Column from the NY Times about the use of reenactments in documentaries. I haven't finished it yet but I wanted to pass it on for anyone to check out.
Play it Again Sam
Friday, April 4, 2008
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
Archive Footage
Hey guys,
When looking for old vids for our trash documentary, I discovered the Prelinger Archives and wanted to give you the link in case you wanted to utilize it for this or any other project you may work on in the future. Some of the videos on communism and consumerism (browse by subject/keyword) are pretty funny:
http://www.archive.org/details/prelinger
When looking for old vids for our trash documentary, I discovered the Prelinger Archives and wanted to give you the link in case you wanted to utilize it for this or any other project you may work on in the future. Some of the videos on communism and consumerism (browse by subject/keyword) are pretty funny:
http://www.archive.org/details/prelinger
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Mo the nerd.
(I'm a total nerd for posting three times in a row, eh?)
Nailah and I were talking about going to films together for True/False. I just thought I'd post the docs I'm going to - if you want to come with, let me know. We can start reserving tickets tomorrow morning online (use the email you got).
Here's what I'm going to:
Thursday - 6pm, How Am I at Little Rag Tag; 7:30pm, Please Vote For Me at Big Rag Tag
Saturday - 3:30pm, To Have and To Hold at The Den; 6:30pm, Gonzo at the Blue Note; 9:45pm, Gimme Truth at Macklanburg Cinema (I'll probably take off early for the next one...); 11pm, An Alternative to Slitting Your Wrists (yes! a depressing one!) at Forrest Theatre
Sunday - 9am, Reel Round Up at Bull Pen (showing Knee Deep); 1pm, Secret Screening Blue (about Canada) at Macklanburg Cinema... and I'll probably go to one or two of the TBA's later that day, too.
Let me know if you want to come w/ me...
Also - this week, I'm watching "Gates of Heaven" at my house on Wednesday night around 7pm. Everyone is welcome to come over. I live at 9 East Burnam Road, Apt. B (west of Greektown off Providence Road). Hooray!
Nailah and I were talking about going to films together for True/False. I just thought I'd post the docs I'm going to - if you want to come with, let me know. We can start reserving tickets tomorrow morning online (use the email you got).
Here's what I'm going to:
Thursday - 6pm, How Am I at Little Rag Tag; 7:30pm, Please Vote For Me at Big Rag Tag
Saturday - 3:30pm, To Have and To Hold at The Den; 6:30pm, Gonzo at the Blue Note; 9:45pm, Gimme Truth at Macklanburg Cinema (I'll probably take off early for the next one...); 11pm, An Alternative to Slitting Your Wrists (yes! a depressing one!) at Forrest Theatre
Sunday - 9am, Reel Round Up at Bull Pen (showing Knee Deep); 1pm, Secret Screening Blue (about Canada) at Macklanburg Cinema... and I'll probably go to one or two of the TBA's later that day, too.
Let me know if you want to come w/ me...
Also - this week, I'm watching "Gates of Heaven" at my house on Wednesday night around 7pm. Everyone is welcome to come over. I live at 9 East Burnam Road, Apt. B (west of Greektown off Providence Road). Hooray!
Sunday, February 3, 2008
schedule for group 1 and 2.
Here's the camera schedule so far for group 1 (Mo, Carly H and Parker) and group 2 (Nailah's group):
FEBRUARY:
2/2 Nailah
2/3 (Sun) Mo and Carly
2/4 (Mon) Mo and Carly
2/9 (Sat) Thanya
2/10 (Sun) Thanya
If you're in either of these groups, please let me (Mo - mfs4k4@mizzou.edu) know if you want to reserve the camera for a period of time.
Remember -- our 2 min. docs are due Feb 12 and Gimme Truth! is due Feb 15th.
FEBRUARY:
2/2 Nailah
2/3 (Sun) Mo and Carly
2/4 (Mon) Mo and Carly
2/9 (Sat) Thanya
2/10 (Sun) Thanya
If you're in either of these groups, please let me (Mo - mfs4k4@mizzou.edu) know if you want to reserve the camera for a period of time.
Remember -- our 2 min. docs are due Feb 12 and Gimme Truth! is due Feb 15th.
grey gardens, moore and pizza.
