Migrant Worker

Your 10-film introduction to the Ozu Cinematic Universe… from Tokyo Story to An Autumn Afternoon.

An Autumn Afternoon (1962)

Ozu will be celebrated as part of the BFI’s nationwide Japan season in May-September 2020
Yasujiro Ozu’s labelling as “the most Japanese of all the Japanese directors” has at best served as a distraction from the merits of his films, at worst a complete turnoff. Too often have English-language writers misleadingly emphasised the role of his country’s artistic and philosophical traditions in shaping his distinctive aesthetic.
If anything, Ozu was a modernist, his finger fixed firmly on the pulse of the here and now in which he created his works. Early films drew influence from Hollywood comedy and melodrama, while the later ‘home dramas’ for which he is most celebrated exude a warmth and pathos that can be universally enjoyed.
Ozu’s idiosyncratic approach is characterised by an unusually low static camera position that flattened the image, his films unfurling as a series of meticulously composed tableaux. Speaking characters are usually framed in medium close-up, positioned at unconventional angles to the camera, resulting in his much commented upon mismatched eyeline effect, while his transitional ‘pillow shots’ – cutaways to everyday items such as teapots, vases or laundry on the line – appear to serve no narrative purpose other than linking individual scenes.
Ozu pared down his aesthetic throughout his working life, to the point that towards the end he had eradicated all moving camera shots and devices such as wipes, dissolves and fade-ins and outs. There’s a dramatic minimalism too, with the stories relayed objectively through no single character perspective, and key plot points such as courtships and marriages often omitted entirely. This has led to another misapprehension, that Ozu’s gentle portraits of family life are slow and nothing much happens, which may be true if approached with conventional narrative expectations.
But watching Ozu without all the baggage, one discovers a world that is charming, poignant and often funny. Here are 10 of his best.

I Was Born, But… (1932)

Only 36 of Ozu’s 54 films survive to this day. He made the bulk of the lost titles, including his debut and only period drama, The Sword of Penitence (1927), during the silent era. His early ‘nonsense films’ and college comedies in particular betray the strong influence of Hollywood pioneers like Ernst Lubitsch, Charlie Chaplin and Harold Lloyd, while reflecting the economic and social realities of a rapidly urbanising 1930s Japan through its landscapes and domestic spaces.
I Was Born, But… – a major survivor from this era – is a witty take on the class system and features two young brothers newly arrived in the suburbs, where their father has been transferred, who are forced to play hooky after being hounded by the local rough kids. After witnessing their dad making a prat of himself in his boss’s home movies, screened in front of his work colleagues and their families, the humiliated pair go on hunger strike. The event clearly undermines their father’s credo that hard work earns prestige.
This charming film demonstrates Ozu’s wonderful handling of child performers and was his first to be voted the best of its year by Japan’s leading film magazine, Kinema Junpo.

Dragnet Girl (1933)

This Yokohama-set crime drama is barely recognisable as a Japanese film (save for its Japanese performers), let alone one from the future director of Tokyo Story (1953). Kinuyo Tanaka plays an office girl who keeps bad company but is soon to be sidelined due to her gang-boss boyfriend’s soft spot for the sister of a rookie boxer he is managing.
The style, costumes and settings are resolutely modern and western, with the gangsters clad in trilbies and trench-coats. The story unfolds in smoky billiards halls, boxing gyms and jazz clubs, each of the various locales adorned with candlestick telephones, gramophones, advertising posters, cocktail shakers and soda syphons, demonstrating Ozu’s fastidious approach to his arrangements within the frame.

A Story of Floating Weeds (1934)

The hallmarks of the Ozu style are much more evident in this portrait of the dramas within an itinerant kabuki troupe in which not all of the family relationships are immediately apparent. There’s the immaculate composition and placement of objects within the frame, the insert ‘pillow shots’ of everyday articles such as laundry and teapots to mark passing time, and the camera’s rejection of any human perspective as it charts the characters’ comings and goings within a limited number of locales with an almost clinical objectivity.
Ozu, who came to the talkies at a relatively late stage with The Only Son (1936), remade this silent film in a sound and colour version, Floating Weeds, in 1959. Despite the very Japanese subject matter, the story was based on the 1928 American film The Barker.

