Book Description
This is a thorough and definitive survey/history of documentary films. Concentrating mainly on the output of the US, the UK, and Canada, the authors outline the origins of the form and then show its development over the next several decades. The book is completely up-to-date in discussing films like Fahrenheit 9/11 and Aileen: Life and Death of a Serial Killer, and in its coverage of IMAX movies and the development of cable and satellite television outlets.
Written in a simple, chronological format, the text is straightforward and full of content, information, and historical perspective. (There is hardly any academic jargon or high-level theory.) Each chapter concludes with a list of the key documentaries in that particular time period or genre, and there are helpful appendices listing all the winners of the Academy Award for Best Documentary, as well as the winners of the Grierson Award.
Book Description
New Documentary provides a comprehensive account of the last two decades of documentary filmmaking in the US, Britain and Europe. Bruzzi discusses key genres, filmmakers, and issues for the study of non-fiction film and television. Bruzzi discusses the relationship between recent, innovative examples of the genre and the more established canon of documentary. She also explores how issues of gender identity, queer theory, performance, "race" and spectatorship are important to our understanding of contemporary documentary.
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Robert Coles, a child psychiatrist whose series of books on children won him a Pulitzer Prize, has turned his watchful eye to the nature of the documentary and produced a thought-provoking book. In somewhat the manner of James Faris's recent study, Navajo and Photography, Coles reveals how documentarians like Dorothea Lange and Walker Evans edited and cropped their images to produce a desired effect, and raises the question of authenticity versus manipulation. Lange, the subject of a previous biographical study by Coles, comes under close scrutiny as he contrasts her iconic image of a migrant mother with obscure photographs shot moments earlier. The author also recalls James Agee's self-critical appraisal of his and Evans's "insensitivity" and "arrogance" in pursuing an editorial assignment.
Book Description
Sitting in his study, William Carlos Williams once revealed to Robert Coles what he considered to be his greatest problem in writing a documentary about his patients in New Jersey. "When I'm there, sitting with those folks, listening and talking," he said to Coles, "I'm part of that life, and I'm near it in my head, too.... Back here, sitting near this typewriter--its different. I'm a writer. I'm a doctor living in Rutherford who is describing 'a world elsewhere.'" Williams captured the great difficulty in documentary writing--the gulf that separates the reality of the subject from the point of view of the observer . Now, in this thought-provoking volume, the renowned child psychiatrist Robert Coles, author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning Children in Crisis series, offers a penetrating look into the nature of documentary work. Utilizing the documentaries of writers, photographers, and others, Coles shows how their prose and pictures are influenced by the observer's frame of reference: their social and educational background, personal morals, and political beliefs. He discusses literary documentaries: James Agee's searching portrait of Depression-era tenant farmers, Let Us Now Praise Famous Men, and George Orwell's passionate description of England's coal-miners, The Road to Wigan Pier. Like many documentarians, Coles argues, Agee and Orwell did not try to be objective, but instead showered unadulterated praise on the "noble" poor and vituperative contempt on the more privileged classes (including themselves) for "exploiting" these workers. Documentary photographs could be equally revealing about the observer. Coles analyzes how famous photographers such as Walker Evans and Dorthea Lange edited and cropped their pictures to produce a desired effect. Even the shield of the camera could not hide the presence of the photographer. Coles also illuminates his points through his personal portraits of William Carlos Williams; Robert Moses, one of the leaders of the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee during the 1960s; Erik H. Erikson, biographer of Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther; and others. Documentary work, Coles concludes, is more a narrative constructed by the observer than a true slice of reality. With the growth in popularity of films such as Ken Burns's The Civil War and the controversial basketball documentary Hoop Dreams, the question of what is "real" in documentary work is more pressing than ever. Through revealing discussions with documentarians and insightful analysis of their work, complemented by dramatic black-and-white photographs from Lange and Evans, Doing Documentary Work will provoke the reader into reconsidering how fine the line is between truth and fiction. It is an invaluable resource for students of the documentary and anyone interested in this important genre.
Customer Reviews:
Documentary work related to literary fiction.......1999-03-04
This is an important book for "so called" documentary writers, photographers, and film makers. I say "so called" because we tend to think of documentary work as an accurate representation--literally the truth. Robert Coles pretty much shoots that idea down, showing how the background, beliefs, biases, hopes, and fears of the documentarian color the narrative. I came away believing that the word objective is not relevant here, and that it may be impossible to ever get at the truth. If I read Coles right, the documentarian may, in fact, be more akin to the literary fiction writer/photographer/film-maker, who does seem to get at the truth. This is not to say that documentary work is futile. On the contrary it can be potent, meaningful, and worthwhile. We may just have to look at it differently and face up to the fact that it reflects the person doing the documentary work as much as it does his/her subject. This is a liberating idea. And we owe a debt to Coles for proffering it. There are consequences, too. For instance, in the light of Coles' discovery, a lot of critics may owe an apology to Richard Avedon, whose photographic fiction, "In The American West," may be fine documentary work after all.