Responding...
1. In certain circumstances, I think it's important to be transparent about the filmmakers. It can be hard to do, though, as we found with even Grey Gardens - they didn't want narrative (I think most of us agree we want to stay away from that, too), so they had to use the newspaper clips and pictures of the brothers. One thing that can get dangerous with this, though, is parading the filmmakers instead of just revealing him/her/them... Michael Moore is a perfect example of this, actually. There are scenes where he's yelling at someone or trying to make a statement and get someone's attention, so much so that it takes away from the story. When the filmmaker gets too involved (TV/Radio broadcast people call this "riding the elephant"), it botches the whole thing either because the agenda of the film is rendered too obvious or the filmmaker looks like he/she is more concerned with experiencing the event/issue than teaching people about it. Ugh.
2. Michael Moore... hmmm. It's pretty safe to say that he's more about the drama than he is about showing the facts. That's not to say he doesn't have good facts or that his arguments aren't legit... but isn't it interesting that when he puts out a film, the discussion is largely more about his role in the film than the actual topic itself? He distracts from what should be more important - the stories. And his methods are too obvious - it's hard for me to take anything he says or even portrays on camera at face value because of some of the ridiculous shit he tries to pull. I lost all respect and credibility for him when he chased after Dick Clark in "Bowling for Columbine" when he found out a waitress that works at the Clark's chain restaurant can't live off her minimum wage. C'mon... like the actor himself has anything to do with setting wages for his hundreds of employees? His name is on the billboard - that's about it. So chasing him around and saying things like "Oh, geeze" when the guy shuts the car door in his face... that only proves that Moore is an annoying asshole.
Agh! That was long! But here's something more interesting...
The Vagina Monologues are having a fundraiser at Shakespeare's Pizza on Tuesday - the day we have class! Since class is around dinner time, what would you guys think of going out for pizza after class or (Seth? This is me asking permission...) ordering pizza for class if we end up watching films?? Let me know! They'll donate 15% of proceeds to anti-violence groups on campus. Hooray!
1. In certain circumstances, I think it's important to be transparent about the filmmakers. It can be hard to do, though, as we found with even Grey Gardens - they didn't want narrative (I think most of us agree we want to stay away from that, too), so they had to use the newspaper clips and pictures of the brothers. One thing that can get dangerous with this, though, is parading the filmmakers instead of just revealing him/her/them... Michael Moore is a perfect example of this, actually. There are scenes where he's yelling at someone or trying to make a statement and get someone's attention, so much so that it takes away from the story. When the filmmaker gets too involved (TV/Radio broadcast people call this "riding the elephant"), it botches the whole thing either because the agenda of the film is rendered too obvious or the filmmaker looks like he/she is more concerned with experiencing the event/issue than teaching people about it. Ugh.
2. Michael Moore... hmmm. It's pretty safe to say that he's more about the drama than he is about showing the facts. That's not to say he doesn't have good facts or that his arguments aren't legit... but isn't it interesting that when he puts out a film, the discussion is largely more about his role in the film than the actual topic itself? He distracts from what should be more important - the stories. And his methods are too obvious - it's hard for me to take anything he says or even portrays on camera at face value because of some of the ridiculous shit he tries to pull. I lost all respect and credibility for him when he chased after Dick Clark in "Bowling for Columbine" when he found out a waitress that works at the Clark's chain restaurant can't live off her minimum wage. C'mon... like the actor himself has anything to do with setting wages for his hundreds of employees? His name is on the billboard - that's about it. So chasing him around and saying things like "Oh, geeze" when the guy shuts the car door in his face... that only proves that Moore is an annoying asshole.
Agh! That was long! But here's something more interesting...
The Vagina Monologues are having a fundraiser at Shakespeare's Pizza on Tuesday - the day we have class! Since class is around dinner time, what would you guys think of going out for pizza after class or (Seth? This is me asking permission...) ordering pizza for class if we end up watching films?? Let me know! They'll donate 15% of proceeds to anti-violence groups on campus. Hooray!
Saturday, February 2, 2008
Discuss This!
In the interest of stimulating discussion, here are a couple of questions to get started with.
