response to Leacock Reading

Leacock makes a good point. Documentaries that only inform you rather than involve you are not worth watching at all, but how do you get an audience involved? When i think about it, trying to get all of the senses involved would be a good start. Obviously we are limited when it comes to actually appealing to certain senses such as smell and taste, but that doesn't mean we can't instill some sort of imagination about taste and smell.

Most importantly what can we do with sound and visual senses and what about emotions? what makes people interested in watching something regardless of the topic? when i think about what hooks me in are things that make me think or feel something. I like watching cooking shows because it makes me wonder what that would taste like or smell like. even things that are disgusting or don't sit well with me, i find myself still watching it because it gives me a feeling and i want to know more. things that connect to me with my senses and emotions are what i usually find myself watching.

documentaries today try and bring awe and investigate many different topics. even things that are soo small and insignificant, as long as they find an angle where people can relate and connect to it, then they will have success.

Creating sequences is what Leacock says leads him to a fantastic film yet in order to capture footage for these sequences spontaneity is important, but those who are being filmed always have a certain reservation about being filmed. They either over react, or tell a few fibs or try to give you want they think you want. this is not the only thing that could sabotage your film. you yourelf could destroy it! everything you do could destroy that.

i guess one of the ways to help avoid this is to try and stay out of the way and to always be prepared for something. the less they feel the camera is 'right there' the more they are willing to go on about their business. of course this depends on what type of documentary you are trying to film. maybe you want to cause drama and instigate something to happen, but merely having you there and the presence of the camera could change what you were expecting to get.