Every year, I try to catch as many of the Academy Award documentaries as possible. And if there's a big doc that goes wild online or in theaters, I seek it out. To me, watching a documentary is like reading a book; it's supposed to make you smarter and help you understand a complex issue in the world.As filmmakers, we’re taught that documentaries are the "truth." But as anyone who has ever sat in an edit suite knows, the truth is something you manufacture between edits.People make docs because they have a distinct point of view that they want to get out in the world or inform us about.So, when does a documentary stop being an exploration of reality and start being a tool for manipulation?Let's dive in. - YouTubewww.youtube.comPropaganda vs. DocumentarySo, back in film school, I remember learning about this guy named John Grierson, who coined the term "documentary." He defined it as the "creative treatment of actuality."Which is a fancy way of saying it's a creative way to show the world as it actually is in front of us.That "creative" part is where all the trouble starts.The fundamental difference between docs and propaganda is simple:A Documentary starts with a question and searches for an answer.Propaganda starts with an answer and searches for the footage to prove it.Propaganda isn’t necessarily "fake news."Most of the time, they use real footage to try to make their points. But this is a difference in intent.If the film’s primary goal is to bypass...
Published By: NoFilmSchool - Yesterday