1. What did you think of the clip from Grey Gardens? Is it important for a filmmaker to reveal his/her presence in their film and their relationship with their subject? Or should the filmmaker be absent from the story? In your films, will you make the audience aware of your presence?
2. You've probably all seen Michael Moore films. How would you describe him and his films? Is he a documentarian? He's also been labeled a performance artist, provocateur and propagandist.
1. What did you think of the clip from Grey Gardens? Is it important for a filmmaker to reveal his/her presence in their film and their relationship with their subject? Or should the filmmaker be absent from the story? In your films, will you make the audience aware of your presence?
2. You've probably all seen Michael Moore films. How would you describe him and his films? Is he a documentarian? He's also been labeled a performance artist, provocateur and propagandist.
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
9th Street Documentaries
Hey all. I took Seth's suggested documentary viewing list to 9th Street Video and they let me know which were available to rent. Check it out then check out some vids!
An Inconvenient Truth - DVD
American Movie - DVD
Capturing the Friedmans - DVD
The Chances of the World Changing - DVD
Control Room - Video & DVD
Darwin's Nightmare - DVD
The Devil Came on Horseback - DVD
Dont Look Back: Bob Dylan - Video & DVD
Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room - DVD
The Fog of War - DVD
Gates of Heaven - DVD
Gimme Shelter - Video & DVD
Grey Gardens - Video & DVD
Grizzly Man - DVD
Harlan County U.S.A. - DVD
Hearts and Minds - Video
Hoop Dreams - Video & DVD
Jesus Camp - DVD
Journeys with George - DVD
King Corn - DVD
March of the Penguins - DVD
Mardi Gras: Made in China - DVD
Microsocmos - DVD
Murderball - DVD
Nanook of the North - Video & DVD
Night and Fog - Video & DVD
Occupation: Dreamland - DVD
Roger & Me - Video & DVD
Salesman - DVD
Stop Making Sense - Video & DVD
Street Fight - DVD
The Thin Blue Line - Video & DVD
The War Room - DVD
Why We Fight - DVD
Winged Migration - DVD
An Inconvenient Truth - DVD
American Movie - DVD
Capturing the Friedmans - DVD
The Chances of the World Changing - DVD
Control Room - Video & DVD
Darwin's Nightmare - DVD
The Devil Came on Horseback - DVD
Dont Look Back: Bob Dylan - Video & DVD
Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room - DVD
The Fog of War - DVD
Gates of Heaven - DVD
Gimme Shelter - Video & DVD
Grey Gardens - Video & DVD
Grizzly Man - DVD
Harlan County U.S.A. - DVD
Hearts and Minds - Video
Hoop Dreams - Video & DVD
Jesus Camp - DVD
Journeys with George - DVD
King Corn - DVD
March of the Penguins - DVD
Mardi Gras: Made in China - DVD
Microsocmos - DVD
Murderball - DVD
Nanook of the North - Video & DVD
Night and Fog - Video & DVD
Occupation: Dreamland - DVD
Roger & Me - Video & DVD
Salesman - DVD
Stop Making Sense - Video & DVD
Street Fight - DVD
The Thin Blue Line - Video & DVD
The War Room - DVD
Why We Fight - DVD
Winged Migration - DVD
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Gimme Truth!
True/False has just extended its Gimme Truth! competition deadline for Feb. 15th! Send us your 2 min. film and have a chance at winning prizes and cash that will help you make your next movie!
Fact or fiction? It will be up to the Gimme Truth! audience to decide whether Missouri filmmakers have created a profile of a Missourian that is 100% true or 100% false. Videos that make the final cut will be part of a game show at the annual True/False Film Fest in Columbia, Missouri.
All submitted entries will be viewed by a panel of judges and 10 finalists will be selected to be screened at Lela Raney Wood Hall at Stephens College on Sunday, March 2nd, 2008.
The screening of the Gimme Truth! films will be in the form of a '60s-era TV game show a la "What's My Line" or "Truth or Consequences." Contestants in the game show will be visiting documentary filmmakers from around the world. As the shorts screen, they will compete against each other guessing which videos are True or False. As they do this, they will also act as judges, picking their favorites from among the 10 finalists. Prizes will be awarded to the ten finalists. Additionally, the top three films will receive cash and in-kind prize packages, with no less than $500 in combined cash and prizes for first prize.
