How Documentaries Work

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Jacob Bricca (Associate Professor, Associate Professor, University of Arizona's School of Theatre, Film and Television)

How Documentaries Work

Jacob Bricca (Associate Professor, Associate Professor, University of Arizona's School of Theatre, Film and Television)

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English

Oxford University Press Inc
08 May 2023

Documentary movies & films

"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."

By: Jacob Bricca (Associate Professor Associate Professor University of Arizona's School of Theatre Film and Television)
Imprint: Oxford University Press Inc
Country of Publication: United States
Dimensions: Height: 141mm, Width: 209mm, Spine: 14mm
Weight: 308g
ISBN: 9780197554111
ISBN 10: 0197554113
Pages: 232
Publication Date: 08 May 2023
Audience: College/higher education , General/trade , A / AS level , ELT Advanced
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active

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

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 for How Documentaries Work

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 *