How some movies come to be seen as fact and the rest do not ..... and how to tell them apart!
OR, FOUR HANDY STEPS TO CRITICAL READING AND ANALYSIS OF DOCUMENTARY FILM
1. PREPARE TO READ YOUR FILM
Look up your film, its director, producer, topic, sponsors.
Internet Movie Database - indispensable, industry standard information on most films ever made
Google - observe the range of results to contextualize, read up on, or get a copy of, your film
Wikipedia - worth checking for its articles on many popular films, chock full o' good info with an emphasis on pop cultural history and analysis
Look for reviews and scholarship.
Alternative Press Index - good for indie films, but uneven
Ebscohost - general scholarly literature for arts, including film
JSTOR - historic and recent scholarly coverage of the arts
Ethnic Newswatch - recent ethnic press, some scholarly; good but uneven for indies
Gender Watch - scholarly and alternative press on women, LGBT issues and films
Proquest - wide newspaper coverage, some scholarly for arts
Take notes before, during, and after viewing the film!
2. READ YOUR FILM AS A FORMAL SYSTEM
Film content - characters, story, plot, often narrative
Materials - scenes, settings, actions, props, costumes, music
Filmic techniques - lighting, camera position, camera angle, sound effects, editing
Genre conventions - setting, mood, format, style.
Documentary Genre Conventions
"Narrative" Goals
- to explain real events, people, scientific discoveries
- present and analyze evidence, provide interpretation and conclusion
Materials and Techniques
- location shooting, "raw" footage
- mid-closeup and closeup interviews
- found or archival footage
- juxtapositional and ironic editing
Differences from fictional films
- addresses and attempts to influence its audience
- makes truth claims about reality
3. ANALYZE - ASK AND ANSWER - QUESTIONS
What is the central truth claim of this film? What is the story?
What attitudes or messages are expressed? Implied? Upheld? Refuted?
What filmic techniques shape and deliver the film's messages?
Who made the film and who produced (paid for) it?
Do - how do - the truth claims serve the interests of the film maker/producer?
4. WRITE UP AND FINALIZE YOUR NOTES.
