Blog post reflecting on documentary ethics 

Something I thought was interesting about ethics in documentary was establishing a comfortable, friendly relationship with the participant. I had assumed the relationship would be very businesslike, as we’re here to create a project. I’ve learnt though that it is important to create a friendly relationship to make them feel more comfortable and be more willing to talk about personal matters. I would have liked to meet our participant, Rib, before the interview so I could develop a connection and familiarise ourselves with each other before asking her personal questions. Unfortunately, due to conflicting schedules and time restraints this was not possible, but if I were to complete a similar project in the future, I would prioritise forming a friendly connection with the participant prior to the day of filming.

A crucial element of ethics in documentary is stopping filming when asked or respecting the participant’s decision to not speak on certain topics. Recognising that the participant may be vulnerable or uncomfortable when certain topics are addressed is important, so you do not violate their trust. Our participant Rib did speak about certain topics that she asked us not to include in the documentary and to not show anyone else. Of course, we respected her wishes and did not include those discussions in any versions of our documentary.

Steve Thomas in his article ‘Wolfpack and the ethics of documentary filmmaking’ (2015), discusses the ethics surrounding the unanswered questions and using a distressing situation for the purpose of a thrilling documentary. The documentary Wolfpack revolves around the lives of American brothers who have lived a cult-like sheltered life inside their apartment and only break out as teenagers/young adults. Thomas exposes the unanswered questions in the film; there are signs of physical and emotional abuse that aren’t necessarily addressed, which leads viewers uncomfortable and suspicious of what has occurred “behind those closed doors”. Thomas somewhat accuses the director Crystal Moselle of purposely not addressing these concerns to create an apprehensive and eerie “[aesthetic] of the film”. This suggests that it is the film-maker’s responsibility to ensure the participants’ safety on set, as well as not creating a potentially false or exaggerated narrative. These unanswered questions frustrated the audience and also sparked concerns for the boys’ safety, which resulted in the ethics backlash.

This leads to another ethics concern in documentary filmmaking, which is to remain true to the narrative, and not change the story in an inauthentic way. Rib spoke in very staggered sentences which meant we had to cut up some of her words in editing to ensure she made sense. However, we always made sure we remained true to her story as she trusted us to not edit her words to change the narrative.

Thomas, S. (2015) Wolfpack and the ethics of documentary filmmaking, The Conversation. Available from https://theconversation.com/wolfpack-and-the-ethics-of-documentary-filmmaking-47086, accessed 19 October 2023.