Late Spring (1949)

The postwar era saw Ozu and his screenwriter Kogo Noda narrowing their focus almost exclusively towards family life. Late Spring might be described as the archetypal Ozu set-up, and the first in the so-called ‘Noriko trilogy’, in which Setsuko Hara played effectively the same character in different household situations. Hara’s ability to appear both modern and independent while embodying traditional feminine virtues of demureness, politeness and emotional restraint is well served in her role as the dutiful daughter to a devoted widower father (played by another Ozu regular, Chishu Ryu), who is as concerned about her unwedded status as she is about abandoning him to live alone.
Immaculately realised and deceptively simple, Ozu’s bittersweet portrayal of the inevitable break-up of the family unit as the lifestyles of the two generations are, by necessity, pushed further apart, counts among his finest.

Early Summer (1951)

More than just cosy nostalgia, Ozu’s later works present unique snapshots of the minutiae of family life at precise points in time, as if preserving in amber the patterns of behaviour of the various members of the extended households they follow as they negotiate their work, family and social obligations. While as similar in theme and style as they are by title, they do, however, vary in tone, with this Jane Austen-like tale, the second in the ‘Noriko trilogy’, lighter in approach than its seasonal predecessor.
This time Ryu plays Hara’s older brother (in Tokyo Story he would play her father-in-law), whom she lives with together with their parents, her sister-in-law and her two young nephews. Noriko and her remaining singleton friends, carefree and happy-go-lucky women in their late 20s, don’t seem particularly eager to marry, even as the other members of the household make it their duty to find her a suitable match.
Beneath the serene veneer presented by its characters’ quotidian interactions, there’s an underlying air of stifled melancholy to Noriko’s situation, alluded to by the repeated transitional cutaways to caged canaries and the rigid grid-like patterns of the domestic interiors, exaggerated by Ozu’s characteristic low-angle shooting.

Tokyo Story (1953)

Ozu’s best known title and his first to be shown overseas, playing in London in 1957 and awarded the Sutherland Trophy the following year, Tokyo Story has regularly and justifiably appeared at the top end of international polls for the greatest film of all time.
It follows an elderly couple’s trip up from the sticks to visit their offspring in the capital, who, preoccupied with their own daily lives, treat them with a casual indifference bordering on the heartless. Only their daughter-in-law, Noriko (Hara’s third appearance as a character with this name), widowed after their son was killed during the war, has any time for them.
Tokyo Story is painful in its honest depiction of a family fragmented by the strictures of modern living, while the old couple’s sightseeing excursions take on a more melancholic aura with the awareness that the reconstructed skylines they look out across had been, barely a decade before, little more than rubble.

Early Spring (1956)

One of Ozu’s lesser-known titles, and certainly among his more pessimistic, Early Spring evokes the plight of two intelligent young people at odds with the demands of modern life, trapped in a loveless marriage in which the dreams of their youth have failed to materialise. The husband, a disillusioned white-collar worker bound to the surrogate family of his office environment, falls for the charms of a vampish colleague, leaving his wife alone within a domestic space that’s conspicuously empty of life compared with the director’s other films of the period.

Equinox Flower (1958)

For his first colour film, Ozu chose the deeper, more saturated tones of Agfacolor over the Eastmancolor industry standard, and there’s a notably playful emphasis on the vivid scarlet teapot in the family living room, which occupies a pivotal position among all the comings and goings of the members of the Hirayama household.
The story, about a middle-class, middle-aged couple’s attempts to find a suitable husband for their headstrong eldest daughter, only to find she has romantic ideas of her own, is quintessential Ozu. So too is the style, with the low camera angle serving to flatten the image into a series of frontal planes, the characters negotiating themselves within the geometry of their quotidian environment and routines.

