Rethinking Documentary: New Perspectives and Practices: New Perspectives and Practices

From a boom in theatrical features to footage posted on websites such as YouTube and Google Video, the early years of the 21st century have witnessed significant changes in the technological, commercial, aesthetic, political, and social dimensions of documentaries on film, television and the web. In response to these rapid developments, this book rethinks the notion of documentary, in terms of theory, practice and object/s of study. Drawing together 26 original essays from scholars and practitioners, it critically assesses ideas and constructions of documentary and, where necessary, proposes new tools and arguments with which to examine this complex and shifting terrain. Covering a range of media output, the book is divided into four sections: Critical perspectives on documentary forms and concepts The changing faces of documentary production Contemporary documentary: borders, neighbours and disputed territories Digital and online documentaries: opportunities and limitations Rethinking Documentary is valuable reading for scholars and students working in documentary theory and practice, film studies, and media studies. Because Of The Huge Boom In Documentary Making There's Been A Similar Growth In The Number Of Courses In Documentary Studies. This Book Brings Together Some Of The Leading Scholars And Practitioners In This Area To Provide A Textbook And Research Tool. Notes On Contributors -- Acknowledgements -- Introduction: Rethinking Documentary / Thomas Thomas Austin And Wilma De Jong. -- Part 1: Critical Perspectives On Documentary Forms And Concepts. 1. Documentary Studies : Dimensions Of Transition And Continuity / John Corner -- 2. The Question Of Evidence, The Power Of Rhetoric And Documentary Film / Bill Nichols -- 3. First-person Films : Some Theses On Self-inscription / Michael Renov -- 4. ' ...to Leave The Confinements Of His Humanness' : Authorial Voice, Death And Constructions Of Nature In Werner Herzog's Grizzly Man / Thomas Austin -- 5. Collective Subjectivity In The Children Of Golzow Vs. Alienation In 'western' Interview Documentary / Silke Panse -- 6. Documentary As Critical And Creative Research / Mike Wayne -- 7. Reframing Ethnographic Film / Paul Basu -- 8. Transcendental Realism In Documentary / Erik Knudson -- 9. Filming 'the Invisible' / Michael Chanan. -- Part Ii: The Changing Faces Of Documentary Production. 10. Developing And Producing A Feature Documentary : The Case Of Deep Water / Wilma De Jong -- 11. Filmmakers And Their Subjects / Jerry Rothwell -- 12. From Eight-man Crew To One-woman Band : My Life In Television / Marilyn Gaunt -- 13. 'you Want To Know That, This Is Real, This Is What Happened' : An Interview With John Smithson / Wilma De Jong And Thomas Austin -- 14. 'the Idea That There's A ''truth'' That You Discover Is Like Chasing The End Of A Rainbow' : An Interview With Ralph Lee / Wilma De Jong -- 15. Rice N Peas : Alternative, Independent And Provocative / Ishmahil Blagrove, Jr -- 16. 'the Importance Of Memory' : An Interview With Ai Xiaoming / Sue Thornham. -- Part Iii: Contemporary Documentary. 17: Drama-documentary, Ethics And Notions Of Performance : The 'flight 93' Films / Paul Ward -- 18: Mockumentary : A Call To Play / Craig Hight -- 19. Documentary Modes Of Engagement / Annette Hill -- 20. 'ask The Fastidious Woman From Surbiton To Hand-wash The Underpants Of The Aging Oldham Skinhead ...' : Why Not Wife Swap? / Su Holmes And Deborah Jermyn -- 21. Simulating The Public Sphere / Jon Dovey -- 22. The Work Of Work : Reality Tv And The Negotiation Of Neo-liberal Labour In The Apprentice / Nick Couldry And Jo Littler. -- Part Iv. Digital And Online Documentaries. -- 23: Documentary Viewing Platforms / Ana Vicente -- 24. Online Documentary / Danny Birchall -- 25. Public Domains : Engaging Iraq Through Experimental Documentary Digitalities / Patricia R. Zimmerman -- 26. Documentary On Youtube : The Failure Of Direct Cinema Of The Slogan / Alexandra Juhasz. -- Bibliography -- Index. Edited By Thomas Austin And Wilma De Jong. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [313]-334) And Index. Front Cover 1 Half-title 2 Title Page 4 Copyright Page 5 Content Page 6 Notes on Contributors 8 Acknowledgements 12 Introduction: Rethinking documentary 14 PART 1: Critical Perspectives on Documentary Forms and Concepts 24 Chapter 1: Documentary Studies: Dimensions of transition and continuity 26 Chapter 2: The Question of Evidence, the Power of Rhetoric and Documentary Film 42 Chapter 3: First-person Films: Some theses on self-inscription 52 Chapter 4: ‘ ...To Leave the Confinements of His Humanness’: Authorial voice, death and constructions of nature inWerner Herzog’s Grizzly Man 64 Chapter 5: Collective Subjectivity in The Children of Golzow vs. Alienation in ‘Western’ Interview Documentary 80 Chapter 6: Documentary as Critical and Creative Research 95 Chapter 7: Reframing Ethnographic Film 108 Chapter 8: Transcendental Realism in Documentary 121 Chapter 9: Filming ‘the Invisible’ 134 Part II: The Changing Faces of Documentary Production 146 Chapter 10: Developing and Producing a Feature Documentary: The case of Deep Water 148 Chapter 11: Filmmakers and Their Subjects 165 Chapter 12: From Eight-Man Crew to One-Woman Band: My life in television documentary 170 Chapter 13: ‘You Want to Know That, This Is Real, This Is What Happened’: An interview with John Smithson 175 Chapter 14: ‘The Idea That There’s a ‘‘Truth’’ That You Discover Is Like Chasing the End of a Rainbow’: An interview with Ralph Lee 180 Chapter 15: Rice N Peas: Alternative, independent and provocative 185 Chapter 16: ‘The Importance of Memory’: An interview with Ai Xiaoming 191 Part III: Contemporary Documentary: Borders, Neighbours and Disputed Territories 202 Chapter 17: Drama-documentary, Ethics and Notions of Performance: The ’Flight 93’ Films 204 Chapter 18: Mockumentary: A call to play 217 Chapter 19: Documentary Modes of Engagement 230 Chapter 20: ‘Ask the Fastidious Woman from Surbiton to Hand-wash the Underpants of the Aging Oldham Skinhead ...’ Why not Wife Swap? 245 Chapter 21: Simulating the Public Sphere 259 Chapter 22: TheWork ofWork Reality TV and the negotiation of neo-liberal labour in The Apprentice 271 Part IV: Digital and Online Documentaries: Opportunities and Limitations 282 Chapter 23: Documentary Viewing Platforms 284 Chapter 24: Online Documentary 291 Chapter 25: Public domains: Engaging Iraq through experimental documentary digitalities 297 Chapter 26: Documentary on YouTube: The failure of the direct cinema of the slogan 312 Bibliography 326 Index 348 Back Cover 372