https://vimeo.com/user105333487/review/374102848/89dd5a1b64

I wanted my piece to have a rhythm that showed the development of technology and the intrusive nature of humanity in the Exhibition Gardens. Such as how the beginning clips are that of natural elements like the tree trunk, and the reeds, when suddenly there is a presented bottle that’s been knocked over and poured of its contents. The shots begin to be swarmed by increasingly industrial images, like people on their phones and flashing lights of a truck, however all of these pieces while holding elements of human development, still contain natural elements in them as well. The final shot is a city skyline, but it is framed by trees. It shows that while the Exhibition gardens are teeming with people and what we create, which is mostly so far removed from nature itself, the gardens still embody a strong connection with nature. Like when we see a baby duckling ambling in such a busy park, all by itself. Though arguably the baby duck learning how to stumble may be comparable to the students, learning how to use the camera. There are fundamentals that are seen repeated over and over again, whether in nature, or in our human industrialisation.

“Wolfpack and the ethics of documentary filmmaking” is an article written by Steven Thomas on September 14 2015, for a journalism website called The Conversation. Thomas is trying to convey the more subtle elements regarding consent and responsibility as a filmmaker within the article, particularly the notions of ongoing consent (Thomas, 2015). He also delves into understanding honesty in these films and other points made by critics, such as whether or not some of the scenarios the boys went through, for example going to the beach, were fabricated or not (Thomas, 2015). It brings into question the ability for some of the participants to be able to consent, such as how some of the boys in the family were under 18 when they began filming, and also their sister, who was not only underage, but also had a disability, which may bring into question her ability to be presented and to consent to being in a documentary like this, though she was not interviewed for it, it brings about a certain question of the potential exploitation of this family due to the minors being presented and interviewed about their personal life, and unfit to be able to provide proper consent. (Thomas, 2015). While I do agree with some of these points, it is interesting to consider the role of someone telling these stories. Not that they have a moral obligation to tell it, but that if there is trust between the documenter and the participant, it can be important to have other people tell your stories, particularly when it’s one of such a heavy subject matter in order to be able to tell a story more clearly. I also like that the article made me think of things that I had not during the screening, such as questioning the responsibility of the mother, and her role within keeping the boys secured within their apartment. Though this may arguably have been answered through the instances of, and references to domestic violence between her and the boys’ manipulative father, as Thomas describes in the article (Thomas, 2015, para 17).

I believe the article was a thorough discussion about the family’s potential vulnerability when being filmed and presented to the outside world, but, it also shows the importance of trust where such a sensitive subject may be recorded and offered to the general public from a family that was so secluded.

Thomas, S 2015, ‘Wolfpack and the ethics of documentary filmmaking’, The Conversation, 14 September 2015, viewed November 7 2019, < http://theconversation.com/wolfpack-and-the-ethics-of-documentary-filmmaking-47086 >

1. Turn the camera off at the request of the participant (Rachel Boynton, DOC NYC, 2018).
2. Show the participant the finished film before the public (Rachel Boynton, DOC NYC, 2018).
3. Love the people that you film. (Rachel Boynton, DOC NYC, 2018).
4. Avoid invasive questions, and be receptive to the participants queries, and concerns.
5. Be focused and honest about what parts of the participant you wish to show in your piece.
6. Allow participants to exit the piece at any time.
7. Represent participants honestly.
8. Seek informed consent towards being filmed.

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REFERENCES:

DOC NYC PRO: Casting Case Studies 2016, streaming video, DOC NYC, New York, viewed November 14 2019 2019, <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bndwq27kkjc>.

The Wolfpack was about a family of six boys, one girl, and their parents living together in a small apartment in the lower east-side of Manhattan, New York. It described the children being completely unable to leave the house in their childhood, and their gradual rebellion and exploration of the outside world as they grow older. It also heavily connects with the boys passions for films, from them writing down movie scripts just by watching films on their own TV and writing down what they hear and see, to producing their own films and being able to leave their apartment and go to the cinema themselves. I thought it was an incredibly powerful story that resonated deeply with my own personal feelings of escapism and the matter that these children growing up in one of the most iconic locations in the world, one that would be so heavily romanticised and depicted in the films they watch, yet they were unable to get out an explore the city that they live in. One scene that I really felt quite moved by was where they all went to a cinema together for the first time, and the boys are describing how excited they are by it. One of them talking about Christian Bale, mentions “I play that guy in my movies!” regarding to how he plays Christian Bale’s Batman. It brought forth such a deep emotional connection that these children had to film, because it was their only kind of connection to the outside world, even with how stylised and manufactured as such films are. I also was quite enamoured with the scene where the boys were all seeming to develop their own personal styles. Some of them cut their hair, started to dress differently, were moving out and got their own apartments, it seemed like they were truly no longer afraid of their father and the unbelievable rules that he imposed on them. I think it was a well-crafted documentary and will likely stick with me for a long time.