Good Morning (1959)

The impact of new social developments on the family unit is relayed in playful fashion here, in a tale of two brothers who decide to stop talking in protest against their father’s refusal to buy them a TV set and as a reaction against the vacuous banter of the adults in their community. As per usual there are several sub-stories involving other characters, namely some missing funds suspected of being embezzled from a neighbourhood community club and an ongoing farting competition among the local boys, which should put paid to Ozu’s rather highbrow and rarefied reputation. This is certainly a film anyone can enjoy.
Good Morning is often described as a modern reworking of I Was Born, But…, although it’s worth mentioning that the siblings Minoru and Isamu share the same names, and Chishu Ryu as their father, with the boys of Early Summer.

An Autumn Afternoon (1962)

Despite his focus on the family, Ozu never married, living his adult life with his mother who died but a few years before he himself succumbed to cancer on his 60th birthday on 12 December 1963. Unsurprising, perhaps, that his final film is a meditation on the loneliness of ageing. For all that, it’s a remarkably upbeat one, with Chishu Ryu returning as the widower who, treated like a child by his own stony-faced offspring, spends most of his out-of-office hours drinking with his former schoolfriends and moping around an attractive bar hostess. Lonely, but never alone, he seems passively resigned to the same fate as his former teacher, now an old soak living and running a ramen shop with his surly, unmarried daughter.
Ozu’s striking abstractions of the image and reinvention of cinematic grammar had reached its apogee by this point. Despite the film’s overriding cheery tone, the cutaway ‘pillow shots’ of smoking factory chimneys, television aerials on high-rise roofs and piles of stacked up oil drums in rundown neglected backstreets suggest a director fully aware that his own era was coming to an end.

Blogger-Akash Shinde😍 (Assistant Director)

Student Of Journalism and Mass communication.

In 1916, the German government decided to ban all foreign films. With a sudden demand for more domestic titles, there was an understandably dramatic increase in the number of films produced in Germany each year. However, German audiences had become less preferential towards romance and action flicks since the beginning of WWI, and themes of violence, cruelty and betrayal become more relevant topics for discussion. This unfortunate set of circumstances, along with the constant fear of hyperinflation, provided a platform for daring, innovative filmmakers such as Fritz Lang (Metropolis) and F.W. Murnau (Nosferatu) to make German Expressionism one of the most important and influential movements in cinematic history.
“I am profoundly fascinated by cruelty, fear, horror and death. My films show my preoccupation with violence, the pathology of violence.” – Fritz Lang
Unlike most other cinematic movements, Expressionism doesn’t solely belong to filmmaking, and existed prior to the invention of cinema. Fortunately, this helps us understand Expressionist principles and how they were utilized by filmmakers. Consider Edvard Munch’s The Scream, arguably the most famous Expressionist painting of all time; you can clearly see how the concept allows moods to be expressed by creative distortion. It shows an impression of a scene, as opposed to its physical reality. On film, this ideology can apply to every aspect of the creative process, from dream-like set designs to melodramatic on-screen performances. For this reason, German Expressionist cinema also has close-knit ties to architectural design. Films such as The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari and Metropolis are often studied as perfect examples of how set design can be used to create a world that is aesthetically controlled by the film’s emotional instructions.
German Expressionism Portrays a Subjective, Emotional World Rather Than An Objective Reality
The movement radically challenged conventional filmmaking at the time, and has provided food for thought for the industry ever since. Today, the enduring influence of German Expressionism can be seen throughout the medium, with critically acclaimed directors such as Ridley Scott and Tim Burton consistently taking influence from Expressionist work. On a broader scale, German Expressionism’s enduring impact within the horror genre cannot be overstated, helping to shape the genre’s frameworks upon which the entire genre still relies on.

