Please blog a bit about documentaries as an art form/mode of teaching and learning. You can write about whatever you choose…some possibilities: the documentarian’s role in shaping the presentation of reality, their potential to create social change, their relationship to other forms of pop culture.
Marissa- I believe that documentaries are an interesting way to convey a story. Documentaries are known for being somewhat “realistic” and/or conveying a true story. Some people take documentaries at face value and do not do their own research. They do not consider the possibility that the documentarian omitted information. The director chooses what the message of the documentary should be and what the audience perceives as the truth.
ReplyDeleteDocumentaries definitely have the potential to create social change. If more people went out there and documented the stories of people impacted by our government then maybe we would see more radical change in our society.
Erica Leia- I am a big fan of documentaries as a photo/film major. I believe that documentaries are great ways to educate people because of how easy they are to consume. Documentaries are also oftentimes more entertaining than a lecture or reading a book which makes the audience more engaged.
DeleteBlanca Maldonado- documentaries can be a good way to tell an event that happened. Although not all documentaries are entirely realistic, they are mostly based on true stories with a twist. Some might believe everything when first watching and not do their research, which could get things confused, and they could possibly spread misinformation.
ReplyDeleteBrandon- Documentaries are a great way to get factual information but they can still be portrayed in a certain way and make things look a certain type of way. They can create change but i wouldn't say they are the more popular forms or pop culture.
ReplyDeleteKaila Balatbat- Documentarians make intentional choices to shape how people think and feel about real life events. People must keep in mind that the directors pick and choose what they are seeing when watching documentaries because it may convey something other than the truth. I believe some documentaries can be powerful and do have potential to create social change if they can make a lot of people feel strongly about social issues are expose the reason or people contributing to these problems.
ReplyDeleteKennedy- Documentary are my way of learning what happened in that situation but hearing it from different perspectives. Most documentaries bend the truth to make it more interesting but if it is made in a certain way it can grab you attention wanting you to learn more about it.
ReplyDeleteLandon- Documentaries are faced with an interesting challenge, they have to be both true to life as well as entertaining. Often these two things contrast each other. While many times they stories they tell are inherently interesting, its easy for a documentarian to substitute truth for more entertainment, leading to a non-objective retelling of the truth. There is still value in this, as what good is a story if no one wants to hear about it.
ReplyDeleteParker - I think documentaries are a great way of conveying information in a more approachable way. Personally I would rather watch a documentary about something than get that information by reading a textbook. However, I do think a lot of documentaries get a bad reputation for being not interesting because of the filmmakers' choices while making the film. I don't personally mind documentaries, but I can see how some people would.
ReplyDeleteVictoria - I believe documentaries transform real world stories into powerful tools for learning and reflection. Through creative choices, I think they shape how audiences understand social issues, culture, and truth which can bring entertainment, empathy, and enlightenment to a topic.
ReplyDeleteKameron- I Believe Documentaries can turn someone's story into a real-life project for the world to see and reflect on. Documentaries serve as a powerful media representation for both Art and Education. They both provide visual framework of someone's story and life to where others can compare to their own lives after watching.
ReplyDeleteJordy- Documentaries are a mix of art and teaching, where real stories are shaped by the filmmaker to make us think or feel something. They can inspire social change by showing us problems we don’t usually see, like animal abuse or climate issues
ReplyDeleteHanna- Documentaries can be used in many ways as a form of art/learning, although at the same time they can portray certain topics negatively. At times it feels like their be seen as entertainment and dramatic with using music, etc, rather than showing reality to the viewer. I really find it interesting when documentaries use statics or interviews, it makes the film feel more authentic. In pop culture when people talk about documentaries I either think about autobiography or animal related but I know there is a wide topics that people cover like cultures, industries, and true crime, etc.
ReplyDelete(Kendal H) Documentaries are a way of showcasing things in a more “realistic” way than traditional films would. While I believe there is always rhetoric behind everything, whether it is perceived as good or bad, there is really no way to create a documentary without some form of bias or belief being pushed. I have the same feelings about journalism, as there is rarely ever a news outlet that showcases something without inherent bias.
ReplyDeleteIn some cases, this is beneficial, as it brings to light issues or provides insight into topics that would otherwise not be discussed. Rhetoric is a complex topic to balance, as the idea behind documentaries is that “it is more factual” than movies, despite still having much production behind it.
Imani - Documentaries are more than just films. They offer a different way of viewing the world -- and sometimes even ourselves. They blend what we already know about art and education to convey stories that we can't access through conventional means. The documentarian holds complete creative control, shaping not just what we see but how we interpret it. With that power comes the ability to shift narratives or challenge assumptions. Viewers don't just consume these stories -- they become witnesses, and sometimes, advocates, depending on the how the film moves them.
