Reflecting on my ethics charter, and how it was implemented during the filming and editing of my documentary, if I where to change one thing, It would certainly be putting myself in more positions (particularly whilst filming) that forces me to consider these ethics. For example, where I stated that I would not use footage in which the subject does not consent, I would have liked to have gotten more intimate and personalised footage of specific people in the venues I visited, capturing more unique and interesting moments, which in effect may have increased the chances of the subject asking me to not use that footage (although most people I feel would consent) but most likely just result in me having more useful footage. There was a particular man (approximately 60 years old) at The Union Hotel who was sitting in the corner of the venue wearing a massive, wide, cowboy hat. He was placed directly under an old lamp which was reflecting light onto half of his face, casting the other half into a shadow. I deeply regret not getting a close up shot of this guy as I feel it would have greatly contributed to my film, instead I avoided shooting him because I assumed he would not consent.

For almost all of my shots, I sought permission before filming, as to ensure people did not look at the camera strangely half way through a shot. I think that I possibly could have shot first, and then sought permission to use that footage, as this would still be within the bounds of my ethics charter.

Although I always explained the purpose and theme of ‘MY LOCAL’, I also think I could have taken inspiration from prominent documentary film makers, who also explain to the subject that it is not a certainty that they will appear in the film. As Frederick Wiseman explains to his subjects ‘only about 3 percent of the footage is in the final film’ (Wiseman, 2001). Considering I shot about six times the amount of footage as what appeared in my film, I certainly think that taking this approach and potentially making subjects more comfortable with being filmed could have enhanced the quality of my work.

Whilst filming, only one person approached me and asked not to be filmed (who I was not filming to begin with), therefore other than changing my approach and practise of my ethics charter, I do not think that I would add anything else. Also seeing as I ended up completing an observational documentary, my ethics related to interviews (such as understand and respect when the subject does not want to answer a question) where not relevant when filming or during post production. I would still keep these points for future projects however.

In relation to my other points, I made sure to not take any footage out of context, explained the purpose of my film to all the businesses an I recorded in, and subjects I recorded, and have also arranged to show the managers of the three pubs my final project.

Bibliography

Wiseman, F. (20 March 2001) Privacy and documentary filmmaking – JSTOR, The University of John Hopkins Press. Available at: https://www.jstor.org/stable/40971436 (Accessed: 25 May 2023).