Issues In Contemporary Documentary: With Additional Research By Kate Allison

Issues in Contemporary Documentary JANE CHAPMAN With additional research by Kate Allison F polity Copyright © Jane Chapman 2009 The right of Jane Chapman to he identified as Aothor of this Work has beeo asserted in arcordance with the UK Copyright, Designs and Patents Art 1988. First published in 2009 by Polity Press Polity Press 65 Bridge Street Cambridge CD2 1UR, UK. Tn Miles and Toby Polity Press 350 Main Street Maiden, MA 02148, USA All dghts reserved. Except for the quotation of short passages for the porpose of criticism and review, no part of this publication maybe reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or Irsosmirted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher. ISBN-13: 978-0-7456-4009-s ISBN-13: 978-0-7456-40t0-5 (ph) A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. Typeset in 9.5 on l2pt Utopia by Servia Filmsetting Ltd, Storkport, Cheshire Printed and bound by MPG Books Group, UK The publisher has used its best endeavours to ensure that the tJRLs for external websites referred to in this book are correct and active at the time of going to press. However, the publisher has no respoosibility for the wehsites and can make no guarantee tlsat a site will remain live or that the content is or svill remain appropriate. Every effort has been m’sde to trace all copynght holders but if any have been inadvertently overlooked the puhlishera will be pleased to include any necessary credits in any subsequent reprint or edition. For further information on Polity, visit our website: wsvw.politvbooks.com * Contents Acknowledgements vii Introduction The question: continuity and change Contextual issues Methodology and how to use this book Chapter summary — — 1 Definitions: Issues and Influences Summary Introduction Evolution of the genre Cinema, televi sion and docu-soap’ Definitions of fiction and non-fiction Case study: Death of A President (2006) Genres, categories and uses of documentary The journalistic documentary Realism Arguments about truth Case study: Loose Change (2005) and Screw Loose Change (2006) Conclusion — 8 — — — — — — — — — — 2 Representation: Problems, Purpose and Perspective Summary Introduction Representing history Ethnography and pioneering democratization of representation Ethnography and the other’ Case study: She’s a Boy I Kneu’ (2007) Institutions, minorities and identity politics Representing collective strug gle Representing trauma, women, children and human rights Comparative case study: War/Dance (2007), Autism: the Musical (2007) Conclusion — — 28 — — — — — — — — 3 ObjectivkylSubjectivity Pursuing Truth? Summary Introduction From verité to television current affairs Objectivity and the journalistic documentary Institutional influ ences Television impartiality and balance Forms of subjectivity Case study: Tarnation (2003) —Audiences and activism—Presenting the personal Subjectivity and the essay form Activist subjectiv ity Case study: Sicko (2007) Case study: 9/11 Chronicles (2007) Mash-up, documentary and the Internet Conclusion 48 4 Censorship: Whose World Is It? Summary Introduction—Circumventing the State—Self-censorship The self-censorship of the market and funding Case study: Outfoxed (2004) Institutional practices Case study: The War Tapes (2006) Historical memory and censorship by inertia Political contexts Potential audience reception Conclusion 72 — — — — — —