ReplyDeleteKenzie- Similar to what everyone else has been saying in the blog, Documentaries are good way of providing information (a lot of times educational) through a lot of storytelling in very artistic ways. I do find it hard, however, because lot of documentaries are only about an hour (could be shorter or longer), it’s still hard to pass on information and I feel like directors have to make the choices to condense parts. This could lead to biases or not the full truth.
ReplyDeleteNadia- I love that documentaries can be a way for anyone to learn about anything in an art form. In today’s world, watching something or listening to something on TV or recorded seems to be one of the most efficient ways for people to learn, so documentaries are a great thing to learn from, and enjoy it at the same time. Documentaries are entertainment, and can be skewed to seem more entertaining than educational. This can be misleading with the information that is being provided in the film.
ReplyDeleteSeniece - I take a huge interest in documentaries, only because I love true crime and entertainment that is based on facts, with evidence and witnesses to back it up as well. Documentaries are also a great way to get a message across. Some documentaries aren't strictly always about one person's life, it's also used to show living proof of events that has happened around the world, and in some cases it's for educational purposes because its apart of this world's history.
ReplyDeleteCheylsi - I like documentaries because although some parts can be artificial, most of it is real. However sometimes that can be scary (especially with true crime), but it is very interesting. I think that documentaries bring real issues to the publics attention, and spread awareness about things that people may not have known before.
ReplyDeleteFinn - I really enjoy documentaries and I spend a lot of my free time watching them or having them on in the background while I work on something. While I do think that documentaries are very interesting, I will say that I know myself and a lot of other people tend to put them on in the background, and it means that we miss key elements of the stories or directorial choices that were made deliberately.
ReplyDeleteMicayla- I think that documentaries are very interesting. I prefer ones that kinda tell the story themselves through like video clips and body cam footages instead of listening to someone talking about it. I think that documentaries can be spun in certain ways if there are personal options in the mix. However, I do think informationally it is a great way to tell a story in a way that could be entertaining.I recently watched one that was heavily body cam focused and i really enjoyed it. I found out about it through social media so I do think documentaries have a way to influence social changes and how people view things.
ReplyDeleteDakota C - I think documentaries are an incredible tool for teaching and learning. A really good documentary will change your life or make you cry or make you see the world in another light. For example I just watched this documentary on Apple TV about the poet Andrea Gibson and their terminal cancer diagnosis. It's called Come and See Me in the Good Light and it really moved me. A lot of people overlook documentaries are "boring" but I want all the people who call documentaries "boring" to watch Paris is Burning.
ReplyDeleteJana - Documentaries allow for a bridge between art and education to exist. Even though they can just seem like boring recordings that drone on and on, they artistically curate certain narratives and help shape voices and the truth to be amplified. However, I do think this can be misleading as it could essentially be up to the directors opinion and bias to curate and portray the perspective however they want.
ReplyDeleteChris- I can appreciate documentaries for their priority of information and education. They commonly sacrifice exageration in order of telling a true an honest story which is what many people, including me, crave every so often, or even prefer over regular fictional TV shows or movies.
ReplyDeleteUzziel- Documentaries I would say are where art, education, and social engagement come together as one. By shaping raw reality and turning it into a well crafted narrative, many documentarians have the choice of how to frame, pace, and how a perspective can influence how audiences will view the world and how they’ll understand it. This creative demonstration doesn’t undermine the truth it instead reveals that a majority of storytelling involves interpretation. They serve as teaching tools, documentaries can help make complicated issues accessible and emotionally resonant, often inspiring viewers to question assumptions or take action.
ReplyDeleteUzziel- Book banning has become a growing concern, especially in Tennessee, where 131 libraries were affected by what some are calling a GOP “book purge.” Many believe books are being removed simply because people disagree with their content, which isn’t how libraries should operate. If a reader doesn’t like a book, they can choose not to read it; there's no need to remove it entirely. Libraries exist to educate and provide access to diverse ideas, not to enforce particular viewpoints. In my view, parents should monitor what their own children are reading instead of restricting access for everyone.
ReplyDeleteJasper - Documentaries are very interesting, largely because they don't often reveal the whole truth. With editing and splicing, you can pretty easily manipulate footage to make someone say something they never did say. In addition, a lot of documentaries stage moments to make them more dramatic. Even if it's still true to the story, the people in the documentary might know what's about to happen. Even the first ever documentary: "Nanook of the North", was shot largely on soundstages with actors, and made up a lot of elements about the lives of indigenous people living in Northern Canada.
ReplyDeleteLizzie Dorsey - I love documentaries, but it is important to remember that the narrative can be very easily controlled and influenced by whoever is making them. Paying attention to what is fact and what is opinion is important, and doing your own research can allow you to see sides that may not have been discussed in the documentary itself. The way a documentary is framed can have real effect on public perception of a topic, for better and for worse.
ReplyDeleteNathan- Documentaries while not my favorite thing to watch are still something I enjoy and think you should get more attention because of how informative and educational they can. They bring awareness to issues and shed light on causes people no nothing about. So they are a great form of media.
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