As I’m planning to work with a not-for-profit organisation, ethical issues with participants may be easier to avoid. Participants will most likely be well aware and informed about what they will be participating in, and we probably won’t be pushing any participants very far out of their comfort zones. However, I can’t be sure of this and can never know exactly how different participants will respond in different situations. No matter the project I take on, it will be my goal to maintain the ‘mutual trust’ needed throughout the production.

One problem I may encounter is differences with others working on the production, whether it is other students or a not-for-profit I may be working with. Juggling the representation of participants may be challenging with different voices and influences. The editing process will especially have to be carefully done. I enjoy the editing process and hope to get the opportunity to work in post-production, but I’ll also have to be careful of these potential issues and tread carefully. Preparation and releases that are a proper representation of my/our vision for the final product can contribute to avoiding this.

Going through the readings about the experiences of others (particularly Edward Martinez) has been interesting and educational. Understanding that it’s likely I will encounter problems throughout the filmmaking process, and taking the necessary steps to be prepared for them is all I can do. Martinez wrote about how even the simplest shoots can turn into something of a nightmare. One anecdote describing a simple tripod shot overlooking a valley being interrupted by a woman hollering for them to leave was fascinating; knowing anything can happen at anytime will allow me to prepare the best I can, whilst knowing it may not always work out perfectly.

Martinez, E (2016), Navigating the River: The Hidden Colonialism of Documentary, http://www.documentary.org/column/navigating-river-hidden-colonialism-documentary.