out and pursuing deep investigations, Oppenheimer said. However, what I will call the content of a film often contains something further. This baseline research is necessary to begin any inquiry into ethical standards because the field has not yet articulated ethical standards specific to documentary. But did I? Clockwise from top left: Casting JonBenet; Homecoming, Dirty Money, They'll Love Me When I'm Dead; Miss Americana; Jim & Andy. . In the end, if I cant convince you then well take it out., Some also believed that seeing material in advance helped make their subjects more comfortable with the exposure they would encounter, thus avoiding problems in the future. a safety specialist can complete an inspection in .5 hours. if the regular price of the hats is 25$, how many hats could be bought at the sale price it a shopper spent 105? I changed it . Our code of ethics is very different. what percentage of the remaining students are trying out of the basketball team, raul is half the age of his brother and 60% younger than his sister. Where before a small number of players dominated the category, now it is extraordinarily . At the same time, many of the filmmakers surveyed spoke of commercial pressures, particularly in the cable business, to make decisions they believed to be unethical. . It depends on the project.. There are some filmmakers who love the down and dirtyI found a fool and I will show them as a fool. This is justified sometimes, but its often abusive of your power., Filmmakers also recognized limits to the obligation to the subject. As one said, I dont want to make films where people feel like they are being trashed . Julie Ha and Eugene Yi's involving documentary covers a U.S. wrongful conviction case that ultimately helped improve cultural and judicial sensitivities. Gordon Quinn recalled, I made a film in the 70s about an 11-year -old girl growing up. Following were situations that called forth filmmaker concern about ethical relationships with the audience. 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. Although the result was unintentional, he also felt no remorse. At the same time, some people encouraged us to make their stories public and volunteered use of their names. The terms of these releases are usually dictated by insurers, whose insurance is required for most television airing and theatrical distribution. He said, I didnt have a [moral] dilemma. the shares appreciate 10% in the first year and 25 the next. Despite the can't-miss subject matter, "Operation Varsity Blues: The College Admissions Scandal" makes a near-fatal misstep, heavily using dramatic recreations in a way that leaves this Netflix . I had to do it. While some said that they would never lie to a subject about what they were doing in the film, many believed that the decision needed to be taken on a case-by-case basis, considering the goal of the film and the relationship with the viewer. a bookstore has a sale where all hardcore books are sold at a discount of 40%. Experts say there are some easy ways to become more media literate to help audiences siphon fact and fiction in documentaries and journalism. In that part, friendship wasnt helpful in making the film, even though it is during the production phase., Filmmakers accepted significant manipulation of the situation in filming without regarding it as a betrayal of viewer expectations. It summarizes the results of 45 long-form interviews in which filmmakers were asked simply to describe recent ethical challenges that surfaced in their work. Click hereto view or download a PDF of this report. Its a powerful story, and its important plot-wise. They said it will be upsetting for children, and that the films point is solely to talk about material science. If its nonfiction, I need strong evidence to prove he can.. In one case, Sam Pollard asked a subject to redo an interview in order to get a more emotionally rich version of a painful moment when he had been abused by police in prison. Entire Agreement. As an authority in a particular area or topic, they are uniquely qualified to provide guidance and strategy. an hourly worker whose wage is 15 per hour will be paid how much for an 8 hour shift, which of the following is the. She has organized programs with the Human Rights Film Festival, Brooklyn Museum and Film Society of Lincoln Center and currently teaches arts management at CUNY Baruch. This study provides a map of perceived ethical challenges that documentary filmmakersdirectors and producer-directorsin the United States identify in the practice of their craft. She said she was trained to think of archival this way, to think that as a filmmaker, you put it out there as truth. inaccurately, for mood or tone, . But this is an excuse to keep the budget down., At the same time, filmmakers sought to assess situations informally on a case-by-case basis. The decision to share material in advance with subjects was, typically, an informal decision. Filmmakers thus find themselves without community norms or standards. 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. But I feel like its important to get the big-picture truth of the situation on camera. The whole truth is always more complex than whats on newsprint or celluloid. For a film involving high school students, filmmaker Stanley Nelson asked which students smoked marijuana. Luc Jacquet 3. Jump cuts might be more honest about the rearranging going on but might be unwatchable. . Everyone raised their hands. Gallup reports that just 40 percent of Americans trust media outlets to report the news fully, accurately and fairly. Amid dwindling trust in the press, documentaries with strong, emotional points of view can feel more authentic by comparison. Are they works of art? He justified it by the result: Ultimately there is a story to be told, you may have to make these compromises. 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. I felt that my obligation was fulfilled. In another case, a director decided not to show footage to a subject who wanted approval over material used, because he feared the subject would refuse to permit use. On the next take, they then asked, Should we break its leg again? . . Steven Ascher said: You could argue that cutaways in a scene filmed with one camera are a distortionyou cut from a person talking to a reaction shot, condensing or reshuffling dialogue before you cut back to the person. Then, its got our companys name on it. . In London, people expect fees for interviews, etc., anytime you take up someones time. In the case of subjects who they believed were less powerful in the relationship than themselves, they believed that their work should not harm the subjects or leave them worse off than before. 