Another great example was Don't Look back by D.A. Pennebaker which used the newly available Std 16 format to follow Bob Dylan around.
I had cause to watch Molly Dineen's excellent "Heart of The Angle" a few weeks back. It's amazing what they accomplished, shooting on film without the shallow depth of field I think personally is at odds with the very concept of an Ob Doc.
Great article Rob. I think AI will further diminish the quantity of verite docs we see get produced. My current thinking is that this will be develop into a sub niche with loyal audiences. My hope is the algorithms of the big streamers will begin to catch that subniche, and with the right fandom (e.g. Patreon subs) it can be viable direct to audience. Funding upfront to filmmakers will still be a challenge. Thoughts?
Sorry for my very slow response, Mike. I think what you lay out is a distinct possibility, and one that would be very welcome. If the PBSs can also readjust and thrive again in a world dominated by streamers, I would hope that these docs can re-emerge with them. And then there’s just circularity - trends come and go, so no reason why (with time) they will simply come back into filmmaking fashion. But maybe that’s being too hopeful…
You are so right, Rob. It's hard not to watch "Primary" without the dominant emotion being one of loss. It may not have been a golden era of politics, but it was a golden era for documentary. In The public's relationship with cameras has changed dramatically since then. Camera have become tools of contention, whether it be mean-spirited pranks, encounters with "Karens," or angry recordings of police officers making arrests. The average person now fully understands the power of a camera to distort and destroy. The onus is now squarely on filmmakers to build relationships with subjects before the camera ever leaves the bag. Well done, Rob. Look forward to more of these musings on documentary film.
Thanks for reading, Scott. I love and fully agree with your words: “The average person now fully understands the power of a camera to distort and destroy. The onus is now squarely on filmmakers to build relationships with subjects before the camera ever leaves the bag.”
Another great example was Don't Look back by D.A. Pennebaker which used the newly available Std 16 format to follow Bob Dylan around.
I had cause to watch Molly Dineen's excellent "Heart of The Angle" a few weeks back. It's amazing what they accomplished, shooting on film without the shallow depth of field I think personally is at odds with the very concept of an Ob Doc.
Yes, Don’t Look Back is a brilliant doc! Perhaps better than Primary. Thanks for reading Michael.
Great article Rob. I think AI will further diminish the quantity of verite docs we see get produced. My current thinking is that this will be develop into a sub niche with loyal audiences. My hope is the algorithms of the big streamers will begin to catch that subniche, and with the right fandom (e.g. Patreon subs) it can be viable direct to audience. Funding upfront to filmmakers will still be a challenge. Thoughts?
Sorry for my very slow response, Mike. I think what you lay out is a distinct possibility, and one that would be very welcome. If the PBSs can also readjust and thrive again in a world dominated by streamers, I would hope that these docs can re-emerge with them. And then there’s just circularity - trends come and go, so no reason why (with time) they will simply come back into filmmaking fashion. But maybe that’s being too hopeful…
https://www.facebook.com/sixties.timemachine/videos/look-at-life-market-place-narrated-by-sid-james/1161277264019446/ ❤️
You are so right, Rob. It's hard not to watch "Primary" without the dominant emotion being one of loss. It may not have been a golden era of politics, but it was a golden era for documentary. In The public's relationship with cameras has changed dramatically since then. Camera have become tools of contention, whether it be mean-spirited pranks, encounters with "Karens," or angry recordings of police officers making arrests. The average person now fully understands the power of a camera to distort and destroy. The onus is now squarely on filmmakers to build relationships with subjects before the camera ever leaves the bag. Well done, Rob. Look forward to more of these musings on documentary film.
Thanks for reading, Scott. I love and fully agree with your words: “The average person now fully understands the power of a camera to distort and destroy. The onus is now squarely on filmmakers to build relationships with subjects before the camera ever leaves the bag.”