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The New Documentary in Action: A Casebook in Filmmaking
Alan Rosenthal
Manufacturer: Univ of California Pr
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ASIN: 0520022548 |
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Canvas Documentaries: Panoramic Entertainments in Nineteenth-Century Australia and New Zealand
Mimi Colligan
Manufacturer: Melbourne University Publishing
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Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 0522850197 |
Book Description
Moving panorama and diorama pictures came to Australia and New Zealand during the gold rush of the 1850s and 1860s, when entrepreneurs brought great lengths of canvas from Britain and America depicting battles and journeys from England to India and Australia; local artists soon followed suit. This in-depth look at the Australian panorama industry illustrates the influence of British and American popular culture in Australia and New Zealand, and provides fresh insight into the largely ignored visual and cultural influences that helped form the colonial experience.
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Mapping the Imaginary: Ross Gibson's Camera Natura (The Moving Images)
Deane Williams
Manufacturer: Samuel French
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 0958844321 |
Customer Reviews:
A great collection of viepoints.......1999-03-02
Although this is not the single best book on documentary film, it is arguably the best collection of essays gathered on the subject. A wide range of viewpoints are represented, and the organization is logical and easily understood. This was a text in a documentary production course I took as a graduate student, and now that I will be teaching such a course, I plan to use it as well.
Still relevant for today's documentarist........1998-06-14
The articles Rosenthal collected are the best in the field. The documentary needs more theoretical input like this to give the new film makers a better understanding of the art of documentary film making.
Uninformed, often silly........1997-02-03
Rosenthal comes at his subject from the point of view of a hack, and it shows. Depressing
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Special Edition
Daniel Einstein
Manufacturer: The Scarecrow Press, Inc.
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ASIN: 0810818981 |
Book Description
Einstein has developed a source to facilitate interpretive studies, filling a gap in the growing field of television studies...Recommended for collections supporting research in television, contemporary American history, and popular culture. --CHOICE
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Stranger Than Fiction: Michael Moore, Barbara Kopple, Errol Morris, and the New Documentary Filmmakers
Emanuel Levy
Manufacturer: Continuum International Publishing Group
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ASIN: 082641768X |
Book Description
The success of American documentaries over the recent past has prompted social critics and film commentators to herald the renaissance of a vibrantly innovative nonfiction cinema. When a political documentary like Michael Moore's Farenheit 9/11 grosses a staggering $120 million domestically, playing almost as well in European and other markets outside North America, you know that the documentary has arrived.
What is the story behind this phenomenon?
Acclaimed interpreter of the international social impact of the Academy Awards (And the Winner Is...., Oscar Fever, and All about Oscar--all published by Continuum), biographer Emanuel Levy is now the first to tell this story, profile the filmmakers, and interpret the impact of these films on our lives.
The past decade alone has seen Roger and Me, Paris Is Burning, Hoop Dreams, Bowling for Columbine, Crumb, and Inconvenient Truth.
Once relegated to public-broadcasting stations, cable channels, and regional independent-film festivals, the nonfiction genre of the documentary is increasingly viewed as popular entertainment worthy of multiplexes, shown at full-admission prices. One measure of the new cache is the willingness of both established and new directors to spend long, hard years on their work. A growing number of Hollywood's key players, such as Martin Scorsese, Jonathan Demme, Oliver Stone, and James Cameron, all better known for the features, have now contributed to the genre with personal, often idiosyncratic docus that have further elevated the art form.
The book chronicles the careers and works of all those in the vanguard of a movement that shows no signs of slowing down. Michael Moore, Barbara Kopple, Errol Morris, Michael Apted, James Klein, Julia Reichert, Fred Marx, Steve James, Peter Gilbert, Al Gore, and many others are featured in this groundbreaking study, which also includes valuable information on Oscar-winning documentaries as well as the most-commerical documentaries of all time.
