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25: Your ethical documentary film manifesto - make it count for something

1/14/2022

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  • Grasping ethical documentary filmmaking is difficult, for there are no standards, no code, nowhere to turn to. If you were studying cinematography you could go online and find out about lens, framing, the type of camera which will suit you; the same for audio, writing your treatment, finding funding. But when it comes to ethics, where do you go to?​
How does ethics affect documentary filmmaking?
  • When we set out to work with someone to tell their story, we have a moral responsibility to honour that person with their story and to truthfully convey what they tell us.
Questions we need to consider are:
  • How far is too far to go when filming another?
  • How far is not far enough?
  • How do we convey our point of view without distorting their story?


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  • No matter how difficult the subject matter, how sad, beautiful, engaging, it is about your subject's dignity
  • When my dear friend Stanley Lewis was dying, he allowed me to film him for Dust, A Sculptor’s Journey, (his biopic)
  • I filmed everything, but I did not use all the footage in the final work
  • I wanted to leave Stan with vitality and beauty. To linger on those last moments made me feel uneasy

Think about your topic, your approach, and take it easy and film with respect. In my soon coming online course - How to Kickstart your first documentary EVER, the 22 steps - I cover in detail ethics and legalities...Read more here

Have a great week. Enjoy, and thank you for passing by

Jeanne 
​​Today, as I write - 2021 - there IS NO OFFICIAL Ethical Code and Standard for filmmakers to adhere to
  • We need to create our own ethical standards and learn as much as we can
  • We need to understand what ethics in filmmaking means​
  • As documentarians, we need to know how to maintain established boundaries, which is never easy
  • We need to ask questions, but not cross lines
  • It is easy to take family and friends for granted when filming
  • We need to respect and treat everyone with dignity
  • We need to accept NO means NO. If our subject feels uncomfortable when being interviewed, we STOP
  • Many documentary filmmakers allow their subjects to see the film before it is finished while it still has a chance to be changed
  • I always show my subjects their part in the film and have removed certain details when they have objected
  • Being open in the beginning with your subject builds trust and communication
























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    Jeanne Pope

    Filmmaker, teacher, traveler and storyteller

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    Links to the Workshops
    1. How to find your documentary idea
    ​2. How to find your documentary approach
    3. Understanding the documentary genre
    4. Creating hybrid documentaries
    5. Understanding narrative storytelling
    ​6. How to film an unscripted documentary
    7. Tips and techniques for interviewing
    8.Why you need a release form
    9. How to use free public domain archives 
    10. Why write a documentary synopsis?
    11. Find funding for your documentary film 
    12. What documentary film equipment do you need? 
    13. Camera shots and techniques
    14. The Long Shot
    15. The Long Take
    16. Why you should use your cellphone
    17. Documentary film ethics
    18. Ways to fund your documentary
    ​19. Research or No research ?
    20. Digital storytelling Part 1
    ​21. Don't-overthink-your-documentary
    22. Ten tips to fine-tune your documentary
    23. Don't let your idea slip slide away 
    24. Give us more creativity for 2022
    25. Ethical code for documentaries
    26. Why a Pitch Deck is essential 
    27. Scrapbooking your memory
    28. Scrapbooking podcast 
    29. Digital-Storytelling Part 2
    30. The Paper Edit
    31. Location Scouting
    32. Genealogy and Documentary
    33. Reflecting on why we want to make documentaries
    34. How to make your documentary journey exciting 
    Other Links
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    Substack non fiction Jeanne Pope Family Soaps & Sagas
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    National Film Board of Canada for fiction, non-fiction and animation
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    Journal for the homeless nation of Montreal
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    British Film Institute, UK

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    Tips to help you find funding, grants and great film festivals
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    JEANNE POPE - Documentary China Blog 2015-2019
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    Stanley Lewis Sculptor appreciation website by the FRIENDS OF STANLEY LEWIS
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    Rusthall Community Cinema

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    Andrew's Art History Blog
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Thank you dear Jeanne. It is an honour to have your creative thoughts which are printed in this film. With your love energy, passion and creative thoughts and encouragement this film can have its own soul finally. Thank you so much". ​Tao Gu - Taming the Horse
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"Jeannette taught me the tools I needed, never having made a documentary before. She gave so much time, patience to show me, guide me and share her creativity and skills with me."  Dr. Zou Qialing, Beijing Film Academy, Qingdao Campus
Free online streaming: English
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Jeannette helped me find a path and create energy with my material which I first found so difficult to handle. With her help to become interesting and wonderful. She is interesting in class, lively in class, often in communication with students, very popular with students. Jeannette is a very conscientious documentary teacher." TianHui Li,  award winning filmmaker, Beijing Film Academy graduate. Concordia University graduate




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