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Observer/CatalystObserver/Catalyst

New Style of Documentary:New Style of Documentary:

Two terms:Two terms:

Direct Cinema Direct Cinema

and and

Cinema VeriteCinema Verite

HISTORICAL PRECEDENTSHISTORICAL PRECEDENTS

1. Postwar docs for BBC 1. Postwar docs for BBC TelevisionTelevision

2. British Free Cinema Group:2. British Free Cinema Group:– Tony RichardsonTony Richardson– Karel ReiszKarel Reisz– Lindsay AndersonLindsay Anderson– Guy BrentonGuy Brenton

U.S. NetworksU.S. Networks

Murrow’s Murrow’s See It NowSee It Now leads leads to :to :

1. CBS Reports1. CBS Reports

2. NBC White Paper2. NBC White Paper

3. ABC Close-UP3. ABC Close-UP

Robert Drew’s Time/Life Unit

Robert Drew’s Time/Life Unit

Exploited the new technology:Exploited the new technology:

1. Lighter, handheld cameras1. Lighter, handheld cameras

2. Much better sound recording 2. Much better sound recording equipment.equipment.

3. Faster lenses3. Faster lenses

4. Much faster film stock.4. Much faster film stock.

Drew’s Unit Goes to ABC Drew’s Unit Goes to ABC

Eddie Eddie (1960) - Race car driver (1960) - Race car driver Eddie SachsEddie Sachs

PrimaryPrimary (1960) (1960) Kennedy/Humphrey primaryKennedy/Humphrey primary

The ChairThe Chair (1963) Attorney Louis (1963) Attorney Louis Nizer tries to save man on Nizer tries to save man on death row.death row.

Trained Many OthersTrained Many Others

Donn Pennebaker --- Donn Pennebaker --- Don’t Look Don’t Look BackBack ; ; Monterey PopMonterey Pop

Ricky Leacock -- cameramanRicky Leacock -- cameraman

Maysle Brothers-Albert & David :Maysle Brothers-Albert & David :

SalesmanSalesman (69) and (69) and Gimme Gimme ShelterShelter (70) (70)

Totally New Style:Totally New Style: Absolutey eschews narrationAbsolutey eschews narration rejects prescripting (Barron rejects prescripting (Barron

calls style a “film of revelation”calls style a “film of revelation” shoot lots of footage and find shoot lots of footage and find

film on editing benchfilm on editing bench open vs. closedopen vs. closed ambiguousambiguous vs. tied up ending vs. tied up ending

Direct Cinema vs. Cinema Verite

Direct Cinema vs. Cinema Verite

Direct Cinema:Direct Cinema: -- primarily American style-- primarily American style– Maysle brothersMaysle brothers

– Frederick WisemanFrederick Wiseman

Fly on the wall / invisibleFly on the wall / invisible

Cinema Verite - French Term

Cinema Verite - French Term

Looks, stylistically like Direct Looks, stylistically like Direct Cinema but:Cinema but:

Precipitates action (catalyst)Precipitates action (catalyst)

Provokes responseProvokes response

Self-reflexive (Dziga Vertov’s Self-reflexive (Dziga Vertov’s influence-Kino Pravda / Kino influence-Kino Pravda / Kino Eye)Eye)

Verite FilmsVerite Films

Edgar Morin and Jean Rouch --Edgar Morin and Jean Rouch --

Chronicle of a SummerChronicle of a Summer Marcel Ophuls -- Marcel Ophuls -- The Sorrow The Sorrow

and the Pityand the Pity George Stoney in U.S. -- George Stoney in U.S. -- You You

are On Indian Landare On Indian Land

Cinema Verite or Direct Cinema ?

Cinema Verite or Direct Cinema ?

Today both styles tends to be Today both styles tends to be described by a single term:described by a single term:

CINEMA VERITECINEMA VERITE

Drawbacks of the StyleDrawbacks of the Style

1. Boredom of everyday life -- 1. Boredom of everyday life -- may lead to stagingmay lead to staging

2. Time constraints -- may limit 2. Time constraints -- may limit subjects to events already subjects to events already dramaticdramatic

3. Illusion of reality vs. loading 3. Illusion of reality vs. loading of topic through editingof topic through editing

Drawbacks of the StyleDrawbacks of the Style

4. Difficulty of dealing with abstract 4. Difficulty of dealing with abstract & not very visual topic& not very visual topic

5. Without narration can totally lose 5. Without narration can totally lose meaning and nuancesmeaning and nuances

6. Don’t people react differently in 6. Don’t people react differently in front of camera?front of camera?

To an extent a style that networks To an extent a style that networks are afraid of ! (too unpredictable)are afraid of ! (too unpredictable)

Albert & David MaysleAlbert & David Maysle Primary exponents of Primary exponents of Direct Direct

CinemaCinema Trained in Drew’s Time/Life Unit -- Trained in Drew’s Time/Life Unit --

Then ABC Close-Up UnitThen ABC Close-Up Unit Most important documentary:Most important documentary:

SalesmanSalesman (60) (60)

Frederick WisemanFrederick Wiseman Lawyer interested power (the way Lawyer interested power (the way

it is exercised)it is exercised) Institutions vs. IndividualsInstitutions vs. Individuals HospitalHospital; ; High SchoolHigh School; ; Basic Basic

TrainingTraining; ; Juvenile CourtJuvenile Court, , MeatMeat, , WelfareWelfare; ; MisslesMissles, , The StoreThe Store

Probably the most famous Probably the most famous exponent of the style todayexponent of the style today

Titticut Follies (1967)Titticut Follies (1967)

Prison for the criminally insanePrison for the criminally insane Still held up in courts: Still held up in courts:

supposedly can only be shown supposedly can only be shown to “restricted” educational to “restricted” educational audienceaudience

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