Characteristics of German Expressionism 
High angles
Deep shadows/chiaroscuro lighting
Extreme camera tilting
Impossible sets
Icons of German Expressionism
Now that we have somewhat of an understanding, let’s look at some examples. German Expressionism isn’t the easiest style to define, but seeing is believing, right?
The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920)
Written by Hans Janowitz and Carl Mayer, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari was based on the writers’ experiences as WWI soldiers and their distrust of authoritarian leadership. The filmmakers chose to deliberately distort reality in order to disorient the audience to invoke a feeling of the time rather than a truthful or realistic depiction.
The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920)
Nosferatu (1922)
The grandfather of all vampire movies that set the bar for every horror movie to come after. F.W. Murnau’s film is a thinly veiled adaptation of Bram Stoker’s “Dracula.” And it holds up today as one of the most visually effective horror films. We’ve got the entire film here, if you dare.
Nosferatu (1922)
Metropolis (1927)
Fritz Lang’s silent film uses expressionist imagery to comment on technology consuming society. The film is deep in exaggerated imagery heightening the emotion that drives the plot. 
Metropolis (1927)
The Haunted Screen (1998)
If you’re looking for a super deep dive into German Expressionism, we’ve got a feature documentary called The Haunted Screen. It covers everything including the social circumstances that informed these artists and their rarely seen films.
The Haunted Screen, feature length documentary
German Expressionism radically altered cinema. In particular, the love of chiaroscuro lighting survived and evolved into film noir and the horror film. There’s no denying that it helped build the visual foundation on which the entire genre rests.
If you’re looking for the perfect example of German Expressionism’s legacy, consider the work of Tim Burton.
Tim Burton, a direct stylistic connection
Edward Scissorhands is a direct descendant of Dr. Caligari. You can see the angled and broken architecture of the set, the extreme light/shadow work, and the look of Edward himself. Now look at Burton’s other work and you’ll see that the haunted soul of German Expressionism lives on.
What is chiaroscuro?
In this post we briefly discussed the criteria of German Expressionism in film. Deep shadows and high contrast lighting create a nightmarish feel and are the markings of the style. That technique is expanded upon as we define the term chiaroscuro. 
What is Chiaroscuro in film?
Chiaroscuro lighting is a fancy term but you’ve probably seen it a hundred times. Let’s define it generally, discuss how it’s used in cinema, and then briefly get into its history.
CHIAROSCURO DEFINITION
What is Chiaroscuro?
Chiaroscuro is an Italian term used to describe the technique of using light and dark in an artwork, particularly paintings. It originally comes from the days of the Renaissance, and combines the Italian words: “chiaro” meaning “clear” or “bright,” and “oscuro” meaning “obscure” or “dark.”  It refers to the dramatic effect experienced when using contrasting areas of light and dark in a piece.
In cinematography, the term refers to the extremes of low and high-contrast lighting to create areas of light and darkness in films. This applies especially to black and white films. Often the light would only illuminate half of the subject’s face, while obscuring the other side, giving them a three dimensional shape and volume. Hollywood Film Noir made this their standard, though it came well before the 40s and 50s. And German Expressionism is also associated with this technique.

WHAT ARE SOME CHIAROSCURO EXAMPLES IN CINEMA?
The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920)
Nosferatu (1922)
T-Men  (1947)
Because this technique obscures part of the subject in question, it’s often used to create suspense, and is common in thriller or horror films.