Customer Reviews:
New Revelations of Old Forms.......2007-08-29
Schoenberg writes from a traditional harmonic standpoint. But he is aware of the fact that the primary systems of analysis are very limited to these traditional sounds and harmonies. Therefore Schoenberg sets out to put into work a new system for harmonic analysis which will work fine on traditional harmonies as well as on newer, more outside progressions. He achieves all of this through his idea of regions within music, a specific idea with a broad goal. By leaving the intricacies of traditional harmonic analysis and widening his scope, Schoenberg presents a system we may all need to take a second look at.
not for beginners.......2007-01-03
Well it looks like naj "jak" here is almost as clueless as he thinks the book is. He should know that Theory of Harmony is not a book to LEARN harmony, its a book that teaches you in detail the purposes and most advanced properties of such. If you're looking to begin music, do not buy this book. If you are a musician looking for a (in my opinion) genius's perspective on one of the most fundamental elements of music...then thats the book for you.
Important book, but make sure you have a solid background before you take this on........2005-11-30
This is an important book because it is a document written by Arnold Schoenberg. He wrote it from the way he taught his students harmony. If you know Schoenberg's tonal music you know how highly chromatic it is. It moves from tonal center to tonal center almost without the listener understanding how far they are traveling. This book uses his concept of region and that is not something taught in your freshman - sophomore theory courses.
If you want to read this book, make SURE you have a strong grounding in traditional theory first. Then ground yourself in Schoenberg's treatise on harmony. Then take on this little book. Otherwise it will be opaque to you.
However, just because you can't understand what the composer wrote, don't suppose that it is nonsense or dismiss it because of your own lack of comprehension. Schoenberg was a very important composer and understood the methods of composition very well. He certainly had his own views, however idiosyncratic they may be. It is simply that when you are Schoenberg you can do things lesser musicians cannot.
pure nonsense.......2005-09-18
From the very start this book did not do a good job of clarifying its title or it vocabulary used in its analyses.I think that he thought by using the word function that it would add some esteem or he fancied himself a mathematian. The writer schonberg at the begining of the book first page after the title page the uses word triad a ,three note chord, which I never understood and I think involves a lot acoustic science that mr. schonberg never had or b.s.ed that he had. Succesion, progression,tonal all vague or historically obscure. The entire book has sheet music in it and parts from scores whichs seems to me he could have simplified and condensed his thinking. I think anyone who read/reviewed this book and liked it is putting on the airs because it is in style or the hip thing to like schonberg and it would be uncool amongst intellectuals not to like schonberg. Time to search for alternative ways of understanding music for anyone really is interested in bringing music out of the educational stone age because it has been neglected for to long and has been everyones side project.Fractal science shows progress.
Master Class.......2001-03-22
If you are a musician and want to know more about harmony, Schoenberg's thoughts should be at least considered. You might not necessarily agree with him, but keep in mind that Schoenberg always taught from a traditionalist standpoint. Despite his "revolutionary" logo, Schoenberg never cared much for music before Bach. Even Schoenberg's idol and so-called reactionary, Brahms, thought highly of Josquin DesPres. And while there are probably better teaching books around, considering Schoenberg's music will be played 200 years from now (at the very least, Verlarkte Nacht) and yours probably won't (unless it's used on TV ad or played on an oldies station), you might want to get some idea of what makes this guy so utterly fascinating.
Book Description
A brilliant investigation into musical structure and experience through a systematic exploration of tonality, melody, harmony, texture and rhythm, and their important interpretations. These are illuminated in penetrating analyses of musical works ranging from early madrigals and Gregorian chants through Bach, Beethoven and Brahms to Ravel, Bartók and Berg. Index. Prefaces. Introduction.
Customer Reviews:
Structural Functions in Music....But Not Grammer.......2003-09-06
Very informative. Berry explores deep into the chore of musical functioning. An extremely useful resource for students and professionals alike. However, grammatically, Berry's unending use of extremely long run-on sentences, unnecessary wordiness and excessive punctuation take more than their toll on a reader. The structure of every last sentence in this book is so complicated that it is often difficult to understand what idea Berry is attempting to convey. There are at least four commas and often 1 or more colons and or semi colons in almost every single sentence. A good tool, but difficult beyond necessity to the point of hindrance.
A 'must have' book for musicians, composers and students........1999-05-27
Structural Functions in Music is an excellent source of ideas for any composer, performer, or student. Though not entirely an 'easy read', it is full of useful information. It covers several fundimental areas of music, and provides a very scientific and in depth look. As a composer, and a music lover in general, I have found a great deal of inspiration from this book. Though a bit dense for the average reader, I consider it a 'must have'.
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Introduction to Documentary:
Documentary: A History of the Non-Fiction Film
Documenting the Documentary: Close Readings of Documentary Film and Video (Contemporary Film and Television Series)
The Art of the Documentary: Ten Conversations with Leading Directors, Cinematographers, Editors, and Producers (VOICES)
Representing Reality: Issues and Concepts in Documentary
