MIDTERM - CR Post One

 

        For research, I watched op-docs and full documentaries. The first documentary being American promise following two boys from their childhood to freshman year collage. This documentary used both direct and indirect interviewing. The second documentary was Exit through the gift shop following popular artist, Thierry. This documentary is a major example of how opinion and perspective can form the audience's view on topics. I then watched episodic documentaries by ABSTRACT on Netflix. It showed different techniques including animation. 

I then watched two op-docs. The first I watched followed the locals of Norilsk, a heavily polluted city in Russia that is also very cold. The documentary had several interviews and engaging b-roll of the residents day-to-day life.  The op-doc was very raw, minimal technique and I believe that was its purpose. No animation or major music and sound effects, not even cinematic overlays. Just pure footage of the city slammed together over interviews. I really enjoyed this Op-doc.

The second Op-doc was close to home for me.  The familiar tongue of my home country. This op-doc was peculiar not because of the language but because it was pure interview footage, almost no b-roll. It was also silent. No music in the background just their words hanging in the air. There was use of both indirect and direct interviews. This allowed the slaughterhouse aspect to escape, and the topic of family to creep in.

I honestly enjoyed the op-docs and learned more of a minimalist technique.