P009 → Thoughts
To be a documentary filmmaker is an adventure in the humanities.
I feel it requires really deep curiosity and empathy. Neutral observation. In the world of narrative filmmaking you play God a bit, you seek control. You know what subjects will say, where they stand, what they wear, how they look. Doc filmmaking, you only have a few tools, and is far closer to ‘realtiy.’
Zen.
Everything and anything can change, but nothing is ‘wrong,’ only unanticipated. Be zen, and the project listens. Weather event? Equipment malfunction? It is part of the rhythm of the storytelling process. If you struggle in the wave you drown.
Permission.
Always leave enough time for permission and trust.
Participation / Observation.
Knowing when to use what tool. Some things we learn from participating, others from observing.
Trust.
Love your participant. They know their story best. Trust them. Let them tell it in entirety, it is an essential human need to tell your story. Let them tell it their way. We all It’s hard to explain to others sometimes why this part of your story makes sense, so let them just tell everything they feel is important.
Absurdism as Joyous Freedom of the Burden of Meaning. Several things appear true: life is short and random. The universe does not seem to care. Nothing will matter in a million years.