Documentary Research
There are thousands of documentaries which are coming out day after day; I have looked at a variety on snag films, media storm, dispatches, top documentary film, BBC and Youtube. I gained an interest into all modes of documentary, the reflexive and observational documentaries in particular.
10. Dispatches The Slumdog Children of Mumbai http://www.channel4.com/programmes/dispatches/4od#3049095 Expository style with presenter introducing each person involved in the documentary and their ways of survival ending with how they are living in the current times. The camera acts as a fly on the wall and every step is natural – the children get on with their daily life and the camera follows (observes). The decisive moment occurs often – when we evidently see solvent abuse, a non unformed policeman hit and kick one of the men involved/ mentioned in the documentary. Indian style, diagetic music creates a sense of drama – lots of things happening all at once... The emotional reality of children living in poverty; Running away from their family, working long shifts to survive another day, stealing money and valuable items to make life easier… This documentary explores a snippet into the lives of four children slumming it in the heart of Mumbai – Salaaam, Deepa and twins Hussain and Husain… Salaam is a homeless boy who spends day after day lurking on the streets often getting high on solvents with his older friends to cope with his hunger. He speaks openly about his lifestyle and his hopes for his future. Deepa lives with her three siblings and her grandmother, their mother left when their father died. Deepa sells flowers in the city of Mumbai only to make a few pence worth; she doesn’t give up and explains that there is no point to her going to school as her family needs her help to survive. Exit through the Gift Shop – A Banksy film – Thierry Guetta Promotional – website addressing the ‘hybrid form of graffiti and exploiting the extreme risks of street art – illegally defacing building walls… Hand held camera makes it feel real and happening now, faces blurred out for confidentiality/ protection… informal interview with Banksy’s spokesman, Banksy’s associates at work – creating the current masterpiece… infamous telephone box. Media: http://boingboing.net/2011/01/26/thierry-guetta-aka-m.html 7.2 Politics – Capitalism is the Crisis – (controversial) http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/capitalism-is-the-crisis/ Expository mode: Voice of God – telling the audience about the state of the economy. Live footage: Experts, University, lecturer, UK. Protests – decisive moment . Cutaways of buildings – low angle shots show that they are domineering/ powerful, superior. Signature – zooming into cutaways – photographs, archive of reports, effects- Black screen – with quotes from experts. Newspapers… Reports: G.E paid no taxes.. Rich get richer… Anti Poverty programs. Global – animal extinction, glacier meltdown, global warming, oil, damage, - Facts/statistics… the important things we should be focusing on rather than wasting money on mass consumption.Split into chapters of 1. Capitalism, 2. Crisis, 3. The G20 Summit in Toronto June 26 -27 2010 and 4.Austerity.CHANNEL 4 –real life - dramas 1. Ariel Shulman & Henry Joost – Catfish Theme: Denial, deception Its a reflexive docu film of a diary following Nev who is on a journey of discovery. He discovers an interest in a girl who he has been Internet dating, as things progress in his mind he wants to meet up only its being delayed. His objectives is to find what lies beneath the surface (what is truth and what is being kept a secret) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BuE98oeL-e0 Media storm Never Coming Home - a series of short films which goes into personal lives of family who's son, husband or friend have lost their lives serving in Iraq. One of the emotional photo essays encounters the family of Edmond Randel, an Iraq Soldier who tragically lost his life in fighting for his country. His mother goes into detail about how she responded to the devastating news and how she is struggling to cope. The photo's demonstrate her grieving, reminiscing. It's a descisive piece of film, capturing the personal items, the mother's emotion and the atmosphere that has been brought amongst the family home. It feels empty and makes the audience empathise with this woman as she fights to be strong for her family. Youtube - short clip of part one of: The most hated family in America – Louis Theroux A controversial documentary trying to understand the beliefs of homophobic Christians who worship in the Westboro Baptist Church in Kansas… Their views are controversial and not taken to lightly by others not only in their community but people across America. They have been on talk shows such as Tyra Banks and Jeremy Kyle which has caused conflict and uproar as they expressed their hatred and homophobic issues. The Brass Ring A short film about a community of people, who have volunteered to join a non profit organisation called Albany's Brass Ring carousel studio. Its approach is quite poetic with the unique visual style of their creative work of art. The interviews of the volunteers show passion and determination. Further Research: Avant – Garde – controversial issues -
Snag Films: Driving me Crazy – Nick Bromfield http://www.snagfilms.com/films/title/driving_me_crazy - http://somervillenews.typepad.com/the_somerville_news/2005/01/ “Greyhound Documentary gets the red carpet” – article by Julia Reischel This credits documentary film maker from Cambridge… David A Smith’s short piece of film “A long way from there “ Below: My Babushka by Barbara Hammer | 
For each of the more than four thousand U.S. soldiers killed in Iraq, there is an American family undone by grief. Never Coming Home takes us inside these families, to meet the people and sift through the emotions that are left behind. See the project at http://mediastorm.com/publication/never-coming-home
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