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. 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. Ken Burns recalled having to decide between two photographs to illustrate the point that Huey Long was often surrounded by bodyguards. At the same time, they shared unarticulated general principles and limitations. Most subjects signed releases allowing the makers complete editorial control and ownership of the footage for every use early on during the production process. Subject matter experts, also called SMEs, are professionals who have advanced knowledge in a specific field. he didnt have family photos. Their goal was to tell the story honestly, to try to keep as emotionally truthful as possible. They strove to represent the truth of who [the subjects] are or of what the story is. [30] a store has a sale where all hats are sold at a discount of 40%. If you're in tech, you might have subject matter experts for web-hosting, agile methodology, and more. That was really helpful to me. . And these are just a few examples. What is the exact area of an equilateral triangle with sides of length 10 m? But that doesnt mean that I dont bend the truth. 1, 3, 7, 13, 21, ? I made the decision, let them break it. News, and Im talking about TV news mostly, doesnt attempt to give people context anymore. Adi Rukun, left, questions Commander Amir Siahaan, one of the death squad leaders responsible for his brothers death during the Indonesian genocide, in Joshua Oppenheimers documentary The Look of Silence. Courtesy of Drafthouse Films and Participant Media. The population spanned three generations. DidMighty Times: The Childrens Marchmisrepresent civil rights history through its use of both fabricated and repurposed archival evidence? Perhaps because the terms of these releases were not their own, filmmakers often provided more leeway to their subjects than the strict terms provided in them. the perilous cliff filled the hiker with___________________, but her companions urged her to _______________ her fear, upon entering the ________________ home, police officers were disgusted to see its rundown state, a group of numbers has an average of 11. the first three numbers are 16, 3, 10 what is the other number, an investor purchases shares in a company for $20 share. A journalist wouldnt show you the footage. They had fewer qualms about lying to public officials or to representatives of institutions than about lying to subjects. Director nixed Jeffrey Epstein project due to 'distasteful' subject matter. We showed her the piece first. The producer who lines up subjects or oversees production is often separated from editing and postproduction. . 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 . Jon Else noted that he once changed a shot that appeared on a TV set inSing Fasterbecause it involved a Major League Baseball game, and he had determined that he could not license the footage. I have to be careful not to abuse the friendship with the subject, but its a rapport that is somewhat false, said one. Most of those makers had experience both with nonprofit outlets, such as public TV, and with cable or commercial network television. When were children, we have teachers and parents who tell us that if we eat nothing but candy, well die," Woelfel 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. Its not about 1965, its about the terrible consequences of impunity in the present.. 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. In that instance, I didnt feel it would affect what he was going to say.. Ultimately Im not of that position. You use [the photo] with the knowledge that ultimately its not important if its your guy or not, whats important is the story. Another recalled: [One subject] talks about his childhood, his family all died . They daily felt the lack of clarity and standards in ethical practice. Many filmmakers believed that payment was not only acceptable but a reasonable way to address the power differential, even though payment often sufficed only to cover costs of participation. Would you believe an interview with Dick Cheney if you knew he was paid a hefty honorarium? She pushed for inclusion. It has no ethical or redemptive value . He is still in contact with his characters, but he admitted they felt betrayed by [him] in some way. They had expected the filmmaker to protect them by not including comments they made and remembered making. 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. The Economist reports that documentaries now make up 16 percent of the Cannes Film Festival slate, compared to about 8 percent in 2008. 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. One filmmaker recalled omitting a section on request. By not including a perspective sympathetic or understanding of SeaWorld's position even perhaps their attorneys, who could explain their side of legal cases included in the movie the film stops trying to tell the entire story. Is the filmmaker the center of this film? Filmmakers surveyed contrasted notions of a higher truth with concern for factual accuracy of discrete data, which they also valued but often regarded as a lower-level standard to meet. Every organization has its own host of subject matter experts. It was so powerful. I can sort of rationalize this, that it might be killed by a natural predator. All Rights Reserved. A substantial minority of filmmakers argued that they would never allow a subject to see the film until it was finished. what would be the next number in the following series The filmmaker decided to exclude this information from the film. A documentary goes the other way, Breyer said. The interview team consisted of Center for Social Media fellow and filmmaker Mridu Chandra and American University School of Communication MFA graduate student Maura Ugarte. A funny thing happened over the past decade in the short subject documentary space: It became competitive. Its an accepted norm to pay fees. We want to have a human relationship with our subjects, said Gordon Quinn, but there are boundaries that should not be crossed. The ethical