Mr. Death: The Rise and Fall of Fred A. Leuchter, Jr. (1999)Mr. Death is an expository investigative documentary directed by Errol Morris, a director with a unique interview style. Morris turns on the camera and lets his interviewee's just talk. He prompts them occasionally with questions, but usually just lets them talk themselves into a hole. This technique stems from his years spent in the police force, and because of this, people he interviews are more honest in what they say as they say something then during the silence feel they must reinforce or validate it and say something more. Another signifier of a Morris film is the fact that he reminds the audience that a documentary is in fact a construct. This makes his documentaries fit into the reflexive mode. He wants his audience to question what they see: one of the emotive devices he uses is highly stylised reconstruction sequences that use emotive music and lighting in order to evoke an emotional response from the audience. Morris also uses puncture very effectively. For example in Mr. Death when Leuchter, Jr. is talking about wether or not he is qualified to assess a gallows, Leuchter's voice can be heard over shots of him walking around the gallows and other relating shots. This is something I want to make sure is evident in our documentary as I believe these are very important in conveying meaning to the audience. Morris' style of interviewing is something that takes technique to execute properly however if we are to continue with our superhero documentary, this might be worth a try as our interviewee's will be secretive by nature, meaning that if they say everything we need without us actually prying then they may actually reveal more information than if we were constantly barraging them with questions. |  |
 | The Men Who Jump Off Buildings(2010)Directed by Alastair Cook, Robert Davis The Men Who Jump Off Buildings is a perfect example of an expository mode. The film uses an example of voice of god, an omniscient voiceover that informs the audience of the content of the documentary explaining its purpose without physically spelling out what you are seeing, it's a fine art in getting a voice over right. Usually in documentaries it is rare for the audience to hear the questions that the interviewee's are asked. However in The Men Who Jump Off Buildings the questions can sometimes be heard. This seems to be a trait of tv documentaries, perhaps due to their lower production values or time based problems. |
Waltz With Bashir (2010)Directed by Ari Folman Waltz With Bashir is an animated documentary concerning the 1982 invasion of Lebanon. Waltz with Bashir fits neatly into a variety of the documentary modes. Poetic for a start due to its emotive music and structured dream sequence at the opening of the film. It also fits into participatory mode due to the directors on screen role and the fact that the story follows his journey to remember what he can about the Lebanon massacre. The animated sequences that the interviewee's are describing, creates a large amount of subjectivity and bias. However they help to illustrate points that would otherwise have less of an impact. We could utilise something like this in our film for the superhero intro sequences. |  |
 | The Cost of a Coke (Unknown)Directed by Matt Beard The Cost of a Coke is a very low budget political documentary that due to its accusatory nature, did not make it to the mainstream. The doc relies heavily on interviews that are couples with archive footage of events, but also on extracts from newspapers and propaganda posters from the side of the protestors. Due to it's nice audience the film uses a series of websites to illustrate its point, this synergy not only helps to get it's point across but also to widen its audience and widen its understanding and sympathies. Due to its vigilante nature, The Cost of a Coke can afford to have technically weak aesthetics. This is because the point of the documentary isn't to make money or to entertain but to inform and educate people on a little known subject, meaning that the aesthetic quality of the film is secondary to its political connotations. |
The Documentary HandbookWritten by Peter Lee-Wright A selection from this book details what Lee-Wright believes are the ten key factors in succeeding in creating a solid documentary, specifically in terms of the interviewee, below I have considered how these will apply to me specifically. Do your Research Not only will this stop us looking like fools if we aren't properly prepared but if we make a mistake when interviewing a subject (such as calling them the wrong superhero name) we risk insulting them, meaning they could close up or simply refuse to talk to us reasoning that we are not taking them seriously. Consider the Context We shouldn't assume an audience has knowledge of our subject matter so when we interview our subject we should explain why we are asking the most basic of questions that could seem a little patronising to the interviewee. |  |
Think in Sound Bites
One answer can particularly stand out and make the documentary if it is poignant and relevant enough, make sure to structure your questions to receive these kinds of answers.
Managing the Interviewee
Start by chatting to the interviewee while/after you set up, this will put them at ease and mean that they are more comfortable during the interview. However avoid rehearsing questions because chances are they will say something fantastic off camera and not be able to replicate it on-camera. Also their answers may become wooden.
Make Eye Contact
The best interviews sounds like an unrehearsed conversation, the best way to achieve this is through human contact. Specifically, eye contact. This will put the subject at ease and relax them for the interview meaning you ge the answers you need.
Strategise the Interview
Work up to the big question towards the end, know how much time you have with the subject. Get the more routine questions done first.
Introduce the Unexpected
Ask a question you hadn't planned, or introduce a piece of information they didn't know that you knew. This will elicit a perfectly truthful and unrehearsed response that could be that one piece of gold you are looking for.
Ask open questions.
Open answers are more subjective and mean you get more subject to work with. YES or NO answers are (mostly) useless in an interview.
Record Clean Tracks
Know when to ask questions and when to shut up and listen. Make sure not to speak over the interviewee, leave at least a second between asking the next question. Make sure the subject has completely finished speaking before you do.
Cover Your Tracks
If you move furniture etc make sure to put it back, clean up all gear and don't make a mess when you're there. The less you intrude in your subjects life the happier they'll be and the more likely they will be to be useful in the interview.