The Gimme Truth! filmmaking competition is open to all Missouri residents. The guidelines are as follows:
* Entries must be 2 minutes or less in length.
* Entries must be portraits of individuals (real or fictional).
* Entries must be 100% true or 100% false.
* Entries can be shot in any format, but should be submitted on MiniDV.
* The director must be living in MO and must be present at the event. (If
you live outside of Missouri in the Kansas City or St. Louis metro area, and
wish to submit, please email us!)
* $15 fee for each entry. There is no limit on the number of entries per
person.
* Entries must be mailed to True/False no later than Fri., Feb. 15 at 5pm.
Mailing address: True/False, 5 South Ninth St., #205, Columbia, MO 65201.
* Entries will be judged on their execution, creativity, and most of all, how well they fool the judges. To this end, we encourage entries that boggle the mind and introduce us to totally real Missouri characters that are clearly stranger than fiction. However, we don't want to promote the idea that false videos should be as boring and banal as possible. False entries should also
strive to be exciting and interesting.
For more info please email me at robin@truefalse.org
WWW.TRUEFALSE.ORG
Fact or fiction? It will be up to the Gimme Truth! audience to decide whether Missouri filmmakers have created a profile of a Missourian that is 100% true or 100% false. Videos that make the final cut will be part of a game show at the annual True/False Film Fest in Columbia, Missouri.
All submitted entries will be viewed by a panel of judges and 10 finalists will be selected to be screened at Lela Raney Wood Hall at Stephens College on Sunday, March 2nd, 2008.
The screening of the Gimme Truth! films will be in the form of a '60s-era TV game show a la "What's My Line" or "Truth or Consequences." Contestants in the game show will be visiting documentary filmmakers from around the world. As the shorts screen, they will compete against each other guessing which videos are True or False. As they do this, they will also act as judges, picking their favorites from among the 10 finalists. Prizes will be awarded to the ten finalists. Additionally, the top three films will receive cash and in-kind prize packages, with no less than $500 in combined cash and prizes for first prize.
The Gimme Truth! filmmaking competition is open to all Missouri residents. The guidelines are as follows:
* Entries must be 2 minutes or less in length.
* Entries must be portraits of individuals (real or fictional).
* Entries must be 100% true or 100% false.
* Entries can be shot in any format, but should be submitted on MiniDV.
* The director must be living in MO and must be present at the event. (If
you live outside of Missouri in the Kansas City or St. Louis metro area, and
wish to submit, please email us!)
* $15 fee for each entry. There is no limit on the number of entries per
person.
* Entries must be mailed to True/False no later than Fri., Feb. 15 at 5pm.
Mailing address: True/False, 5 South Ninth St., #205, Columbia, MO 65201.
* Entries will be judged on their execution, creativity, and most of all, how well they fool the judges. To this end, we encourage entries that boggle the mind and introduce us to totally real Missouri characters that are clearly stranger than fiction. However, we don't want to promote the idea that false videos should be as boring and banal as possible. False entries should also
strive to be exciting and interesting.
For more info please email me at robin@truefalse.org
WWW.TRUEFALSE.ORG
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
welcome, dudes.
We only meet once a week - so here's chance for us to communicate otherwise (good idea, Parker). If you don't want to, you obviously don't have to, but we assumed most of us would be interested in sharing ideas, as we're all interested in learning a shitload this semester about documentary filmmaking. Yay!
I've set up a couple of links (sidebar) to get us started - feel free to add ones if you find stuff you think others will want to look at or whatev.
If you didn't get the email, Parker went ahead and ordered our books (hooray!) - make sure you give him $14.76 soon.
Until next class... if you have anything to share (ideas? film recommendations?) - just post! If you don't have a google account, it takes only a couple of minutes to set up. See you guys later!
I've set up a couple of links (sidebar) to get us started - feel free to add ones if you find stuff you think others will want to look at or whatev.
If you didn't get the email, Parker went ahead and ordered our books (hooray!) - make sure you give him $14.76 soon.
Until next class... if you have anything to share (ideas? film recommendations?) - just post! If you don't have a google account, it takes only a couple of minutes to set up. See you guys later!
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