Psycho 1960
In 1915, Cecil B De Mille is supposedly the first filmmaker credited with the term while filming The Warrens of Virginia. The actors’ faces were half lit and half in shadow, and Mille had to defend the lighting style to studio executives. Over two decades later, film noir nearly embraced it as their own. 
In 1481, Leonardo Da Vinci was most likely the first artist to use the technique, with the painting Adoration of the Magi. But of course, it’s hard to know for sure.
CHIAROSCURO IN FILM
Chiaroscuro examples in film
Below are some examples of the lighting technique in cinema. 
Francis Coppola’s, The Godfather, is a film that is known for its dark lighting, often only lighting half of a character’s face, a critical component in chiaroscuro. The film effectively re-introduced such high contrast lighting back into American mainstream cinema. Watch the video below to see how the filmmakers lit the infamous franchise. 
Lighting Techniques of The Godfather
Before we get to the earliest examples of the technique in film, let’s jump to a more modern use. 
The opening of scene of Martin Campbell’s, Casino Royale, from 2006, is also lit this way. Watch it below. 
Chiaroscuro lighting in modern cinema
We mentioned above some of the first films that employed the technique.
Director, Anthony Mann, uses it in the 1947 film, T-Men.
T-Men, 1947
The next is from German filmmaker, Robert Wiene, in the 1920 film, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari.
The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari Chiaroscuro Example
LIGHT YOUR FILM
How to use chiaroscuro
If you’re interested in how to light your own projects this way, take a look at the how-to video below. 
Chiaroscuro Lighting Tutorial
To learn more lighting techniques, take a look at our next article.

German Expressionist Films (1919 – 1931)

METROPOLIS (CREDIT: UFA/PARUFAMET)
By 1912, film was still commonly disputed as a legitimate artform within Germany, with many theatre professionals boycotting the industry entirely. Whether they genuinely considered it to be lowbrow entertainment or simply wanted to protect their own industry is unclear, but in either case the boycott ultimately failed. By 1913, this opinion had largely faded and many of the industry’s naysayers were contracted by the very studios they had opposed. The concept of ‘Autorenfilm’ arose, by which a famous writer would become the selling point for a film’s production – particularly if the writer had created the film’s source material. Although Stellan Rye’s The Student of Prague (1913) saw notable success through this technique, the concept of Autorenfilms soon lost the attention of the filmgoing audience and studios were once again looking for a way to capture people’s imagination. Then came a blessing in disguise, at least from the studios’ perspective.
In 1916, the German government had become dissatisfied with the popularity of foreign films, particularly those they believed to be attacking Germany. It was decided that all foreign films would be banned for the foreseeable future, allowing domestic studios to completely corner the market and produce considerably more films each year to greater success. By 1920, this increase in supply and demand had clearly led to a boom in the industry, allowing German Expressionist directors such as F. W. Murnau, Fritz Lang, Robert Wiene and Lupu Pick to develop unconventional storytelling for the masses.
These directors proved that, perhaps better than any other medium before it, film allows us to visually and existentially explore the dark corners of human psychology. With stories of despair, betrayal and the occasional sign of hope, the movement established staples of the horror genre – but its influence also stretches much further. From immediately recognizable designs in Star Wars to the character development for Batman’s Joker, German Expressionists initiated the beginnings of many pop culture landmarks we see today. Below you’ll find a brief timeline of the films that formed the movement from 1919 until 1931, along with the context in which they were created.
Nerves (1919) Nerven – by director Robert Reinert

NERVES (1919) CREDIT: SÜDDEUTSCHES FILMHAUS
When the leader of a rebellion is accused of rape, a court case ensues. Nerves explores the lives of Germans with varying social status. Focusing on a factory worker, a celebrated teacher and a soon-to-be revolutionary, the film allows director Robert Reinert to delve into Germany’s post-WWI ‘nervous epidemic’ and the relationship between a character’s woes and their mental health.
Opium (1920) by director Robert Reinert

OPIUM (1920) CREDIT: STERN-FILM
A professor researching the effects of opium is told about a particularly effective opiate. While seeking out the deadly drug, he meets a woman in despair.
Director Robert Reinert would sign a contract with film studio UFA (Universum-Film Aktiengesellschaft) from 1925, but died from a heart attack just three years later.
Power (1920) Algol – Tragödie der Macht – by director Hans Werckmeister
A coal miner obtains a powerful device from an extraterrestrial from the planet Algol (explaining the film’s original title). Despite intentions to use the machine as a force for good, the miner’s actions have unexpected implications. Notably, Power’s set design was constructed by Walter Reimann, who made history with his work on The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari in the same year.
The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920) Das Cabinet des Dr. Caligari – by director Robert Wiene

