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Cover

How Documentaries Work

Jacob Bricca

Publication Date - 24 January 2023

ISBN: 9780197554111

232 pages
Paperback
5 1/2 x 8 1/4 inches

In Stock

Description

How Documentaries Work breaks down the hidden conventions of documentaries in clear and accessible language for film students and documentary enthusiasts alike. Jacob Bricca, ACE, an award-winning documentary director, producer, and editor, provides a behind-the-scenes, under-the-hood view of what's really going on in the construction of nonfiction films and television shows. This book presents examples from contemporary documentaries and docuseries and delivers insights from some of the most exciting nonfiction filmmakers and craftspeople working today, including director Steve James (City So Real, Hoop Dreams), producer Amy Ziering (Allen v. Farrow, The Hunting Ground), editor Aaron Wickenden, ACE (Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain, 20 Feet from Stardom), and composer Miriam Cutler (RBG, Lost in La Mancha). Chapters such as "Flow," "Narrative," and "Time" offer a new way of looking at documentary film language, while others like "Titles," "Music," and "Sound" deliver extraordinary insights on seemingly ordinary topics. A compact volume written in plain, easy-to-understand language, this book promises to change the way you think about nonfiction films and television shows forever.

Features

  • Brings a new perspective to the study of documentary film language and conventions
  • Contains insights, stories, and behind-the-scenes revelations from over 20 top documentary filmmakers and craftspeople
  • Is easy-to-read and written without excessive jargon
  • Defines non-fiction filmmaking broadly, and contains discussion of and examples from reality television, competition shows, and other non-fiction shows such as Intervention, Hell's Kitchen, and Pool Kings

About the Author(s)

Jacob Bricca, ACE, is Associate Professor at the University of Arizona's School of Theatre, Film and Television. He is an award-winning documentary editor, producer, director, and scholar whose films have screened worldwide from Sundance to the Berlinale. His is the author of Documentary Editing: Principles and Practice (2018), a definitive textbook on documentary editing that is used by film schools around the world, including the USC School of Cinematic Arts, UCLA, and the MET Film School in London.

Reviews

"A masterful deconstruction of documentary techniques, with impressive original research. This book is recommended for everyone interested in how documentaries are made, especially students in film production and critical studies." -- Mark Freeman, Professor Emeritus, School of Theatre, Television, and Film, San Diego State University

"Jacob Brica's brilliant new book is a thoughtful and thorough exploration of the grammar of documentary. This is a must read --for filmmakers and viewers alike-- as Bricca deconstructs the tools and tricks of our trade. As someone who has been editing documentaries for years, I found that every word of this book rings true." -- Kate Amend, ACE

Table of Contents

    INTRODUCTION
    CHAPTER 1: RAW MATERIALS
    Verité
    Interviews
    Archival
    Reenactments and Animation
    Voiceover Narration
    Title Cards

    CHAPTER 2: MEANING
    Creating Meaning Within the Interview Frame
    Creating Visual Uniformity with Interviews
    Creating Meaning with Objects in the Frame
    Creating Meaning with Words
    Interview-As-Narration
    Creating Meaning with Verité
    Open vs. Closed Meanings

    CHAPTER 3: NARRATIVE
    The Setup
    Position
    The Crisis Moment
    Producing the Narrative Turn
    Producing the Narrative Turn with Juxtaposition
    Micro-Narratives
    Callbacks
    Non-Narrative Documentaries

    CHAPTER 4: PRESENCE FRAMING
    Observational Framing
    The Semi-Staged Scene
    The Participatory Frame
    Narration and the Participatory Frame
    Voice of God Narration
    Altering the Outcome
    The Reflexive Frame

    CHAPTER 5: FLOW
    Unifying with Sound
    Pivots and Pauses
    Juxtaposition
    Collective Memory
    CHAPTER 6: TIME
    The Experience of Time in Verité
    The Interleaving of Scenes
    Use of the Present Tense
    CHAPTER 7: TITLES
    Naming Characters
    Conferring Legitimacy
    Look and Feel
    Subtitles
    CHAPTER 8: ARCHIVAL
    Archival Treatments
    Manipulation of Newspaper Assets
    Historical Shorthand

    CHAPTER 9: SOUND
    Sweetening
    Foley
    Time and Space
    Framing Presence with Sound: The Cave & For Sama

    CHAPTER 10: MUSIC
    Fear of Music
    Film vs. Television
    Verité vs. Expository, Interviews vs. Archival
    Tone
    Procedural Music

    CONCLUSION The Brave New World of Hybridity in Documentary
    Acknowledgements
    Appendix: List of Films and Television Shows Cited

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