Getting the "Truth"

Documentaries...

1. Represent someones visions of the truth
2. Shape the truth
3. Is raw archive footage mpre truthful the staged scenes
4. Are more truthful than fiction
5. Capture the truth

There is some kind of order to these, but the order can be changed to the different opinions of audiences and documentary makers.

The truth is, a documentary is not necessarily what documentary makers strive for or obsess about, but more of an idea of the truth, in the distance. Documentary makers aim for 'verismimitude'- something like the truth, a version of the truth. Could be a very strong opinion on something or something that is completely biased and one sided.

Now a days we seem more about style and the way something is shot an edited, rather than finding the moral/truth of the documentary. The digital technology that we now have compared to the 1960's is incredible, for example:

• the cameras and microphones should be as close to events as possible, with the film or tape running continuously- we could say that now, a microphone can be quite a distance away from the event/ action and it will still be possible to hear what was going on. Digital cameras now have zoom lenses which allow the users to be a sufficent distance away and be able to see quite clearly, what is being presented.
• everything that happens was recorded, nothing was rehearsed or scripted- we seem to now want everything to be planned and rehearsed, to perhaps contradict the notion that we dont necessarily want the truth. Everything has be shot serval times and shown to the producers and directors before it is even gone to the editing room...

In the 1960's digital cameras looked like this <<<<

Meaning it was very difficult to get around, resulting in less shooting- however, the longer they left the camera in the room, the more footage they would get, then created the some of the best documentaries.

2012 cameras look like this ^^^ smaller and mobile, easy to get around and shoot things in tight spaces, resulting in some great shots and more meaning to some of the messages that are being portrayed in a documentary.