THE CABINET OF DR. CALIGARI (CREDIT: DECLA-BIOSCOP)
A sinister hypnotist called Dr. Caligari uses a somnambulist to commit murders. Writers Hans Janowitz and Carl Mayer used the film to express their distrust of authoritarian figures, a belief that was inspired by the pacifistic duo’s experiences throughout WWI. At the time of the film’s release, foreign restrictions on German films were starting to become more relaxed, perhaps explaining why The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari had a greater impression on American cinema than Robert Reinert’s Nerves, which was released one year earlier and had explored similar themes.
The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari is often considered to be the quintessential German Expressionist film. It’s celebrated for its striking visual style, painting harsh lines and intense shadow contrasts onto the film’s set designs to create a representation of the character’s subjective reality. This distinctive style was adopted by Tim Burton for films such as The Nightmare Before Christmas and Edward Scissorhands, and its influence on the horror genre cannot be overstated.
From Morn to Midnight (1920) Von morgens bis mitternachts – by director Karl Heinz Martin
A Cashier embezzles a wealthy Italian woman and leaves his small provincial home for the capital. Based on the play by Georg Kaiser, From Morn to Midnight is considered to be one of the most radical German Expressionist movies. From Morn to Midnight explores themes of wealth, greed and tumultuous pursuits for satisfaction. The film has five acts, and boasts avant-garde set design from Robert Neppach, whose art direction would go on to have an enduring influence on the movement as a whole.
Genuine (1920) Genuine, die Tragödie eines seltsamen Hauses – by director Robert Wiene
An artist’s portrait of Genuine, a high priestess, magically comes to life. She is imprisoned by an eccentric Lord, spurring a nightmarish series of events as she fights for her freedom. In stark contrast to Robert Wiene’s other release in the same year, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, Genuine was generally disliked upon release, perhaps due to the film’s unusual narrative thread. It is, however, a great example of the extent to which directors like Wiene were willing to experiment with complex narratives throughout the Expressionist movement.
The Golem (1920) Der Golem, wie er in die Welt kam – by directors Carl Boese & Paul Wegener

THE GOLEM (1920) CREDIT: UNIVERSUM FILM (UFA)
Inspired by the Jewish folklore character of the same name, the film is Wegener’s third release focused on the Golem. Set in 16th-century Prague, a rabbi magically gives life to a creature made from clay in order to stop the persecution of Prague’s Jewish community. The Golem is a key expressionist film when considering the movement’s enduring impact on international horror, and is lauded as one of the first films belonging to the genre.
Panic in the House of Ardon (1920) Der Schrecken im Hause Ardon – by director Robert Wiene
Also known as Die Welteroberer (The World Conquerors), Panic in the House of Ardon centers on a crime syndicate trying to obtain a chemical company’s scientific breakthroughs. The film features Stuart Webbs, a fictional detective that appears in 33 other German titles throughout the era. The Sherlockian character was devotedly portrayed by Ernst Reicher from 1914 until 1926, beginning with The Black Triangle (Die geheimnisvolle Villa) and ending with Lupu Pick’s The Armoured Vault (Das Panzergewölbe).
Destiny (1921) Der müde Tod – by director Fritz Lang

