Reflecting reality in film documentaries Essay

The paradox of reality stems from the fact that it is a combination of abstract and concrete concepts. Abstract since different kinds of reality can be subjectively make and understood. It cannot be quantified from a single spatial relation al hotshot. In the meantime, reality is concrete since it is something that each and every someone must readily confront. Reality is part of mankinds constant struggle. The puzzling complexity that embodies the depression of reality is even more felt on how it is ushered, presented or articulated in other miscellaneas.lit exploits the power of words to explain reality, singers capitalize on music. But the task becomes even harder as for the moorage of film makers who atomic number 18 expected to utilize both visual and musical elements to represent reality. In film-making, it cannot be denied that the use of different technologies somehow affect how reality is shown. For every filmmaker, there is the challenge to make their kit and boodle of art convincingconvincing, in the sense that a film seems to devoid of any technological intermediation and corporeal interestand at the same time retaining the subject matter in its pure and radical form.With this pursuit, the emergence of film documentaries came into liveliness. Kibborn once noted that film documentaries aim to offer a window of the valet de chambre (p. 53). This would not come as a surprise since films, whether they are created for commercial purposes are indeed reflections of a much wider world view. Some filmmakers need fared well, while some, unfortunately, failed. On the other hand, there are others, who have seen film documentaries as a tool to immortalize not only their works but excessively their names. The film industry owes it all to the Lumiere Brothers.This generation would not experience the beauty and artistry of films if not for these two. Since archean film tools and equipments are not that sophisticated during that time, silent films ten d to dominate the (big screen). However, what is even more awful in this context is the manner in which the Lumiere Brothers have managed to present reality with pure visual images alone. Films do communicate and try to reach to their respective audiences. But then again, the absence of sounds seems to make the presentation a bit complicated and difficult.However, if one would stick to the principle in which reality is comprised of events that are experienced in everyday lives, situations that are commonly confronted by ordinary people, it can be fairly verbalise that the Lumiere Brothers radix out. If one has to take a tightlippedr look at Arrival of a Train (Nichols 83), such(prenominal) event is commonly encountered. The camera focuses on the train and the people that arrive in the station. A close guessing is chosen as if trying to notify every intricate sequence and details of the said event.Unaware and unscripted, the actors are seen in their most natural ways and manner s. Such technique is excessively employ in Nanook of the North by Robert Flaherty. However, Flaherty incorporated some texts. Perhaps it can be argued that the Flaherty wants to make the a more vivid and descriptive storytelling approach. There is the intention to relate to the audience what is actually happening rather than to interpret the stories on their own. There is a ikon in the film wherein the boat is being cover with a piece of cloth before going down the river.In this case, a close stroking was again used, in order to show how intricate the processes are. Yet, during the part wherein the actual trek is going on, a long shot was utilized, thus readily evoking a feeling that the group is on their journey. The characters looked small during that shot and the notion of space and distance were further highlighted. From documenting everyday routines to inserting texts in the film, documentaries are also flavored with the directors political perspective as for the case of D ziga Vertov.Hicks even described Vertov as the so-called genie of propaganda films primarily because of its strong red beliefs and visions (8). Taylor described that Vertov depicted reality through the montage technique (74). In this manner, Vertov, since he is also into propaganda reflects life beyond what is ordinarily seen, but rather it is on how it should be seen (Taylor 74). In the film, Three Songs of Lenin, different scenes are patched together. There is the part wherein a group of marching men were shown and followed by a scene that focuses on three statues.Another group of marching people is presented but this time, women, with holding high supply guns are also shown, then it goes back to the three statues. Vertov, as a propagandist who wanted to tell the people what life should be seem to purport that equality between men and women must be readily observed. At the same time, the three statues that are constantly shown is reflective of an ideology or inculcate of thoug ht that must be readily followed and practiced. In the meantime, John Grierson is a film critic who is one of those who laid down the foundations of realism theories in films (Aitken 162).Elis and Mclane noted that Grierson readily influenced many film makers (73). He is also responsible for proliferating such film genre in English-speaking nations (Ellis & Mclane 73). Grierson firmly believes that in order to depict reality properly, reality should be free from all forms of manipulationthat it should be captured in its raw form rather than mastered in artificial environments (Aitken 167). Works Cited Aitken, Ian. European Film Theory and Cinema A Critical Introduction. Scotland Edinburgh Press, 2001Ellis, Jack and Betsy McLane. A New History of Film docudrama. London Continuum International Publishing, 2005 Hicks, Jeremy. Dziga Vertov Defining Documentary Film. London I. B Tauris Publishers, 2007 Kibborn, Richard. Staging the Real Factual TV Programming in the Age of adult Brothe r. Oxford, UK Manchester University Press, 2003 Nichols, Bill. Introduction to Documentary. BloomingtonIndiana University Press, 2001 Taylor, Richard. Film Propaganda Soviet Russia and Nazi Germany. London I. B Tauris Publishers, 1998