Jim Brennan
VHS Member Old Skool
Okay, I PROMISE this will be my last post on this thread about this. Those that are still paying attention are probably tired of my jaw-jacking.
Naturally, I am not saying that everyone will agree that a documentary represents an issue accurately. One of the grgeat things about a doc can be the controversy that comes from it. But, and I can't stress this enough, the infraction lies in the INTENT.
If I set out to make a doc on an issue, seek out the sources I beleieve to be valid and they support my argument and don't necessarily tell the whole story, that is one thing (although I have far more respect for a documentarian that approaches an issue with an open mind and seeks out legitimate opposing points of view than one who doesn't). You take the footage, edit it in effective way and move on. But it is a far different thing for someone to have an agenda, seek out information to support an argument, find conflicting information and choose only that which supports the pre-existing point of view, despite the source of the conflicting information. More than that, to take footage and interviews that in their original context ran counter to the agenda of the filmmaker and to intentionally manipulate them 180 degrees to fit.
I question everything, and I agree that viewers should be responsible. But I think there is a valid predisposition among the public to believe that a documentary is relatively objective. That carries a certain responsibility, and in this case the responsibility lies even more heavily with the filmmaker. He has intentionally made his work for the masses. These are not works designed for just the typical doc viewer, who may be a bit more sceptical and prone to do their own research. And don't think that he doesn't realize that. He has created an image to the public that he is someone who champions these causes and will bring to light things that they should know. At the same time, he manipulates the facts to bring forth only those that are in agreement with his agenda.
Honestly, I am very disappointed that so many people are willing to let this kind of thing slide. I think it is very sad that we as a viewing audience do not hold films like this to a higher standard.
Rant over. I apologize for threadjacking, but this matters to me.
Naturally, I am not saying that everyone will agree that a documentary represents an issue accurately. One of the grgeat things about a doc can be the controversy that comes from it. But, and I can't stress this enough, the infraction lies in the INTENT.
If I set out to make a doc on an issue, seek out the sources I beleieve to be valid and they support my argument and don't necessarily tell the whole story, that is one thing (although I have far more respect for a documentarian that approaches an issue with an open mind and seeks out legitimate opposing points of view than one who doesn't). You take the footage, edit it in effective way and move on. But it is a far different thing for someone to have an agenda, seek out information to support an argument, find conflicting information and choose only that which supports the pre-existing point of view, despite the source of the conflicting information. More than that, to take footage and interviews that in their original context ran counter to the agenda of the filmmaker and to intentionally manipulate them 180 degrees to fit.
I question everything, and I agree that viewers should be responsible. But I think there is a valid predisposition among the public to believe that a documentary is relatively objective. That carries a certain responsibility, and in this case the responsibility lies even more heavily with the filmmaker. He has intentionally made his work for the masses. These are not works designed for just the typical doc viewer, who may be a bit more sceptical and prone to do their own research. And don't think that he doesn't realize that. He has created an image to the public that he is someone who champions these causes and will bring to light things that they should know. At the same time, he manipulates the facts to bring forth only those that are in agreement with his agenda.
Honestly, I am very disappointed that so many people are willing to let this kind of thing slide. I think it is very sad that we as a viewing audience do not hold films like this to a higher standard.
Rant over. I apologize for threadjacking, but this matters to me.