tensions in the first relationship focused on how to maintain a humane working relationship with someone whose story they were telling. if the bartenders total pay for the moth was $4,250. not looking at archival footage as a document of a particular time and place, becomes problematic. Peter Miller noted that. They also lacked support for ethical deliberation under typical work pressures. I sacrificed a little bit of accuracy. They didnt demand it, but they were right. These developments often troubled documentarians: [Facts] are not verified . "Zappa" gives its subject his well-earned due within the rock firmament. it would have been a betrayal to not listen to her. Ross Kaufman noted that the subjects disagreed with the coda at the end of one of his films, saying that it did not ring true to them . the documentary became popular due to its subject matter, it dealt with sensitive topic but _____ the information in a palatable way surmised a bookstore has a sale where all hardcore books are sold at a discount of 40%. After discussion with his team and with professional historians, he decided for the atypical shot, because it communicated his point (that Long used bodyguards) more rapidly. If you abuse this, then you wont get access to people for the next project.. . All interviewees were provided with a consent form that had been approved by the American University Institutional Review Board, and all were offered anonymity. 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. In one case, a subject who had signed a release asked Stanley Nelson not to use an interview. . I at this point had a hobby of buying super 8 films at a flea market, found some home movies from the 50s of a family, it worked perfectly, a kid his age, house, it was perfect. Another recalled a prolonged negotiation. Were no longer seen as an institution thats fair and balanced. Interrogating what it means to become a "subject" in a documentary film that ultimately takes on a life and a folklore of its own, Jennifer Tiexiera and Camilla Filmmakers also asserted a primary relationship to viewers, which they phrased as a professional one: an ethical obligation to deliver accurate and honestly told stories. Washington, DC 20016-8017, SUBJECTS: DO NO HARM, PROTECT THE VULNERABLE. an=(4.5,2,0.5,3,5.5,)? No, I never show rough cuts to subjects. 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 . 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. "But we dont know what a balanced media diet looks like.. Center for Media & Social ImpactSchool of Communication,American University4400 Massachusetts Ave NW office printer uses an average of 33.5 pages every hour if the printer is only used while the office is open, and the office is open for 50 hours each week, how many pages will the printer need over the course of 8 weeks. By Justin Sayles Jul 9, 2021, 6:30am EDT. We make the films we make because of these relationships we build. if the regular price od the book is $25, how many books could be bought at the sale price if a shopper spent $105? if the cost per dozen eggs rises to $1.80, how much more will the restaurant have to pay for eggs per week, based on the ______________ behavior and _________________ toward service staff exhibited by the job applicant before his interview, the hiring manager decided not to move forward with his application. The process of film editingcollapsing actual time into screen time while shaping a film storyinvolves choices that filmmakers often consider in ethical terms. This second relationship became primary in the postfilming part of the production process. They sometimes deal with hostile gatekeepers or powerful celebrity subjects. . My test for these things is, Does the audience know what its getting? . a dentist can complete a tooth canal in 1.4 hours. Tilikum, the orca whale that killed several people while in captivity in SeaWorld. Documentary films are becoming more popular but are they fact or fiction? if both individuals start working at the same time and each spends 70 hours completing inspections over the course of a month, how many total inspections will they have completed? One filmmaker, for instance, created archival material to use in her documentary and was asked to take it out by thebroadcaster when they found out it wasnt real. . The ethical conflicts put in motion by these features of a filmmakers embattled-truth-teller identity are, ironically for a truth-telling community, unable to be widely shared or even publicly discussed in most individual cases. Their communities are far-flung, virtual, and sporadically rallied at film festivals and on listservs. They take you to places that you will never see in the so-called mainstream media. But they can also be manipulated.. 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. This DPA and the Service Agreement constitute the entire agreement of the Parties relating to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior communications, representations, or agreements, oral or written, by the Parties relating thereto. And it wasnt, so we had to take it out. Anonymity was important to many, especially to those working directly and currently for large organizations. This study demonstrates the need to have a more public and ongoing conversation about ethical problems in documentary filmmaking. That makes me uncomfortable; it puts them at risk.. I want to always be able to send the DVD to them. Another explained, You owe them always having in your mind the power you have as a filmmaker, presenting them to millions of people. I usually say no, its a conflict of interest, but sometimes you really want someone to do the interview. Another thought it was more a matter of cultural norms. Its important to lift up people who tell their stories, as opposed to making them victims. That kind of authenticity shook the tree of trust.. They also blurred the line between traditional documentary, reality, and hybrid forms. If Americans substitute documentary film for hard news reports and daily journalism, it could have major implications for journalism and for how Americans view the world around them. . what would be the next number in the following series? 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.. you have to be truthful. Louis Massiah reiterated this. There are purists who would feel thats not right.
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