With a lot of discussion this week around ethics in documentary filmmaking, it makes me think about those who claim to represent certain ‘truths’ through film. We know that film is a constructed and mediated medium so no mater whether we’re looking at observational documentaries or edited home videos; it has all been edited together to represent the filmmakers’ point of view or opinion on something. In these circumstances, someone will inevitably hurt. Whether it’s a small resentment or a lawsuit, I’m sure every film made has left someone with a chip on his or her shoulder.
A documentary filmmaker, in my opinion, should always inform his subjects if they intend to represent them negatively. However, many documentary filmmakers are investigating while shooting. Discovering a story while filmmaking. How can a filmmaker be honest from the start when he’s not always entirely sure what he’s making? It’s a fine line, many fine lines and it seems the filmmaker has all the power.