The Art of the Observer

A Personal View of Documentary

David MacDougall

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Paperback

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English

Manchester University Press
01 November 2022

Documentary movies & films; Anthropology; Social & cultural anthropology

Series: Anthropology, Creative Practice and Ethnography

The art of the observer is a personal guide to documentary filmmaking, based on the author’s years of pioneering work in the fields of ethnographic and documentary cinema. It stands in sharp contrast to books of academic film criticism and handbooks on visual research methods, being based extensively on concrete examples from the author’s own filmmaking experience. The book places particular emphasis on observational filmmaking and the ways in which this approach is distinct from other forms of documentary. It offers both practical insights and reflections on what it means, in both emotional and intellectual terms, to attempt to represent the lives of others. The book makes clear that documentary cinema is not simply a matter of recording reality, but of artfully organising the filmmaker’s observations in ways that reveal the complex patterns of social life.

By: David MacDougall
Imprint: Manchester University Press
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 234mm, Width: 156mm, Spine: 15mm
Weight: 399g
ISBN: 9781526165350
ISBN 10: 152616535X
Series: Anthropology, Creative Practice and Ethnography
Pages: 256
Publication Date: 01 November 2022
Audience: General/trade , College/higher education , Professional and scholarly , ELT Advanced , Primary
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active

David MacDougall is Honorary Professor in the Research School of Humanities and the Arts at the Australian National University, Canberra -- .

Reviews for The Art of the Observer: A Personal View of Documentary

'Particularly gratifying are the author's explorations of the work of his amateur collaborators, as in the chapter on films children in his video workshops made between 2011 and 2016. He respects their work and points of view and seems to have genuinely meditated on their insights without being patronizing. Mixing memory and analysis, this engaging book helps readers see the filmmaker and his craft anew.' Choice Reprinted with permission from Choice Reviews. All rights reserved. Copyright by the American Library Association. -- .