Prompt 1: A 500-word minimum blog post that contains a reflection on at least two (2) impact documentaries. One of these can be one of the films we have looked at together in class, but at least one of the films must be one you have found yourself.
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1.
In class we have watched impact documentaries each week as case studies to further our understanding of the art of social impact documentary making. One of the films we watched in class was Standing Above the Clouds (2021). The film follows the journey of the women’s activists group Ku Kia’i Mauna, who devote themselves to the protection of their sacred mountain Mauna a Wakea. The film which takes place on the main island of Hawai’i follows the intertwined stories of indigenous women both mother daughters, who are at the forefront of the protest against the construction of the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT). The film follows their story and struggle as construction permits and plans threaten to desecrate the land on which their sacred mountain rests upon and their fight to preserve their culture’s heritage and sanctity of the mountain.
The social movement which the film and by extension the foundation which was featured in the documentary (Mauna Kea Education and Awareness) aims to highlight the preservation and deepening in the understanding of their sacred mountain Mauna a Wakea. It teaches the importance of the site as a place of worship, a water source and a way for native indigenous members to continue practising their culture. They also stress the importance of fighting not just for the preservation of cultural sites like their Mauna Kea but also other culture sites in Hawai’i and around the world against large scale corporations and the continued desecration of native land.
Standing above the clouds (2021) primarily employs the use of expository and observational modes of documentary filmmaking. Expository documentaries are most common and aim to inform and persuade the viewer, often featuring an omnipresent “voice” of either the filmmaker or film’s subjects. Nicholls (2017:108) characterises this voice as “Classic oration in pursuit of the truth and seeking to inform and move an audience”. Examples of this mode are seen in the piece to camera interviews with the subjects, the voice over and layering of the subject’s narration alongside the archival footage, b-roll and stock footage. The film’s director (Jalena Keane-Lee) also includes examples of observational moments with the subjects interacting with each other rather than the interviewer or camera themselves. Nichols (2017:108) describes the knowledge and moments presented in observational documentaries as “Tacit sense of what we learn by watching, listening, observing, and making inferences about the conduct of others”.
As with any documentary the director may have run into a number of ethical issues when producing the film. Informed consent would have been an important aspect for the director to cover as although there were “main” subjects in the film the film also included numerous amounts of B-roll footage in which hundreds of protestors could be seen and sometimes in sensitive situations such as arrest or emotionally challenging situations. The director would have had to also consider the cultural sensitivities of the subjects. Portraying a specific culture to a wider audience can sometimes be challenging as filmmakers need to ensure they are respectful to not only the culture but must also aim to share the most accurate depiction of events to avoid perpetuating stereotypes or misrepresentations.
2.
The second documentary I watched was Chicago at the Crossroads (2020) created by Brian Schodorf. The film explores the difficult social and economic conditions which African Americans face in Chicago, in particular in the lower socioeconomic areas such as South Side Chicago. The film, which was created over 15 years, delves into the racial segregation, inequality and mass violence which has plagued the city for decades. It highlights the systemic factors that have contributed to such issues which perpetuate the social injustice of its residence. Discriminatory housing policies, economic disparities and the impact of crime and unjust policing. It follows residents of the city who seek to find the root of these issues whilst also shedding light on the individuals and organisations who work towards shifting the narrative within the community.
Schodorf’s film is an emotionally moving piece of art that similarly to “Standing Above the Clouds” (2021) employs the use of both observational and expository documentary filmmaking. Schodorf’s fifteen year long project includes piece to camera interviews with residents and victims of Chicago and its violence, archival footage from news and political rallies/speeches, b-roll footage of the neighbourhood, archival footage of Chicago in the past and voice over overlaid on the b-roll. Nichols (2017:108) describes the use of this nonlinear narrative as “Discontinuous. Uses images from many different times and places to illustrate a perspective or argument”. Schodorf’s use of observational mode can be seen in the fly on the wall scenes of the community; we are placed in South Side Chicago and given a first hand look at what residents live through daily.
Schodorf would have encountered multiple ethical issues when creating the film. As mentioned before a film which focuses on a specific ethnic, cultural or marginalised group of people must be careful in accurately representing the diverse communities highlighting the nuanced nature of each perspective, this is to ensure that no perpetuation of racial stereotypes in an already racially segregated community is continued rather challenged. Informed consent again would have been key in the creation of the film as Schodorf was capturing residents living through and discussing sensitive and personal issues such as crime, poverty and racism. Alongside the accurate portrayal of Chicago and its resident’s the filmmaker would also need to make a conscious effort to avoid exploiting or rather sensationalising the topic. The sensationalisation of the crime and life of South Side Chicago in drill music and popular culture has already been a contributing factor to the perpetuating nature of the social issues the community has faced. Without a considerate effort to accurately and truthfully display the true nature of the issues at hand Schodorf would likely contribute to voyeurism rather than creating a sense of empathy and understanding. Nichols (2017:30) describes the importance of this portrayal as “documentaries do not simply represent a perspective….. Instead, they actively make a case or propose an interpretation to win consent or influence opinion.”
REFERENCES:
Nichols B (2017) Introduction to Documentary, 3rd, Indiana University Press, Bloomington Indiana
Schodorf B (2020) Chicago at the Crossroad [documentary], United States
Keane-Lee J (2021) Standing Above the Clouds [documentary], United States