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Drawbacks of the Direct Cinema Style

Drawbacks of the Direct Cinema Style

1. Boredom of everyday life -- 1. Boredom of everyday life -- may lead to stagingmay lead to staging

2. Time constraints -- may limit 2. Time constraints -- may limit subjects to events already subjects to events already dramaticdramatic

3. Illusion of reality vs. loading 3. Illusion of reality vs. loading of topic through editingof topic through editing

Drawbacks of the StyleDrawbacks of the Style

4. Difficulty of dealing with abstract 4. Difficulty of dealing with abstract & not very visual topic& not very visual topic

5. Without narration can totally lose 5. Without narration can totally lose meaning and nuancesmeaning and nuances

6. Don’t people react differently in 6. Don’t people react differently in front of camera anyway?front of camera anyway?

To an extent a style that networks To an extent a style that networks are afraid of ! (too unpredictable)are afraid of ! (too unpredictable)

Cinema Verite - French Term

Cinema Verite - French Term

Looks, stylistically like Direct Looks, stylistically like Direct Cinema but:Cinema but:

Precipitates action (catalyst)Precipitates action (catalyst)

Provokes responseProvokes response

Self-reflexive (Dziga Vertov’s Self-reflexive (Dziga Vertov’s influence-Kino Pravda / Kino influence-Kino Pravda / Kino Eye)Eye)

Result of these problemsResult of these problems

Direct Cinema in its purest Direct Cinema in its purest expression has virtually expression has virtually disappeareddisappeared

The term itself has been The term itself has been replaced by “Cinema Verite”replaced by “Cinema Verite”

BUTBUT

2007 Student Academy Award 2007 Student Academy Award Documentary Winner:Documentary Winner:

Cross Your Eyes, Keep Cross Your Eyes, Keep Them WideThem Wide

Ben Wu - Stanford UniversityBen Wu - Stanford University

Verite FilmsVerite Films

Edgar Morin and Jean Rouch --Edgar Morin and Jean Rouch --

Chronicle of a SummerChronicle of a Summer Marcel Ophuls -- Marcel Ophuls -- The Sorrow The Sorrow

and the Pityand the Pity George Stoney in U.S. -- George Stoney in U.S. -- You You

are On Indian Landare On Indian Land

Marcel OphulsMarcel Ophuls

The Sorrow and the PityThe Sorrow and the Pity

(1969)(1969)

Barbara KoppleBarbara Kopple

Won two Academy AwardsWon two Academy Awards

Harlan Country, USAHarlan Country, USA (1976)(1976)

American DreamAmerican Dream (1991)(1991) Kopple an active participant/ Kopple an active participant/

provocateur in bothprovocateur in both

Michael MooreMichael Moore

Sort of modified Verite styleSort of modified Verite style

Roger and Me Roger and Me (1989)(1989)

Like Kopple, provokes the Like Kopple, provokes the action--- Moore is the actionaction--- Moore is the action

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