Online Response 3 - Exposing vs. Observing

The expository mode of documentary "assembles fragments of the historical world into a more rhetorical or narrative frame than an aesthetic or poetic one," (Nichols). It employs indexical images, poetic and affective associations, storytelling qualities, and rhetorical persuasiveness. These types of documentaries rely heavily on spoken dialogue to inform the audience. Editing focuses on the gathering of evidence or creating the greatest impact, therefore often spatial or temporal continuity is altered. On the other hand, observational mode seeks to have as limited involvement in the events as possible. The idea is that the filmmaker sets up the camera and lets fate tell the story. Both modes were enabled by advances in camera and sound technologies in the 1960’s. Equipment became lighter, less obtrusive and easier to transport. It allowed more freedom of movement therefore leading to less strict control over staging, arrangement, or composition, and in the expository documentary, it allowed for easier access to all types of situations and people.

            An example of an expository mode documentary can be found in Micheal Moore’s film Sicko (2007) about the challenges with the America’s health care system. He spends some time following different threads of thought, gathering many diverse stories, and traveling to various countries to compare and contrast their healthcare systems with our own. Full of sarcasm and humor, he paints a pretty bleak picture of health care in the US. The film is clearly pushing a specific idea, a definite viewpoint of the filmmaker. Micheal Moore does spend time finding the facts and presenting them as they are, but they tend to be only facts that further his argument. He praises the virtues of socialized medicine, but he doesn’t talk about the tax burden this places on the average citizen. Nevertheless, the stories he tells are poignant and leave the mind reeling at the injustices of our system. He packs the strongest punch by pulling on the heartstrings attached to one of our most traumatic collective memories, 9/11. He ends the film with the stories of several 9/11 rescuers that suffer damaged health due to their heroic efforts, and the financial burden of their resulting health care expenses. In an interesting time-jump they go from searching help at Guantanamo Bay detainment camp to sailing into Cuba’s port. There, one of his subjects breaks into tears upon finding the price of her needed medication is a fraction of the price it costs in the US. Moore checks almost every box on the definition of expository documentary. It uses rhetoric to persuade, telling the story in the most impactful way, using indexical images and affective associations.

            

            Observational mode documentary can be exemplified by films such as Grey Gardens (1975) and American Movie (Smith, 1999). Both films attempt to pose as little interference as possible with the subjects; the strive to be “a fly on the wall.” In Grey Gardens, the filmmakers follow around a recluse mother and daughter for some time, recording them whenever and however the subjects want. They capture some fairly interesting conversations and some particularly curious situations. The mother-daughter duo essentially live in secluded squalor, with the filmmakers not doing much beyond watching them. In American Movie, Chris Smith follows a unique filmmaker in the process to make his dream film. The idea is that he places the camera where the action is happening and lets it unfold.

            Many have claimed that observational documentary is closer to reality, or at least a more truthful representation of it that any other form. The filmmaker attempts to give us an authentic and unbiased view into the world of someone else. However, understanding that we are largely creations of our circumstance, can anyone do anything unbiasedly? Is it even possible to present people or things in film with pure objectivity? In this case, would expository mode perchance be more truthful then? At least the filmmakers make no pretenses at being unbiased. They lay out their agenda and opinions clearly for those watching to do with as they will. However, perhaps it goes too far to claim expository mode as the most truthful; it is after all one person’s view of the story. I would dare submit that documentary film cannot deal so much in truth. I think its merits lie more in the ability to tell story and to give a voice to those who might not otherwise be given one.