recap - the art of the documentary

Documentary filmmaking: Cinema Vérité; a non-fiction, non-scripted slice of reality
 illustrating the filmmaker’s passion for a subject, place or thing.

The art of the documentary lies with the filmmaker’s fervor to memorialize a piece of history, pulling together all of the segments which will tell their story. It is an endeavor that many have tried but that far fewer have succeeded in completing. But, with the help of the presenters of WIFTA’s The Art of the Documentary program, perhaps the success rate will surge.

Gayla Jamison, founding producer of Lightfoot Films, was one of the presenters for the evening. The noted filmmaker, who favors topics involving social issues, women’s rights and Latin America, showed her film Cuba, which portrays Afro-Cuban culture, art and spirituality expressed in musical form.

“The industry’s advance[ment] from sprocketed film to the video and digital media has certainly simplified shooting and editing,” said Jamison. She then went on to describe pre-production steps necessary to secure film crews and government permits when the location is an international setting.

While Jamison certainly shared many words of wisdom throughout the event, there was one sage piece of advice that seemed to resonate most with attendees: Jamison cautioned filmmakers to choose subject matter carefully, warning: “It could set the course of your career.”

Another key presenter at the WIFTA The Art of the Documentary program was Ms. Andrea Young, Executive Director of the Andrew Young Foundation. She showed an excerpt from Crossing In Saint Augustine, which is civil rights activist and diplomatic ambassador Andrew Young’s award winning documentary describing one of many scenarios of the civil rights movement of the 1960s. After the showing, she described the business side of documentary filmmaking and her role in securing funding for Andrew Young’s historical film projects.  She also noted that the many relationships Andrew Young forged during his noteworthy career helped in funding many of his award winning productions. Translation: Network!

The critical advice Young stressed in her final comments was to research! It was a lesson the Young production team learned firsthand. According to Young, forgotten / never-before seen archival footage further chronicling Andrew Young’s unforgettable mark on American history surfaced in preparation of her father’s documentary; the footage was an invaluable addition that enhanced the film.