A Question of A Question of EthicsEthics

By Lilly and TomBy Lilly and Tom

Information source: By Wanda BershenInformation source: By Wanda BershenA Question of Ethics: The Relationship A Question of Ethics: The Relationship

between Filmmaker and Subjectbetween Filmmaker and Subject

““Any filmmaker who sets out to make a Any filmmaker who sets out to make a documentary faces multiple documentary faces multiple challenges, not the least of which is a challenges, not the least of which is a set of ethical issues inherent in the set of ethical issues inherent in the process. How to portray the subjects of process. How to portray the subjects of the film? What to shoot and what not to the film? What to shoot and what not to shoot?  How to edit so that the film is shoot?  How to edit so that the film is true to its topic and subjects, yet also true to its topic and subjects, yet also works as a compelling story for the works as a compelling story for the audiences?”audiences?”

How to gain trust?How to gain trust? RestrepoRestrepo focuses on the experience of soldiers in combat in all its  focuses on the experience of soldiers in combat in all its

difficult and draining aspects: the constant danger, the loss of difficult and draining aspects: the constant danger, the loss of comrades, the discomforts of living for weeks and months in a distant comrades, the discomforts of living for weeks and months in a distant outpost in Afghanistan, and even the boredom between battles. outpost in Afghanistan, and even the boredom between battles. Directors Directors Sebastian Junger and Tim HetheringtonSebastian Junger and Tim Hetherington both have had both have had extensive experience covering wars and war-torn countries. They extensive experience covering wars and war-torn countries. They embedded themselves with a platoon of US soldiers and spent 14 embedded themselves with a platoon of US soldiers and spent 14 months, beginning in May 2007, in the Korangal Valley of months, beginning in May 2007, in the Korangal Valley of Afghanistan. Each spent about a month at a time and then switched Afghanistan. Each spent about a month at a time and then switched off with the other, sometimes overlapping for periods of time. Both off with the other, sometimes overlapping for periods of time. Both were well aware they would be working in one of the most dangerous were well aware they would be working in one of the most dangerous regions--far from any military bases and accessible only by helicopter.regions--far from any military bases and accessible only by helicopter.

Asked how they gained the trust of the unit, Junger and Hetherington Asked how they gained the trust of the unit, Junger and Hetherington remark that just choosing to go to that region sent a message that remark that just choosing to go to that region sent a message that they they were prepared to put themselves at the same risk as the were prepared to put themselves at the same risk as the soldiers.soldiers. The filmmakers followed the men into many battles and The filmmakers followed the men into many battles and recorded the terrible fear and tension, never knowing what would recorded the terrible fear and tension, never knowing what would happen next. And both directors were wounded while covering the happen next. And both directors were wounded while covering the battles. "I tore my Achilles and Tim went back, and then he broke his battles. "I tore my Achilles and Tim went back, and then he broke his leg and I went back," Junger recalls. "leg and I went back," Junger recalls. "The fact that we kept coming The fact that we kept coming back gave us a lot of credibility with the soldiers."back gave us a lot of credibility with the soldiers."

““Asked about restrictions from the military, Hetherington Asked about restrictions from the military, Hetherington says there were none, other than a stated agreement not to says there were none, other than a stated agreement not to film wounded American soldiers, or get their permission film wounded American soldiers, or get their permission later. The Army did ask to see a rough cut, but had no issues later. The Army did ask to see a rough cut, but had no issues with it. The filmmakers deliberately avoided any graphic with it. The filmmakers deliberately avoided any graphic representations of violence, feeling that would be a representations of violence, feeling that would be a distraction from what they wanted to show.”distraction from what they wanted to show.”

- When interviewing our more sensitive subjects, we must ask - When interviewing our more sensitive subjects, we must ask them if they would like to see the rough cut of our products, them if they would like to see the rough cut of our products, giving us enough time to make any changes if they wish. giving us enough time to make any changes if they wish.

- Also when writing our questions for our interview, ask the - Also when writing our questions for our interview, ask the subjects in the brief meetings before the interview if there is subjects in the brief meetings before the interview if there is anything they do not wish to be questioned on. anything they do not wish to be questioned on.

““For Kartemquin's recent film For Kartemquin's recent film In the FamilyIn the Family, about , about predicting breast and ovarian cancer and how women live predicting breast and ovarian cancer and how women live with the risk, director Joanna Rudnick was having a with the risk, director Joanna Rudnick was having a difficult time finding  a woman who shared the BRCA gene difficult time finding  a woman who shared the BRCA gene that she had. She felt that the most effective way of that she had. She felt that the most effective way of building trust with her subjects was to share her own story building trust with her subjects was to share her own story on camera with them, which enables viewers to see how on camera with them, which enables viewers to see how that relationship between filmmaker and subjects evolves that relationship between filmmaker and subjects evolves over time.” over time.”

- We can share our on own experiences online, particularly - We can share our on own experiences online, particularly with our anonymous subject, as we can make them feel with our anonymous subject, as we can make them feel like we relate to them. As we use social networking sites like we relate to them. As we use social networking sites ourselves, we can discuss experiences we have seen or ourselves, we can discuss experiences we have seen or been through. been through.

From reading this article by Wanda Bershen, we understand that we will From reading this article by Wanda Bershen, we understand that we will have to be extremely careful when approaching our topics. We must think have to be extremely careful when approaching our topics. We must think about the topic sensitively, taking into consideration how cyber bullying about the topic sensitively, taking into consideration how cyber bullying can affect a person or family. can affect a person or family.

We must ensure we are fully sure the interviewee is happy to answer the We must ensure we are fully sure the interviewee is happy to answer the questions we ask, as we must make them feel comfortable. questions we ask, as we must make them feel comfortable.

When approaching our subjects we must understand that they need to When approaching our subjects we must understand that they need to trust us first, we can tell them about ourselves and our details such as, trust us first, we can tell them about ourselves and our details such as, name, age, school, subject.name, age, school, subject.

We must ensure the interviewee’s know exactly what the documentary is We must ensure the interviewee’s know exactly what the documentary is about, so they can have more of an idea of what questions they will be about, so they can have more of an idea of what questions they will be asked. asked.

When approaching Dave Smith, we need to be careful in the wording of our When approaching Dave Smith, we need to be careful in the wording of our questions. The loss of a child is unthinkable, and therefor it is crucial that questions. The loss of a child is unthinkable, and therefor it is crucial that we have many different questions to chose from, so if Dave is we have many different questions to chose from, so if Dave is unformfortable with any we ask, that we have many other options to fall unformfortable with any we ask, that we have many other options to fall back on, and to ensure we build a relationship with him creating trust. back on, and to ensure we build a relationship with him creating trust.