I did documentary film for a long time, and I spent a lot of time behind the camera, fervently wishing that the reality I was filming would conform to my narrative propriety. But you can't control it.
Sentiment: NEGATIVE
Filming is a witnessing process. You don't try to control it, even though sometimes you wish you could because it can go really, really wrong for you.
I came from the school of cinema verite documentaries, which was: Do not manipulate reality as it was happening but create a narrative in the editing room.
Well, like any time you're shooting documentary stuff, you've got to be in the moment, and you've got to be able to be in control enough to capture what's happening.
In documentaries, you're confronted with reality; you can not manipulate or move it.
When I make a film, I never want the film to become a vehicle of social propaganda. If I wanted to do that, I'd make documentaries.
I kind of always think my work is unfilmable, and when I meet people who are interested in filming it, I'm always stunned.
I believe every time you film anybody, you create reality with that person - whether it's fiction or nonfiction.
In documentaries, there's a truth that unfolds unnaturally, and you get to chronicle it. In narratives, you have to create the situations so that the truth will come out.
I've done all sorts of different kinds of action. We did a thing in 'Blood Diamond,' the attack on Freetown, where I carefully staged the action but did not show the camera operators what we were going to film - so it has the feel of documentary, trying to capture something, and that gave it a whole different feel.
I think documentary filmmaking is a braver way to make films because it's real, and you're really there.
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