The Need and Importance of the Documentary
By Bart Weiss
From the earliest days of cinema there were two urges for filmmakers. First to tell a fictional story imaging our dreams and fears while the other was to present, represent or interpret the real world in front of them.
For most of the history of cinema, the dramatic impulse has garnished the most attention, and the most money. Some of the success of the narrative form is due to the marketing of stars, and the creation of a cult of celebrity, which is strongly with us today.
It is interesting that as the documentary form has evolved there has also become a strong element of celebrity. At any festival there are docs that draw you in because you want to know more about the musician (for instance this week, Meatloaf), artist, politician, or other famous person. Other great docs are about people you never heard of, but you have to read a good blurb or get a nod from a friend to be motivated to see it.
Indeed casting is just as important in a documentary as in a dramatic film. There are a million films that may have concerns that relate to people close them. They may be struggling with a disease, searching for a lost place, or are on some other quest. Some are wondrous cinematic experiences, some are not. That special quality of both the character and vision of the director make the difference.
But why are documentaries important? There are many reasons. First is the issue of completeness of story. We see so many short stories on the news that only scratch the surface of the complexity of any ongoing issue. How can we understand poverty, war, global warming, our out of control debt, or any of the pressing issues of the day from the few moments they receive on the Network news.
To achieve this completeness of story, the Independent filmmaker takes their time. Time shooting. Time getting to know the subject. Time looking for archival images that give historical context. And mostly time to edit. In the shooting of a film, the documentary filmmaker is able to catch the nuance, see through the mask, get the facial expression beyond what the subject usually says when asked the question. Sometimes it is a fly on the wall approach, born about by the direct cinema and cinema verite movements. Other times it is a series of interviews. In either process the truth comes out, but in different ways.