Documentary Film in Hollywood and on Television

Remember the early days of cinematography? The first “moving pictures” were nothing more but a recording of short sequences of very basic daily life situations: People walking, talking, shooting, smoking. Like everyday black and white still pictures, just “moving”. They were new innocent documents of their daily life.

 True Mirror of Our Life?

 The name “documentary” film is virtually as old as the film itself. It implies the idea of some early film historians that the film is more or less just a mirror of the reality filmed. A documentary film is therefore supposed to be an honest attempt to “document the reality” as we see it.

 Historically, special popularity enjoyed the documentary film movement with “cinema verite’” – or “truth film” movement. Viewers as well as film critics were very much impressed with the “purity” of its style: Cinema verite’ usually contained no narration. It just “followed” the people and “documented” what they were doing.

 Purest Form of Reality Presentation

 As limited as cinema ‘ was in the stylistic expression, it seemed extremely appealing to millions of more idealistic people who were in search for truth, innocence and “non-manipulation”. By today’s standards, it was one of the purest forms of documentary film nowadays rarely seen. Cinema verite’ still has many fans worldwide.

 Today’s production techniques, especially with digital video tricks and effects, are often too tempting not to be used. However, this is a very slippery slope. As impressive as they are, they are seducing filmmakers all over the world and very often hurt the desire for an honestly documentary type of film or video.

 Only Purists Survived

 If you really want to become a trusted and truth- and reality based documentary filmmaker, just forget about most of the technical and creative “manipulations” of your story – and return to the basics of the documentary film. Only a truth-loving purist can become a respected documentary producer.

 The history shows us countless examples of use and misuse of documentary film tradition. Propaganda films of the Russian revolution, as artfully made they were, they were presented as “film documents” of the Russian reality. Even though they belong to the timeless classics of our film history, they were political propaganda films. Beautifully made, but still brutal political propaganda, dishonoring the name “documentary”.

 All Totalitarians Misuse Documentaries

 Hitler followed the Russian example, and the movie industry of the Third Reich produced countless masterpieces of Nazi propaganda. They too were very well made, but they were by no means “documentaries”, but despicable pieces of a totalitarian propaganda.

 It is extremely sad to see that today’s political propagandists did not seize to produce “activist” films and videos pretending to be a “documentary”. Many of them still receive major national and international awards – and even Oscars – just because of their slanted political orientation. For them, the “truth” is what Stalin said fifty years ago. “Truth is what serves our communist revolution.”

 Often Nothing But Distortion

 Thankfully we still have freedom of speech, and most people do not in any kind or shape advocate that manipulated activist propaganda pieces should be banned. It just makes some people sick if they are, even on major TV networks, advertised as honest, truthful documentaries. This happens especially ahead of any major election cycle. Some TV networks even serve a special audience who expects nothing but factual distortion.

 Manipulation potential

 The manipulation potential in the media is so great that even seasoned professionals keep forgetting about them. It is not just the topic or stylistic presentation of a video that may make it “true” or  “false”. It is also a wide range of other aspects such as focusing on a wrong aspect, leaving out or emphasizing one important fact.

 The danger of manipulation is so immense because most people often don’t even recognize that they are being manipulated. According to the old saying that “one picture is more worth than thousand words’, most people unconsciously accept film or video as a mirror of reality and a proof for truthfulness. If manipulated, nothing could be farther from the truth.

 Whoever has intentions of becoming a documentary video creator, the person must adhere to all rules of a fair and balanced journalism first. Go to a solid journalism class and learn to deal with facts – before you start your first documentary project.