DESTINY (CREDIT: DECLA-BIOSCOP AG)
For his eighth feature film, legendary Expressionist director Fritz Lang explores themes of love and separation. Destiny shows a woman obsessed with reuniting with her deceased lover. After an encounter with Death, she is given three opportunities to save him, on the condition that she is able to save one of three lives that currently hang in the balance; The Story of the First Light shows a man exposed to be an infidel during the holy month of Ramadan, The Story of the Second Light takes place in Venice, where a noblewoman plots to kill her fiancé, and The Story of the Third Light focuses on a Chinese magician.
Destiny was largely inspired by the Hindu tale of Sati Savitri, and was reportedly written in-part as a reaction to the death of Lang’s mother. The image of Death also reappears in a number of the director’s films, reportedly inspired by a supernatural experience during his childhood.
Shattered (1921) Scherben – by director Lupu Pick
In the dead of winter, an inspector moves into the home of a poverty-stricken family. Shattered is considered to be the first ever ‘Klammerspiel’ film, a term coined for titles that explores lower-middle class German life.
Grausige Nächte (1921) – by director Lupu Pick
Grausige Nächte continues Lupu Pick’s attempts to depict the struggles of everyday people living in post-war Germany. Evelyne and her child live with her fiancé, a troublesome drunk. However, she is desperate to leave for a better existence.
Nosferatu (1922) Nosferatu, eine Symphonie des Grauen – by director F.W. Murnau
In this unauthorized adaptation of Bram Stoker’s Dracula, Nosferatu explores the exploits of Count Orlok, a mysterious figure whose very name seems to distress the locals.

NOSFERATU (CREDIT: PRANA FILM)
Although Nosferatu is often regarded as one of the masterworks of German Expressionist cinema, this unauthorized adaptation was initially met with a lawsuit that resulted in a mass-burning of the film’s prints. Despite this, a few copies of the film survived as they had already been distributed internationally. Despite taking most of its key components from Dracula, Nosferatu made a global impact on the horror genre and continues to develop vampire lore as we know it. For example, Dracula is only weakened by sunlight, while Count Orlok can be entirely destroyed by it, forcing him to sleep during the day and hide in the shadows; this trait is far more common in modern day vampire fiction than Stoker’s original concept.
Nosferatu’s legal troubles led to the bankruptcy of Pana Films after the release of just one title, but also made F. W. Murnau a famous director synonymous with the horror genre. As time has passed, Nosferatu has been lovingly remembered for its innovative ideas and masterful direction, rather than the story’s conspicuous use of Stoker’s intellectual property.
The Burning Soil (1922) Der brennende Acker – by director F.W. Murnau
Released only days after the premiere of Nosferatu, Murnau’s next film focused on a young man consumed by greed. After the death of his father, Johannes leaves his family farm to work for Count Rudenberg. Despite seducing the Count’s daughter, a revelation leads him to take new interest in the Count’s second wife instead.
Phantom (1922) by director F.W. Murnau

PHANTOM (1922) CREDIT: DECLA BIOSCOP
After a road accident with a woman driving a carriage, Lorenz becomes obsessed with the female rider – a mentality that begins to destroy his life. Phantom is based on a novella of the same name by Gerhart Hauptmann, a German novelist best known for literary naturalism.
Crime and Punishment (1923) Raskolnikow – by director Robert Wiene
Based on Fyodor Dostoyevsky’s acclaimed novel of the same name, the film centers on Raskolnikow, a man suspected of murdering an elderly woman. Although somebody else falsely confesses to the murder, Raskolnikow’s troubles are far from over. Throughout film history there have been an overwhelming number of adaptations of Crime of Punishment. In fact, there were already 6 adaptations in existence prior to Wiene’s 1923 effort, proving his skill as a director by making his own adaptation stand the test of time.
Warning Shadows (1923) Schatten: Eine nächtliche Halluzination – by director Arthur Robison

WARNING SHADOWS (1923) CREDIT: PAN-FILM
Written and directed by American-born Arthur Robinson, Schatten shows a rich man orchestrating a puppet show for a group of bachelors. However, the puppeteer is revealed to be a witch, and the young men are consequently cursed with terrible dreams that serve a harsh warning.
The Treasure (1923) Der Schatz – by director Georg Wilhelm Pabst
Marking Pabst’s directorial debut, Der Schatz centers on a mythical treasure that was lost during the Turki invasion of Marburg. However, the search for a mythical reward leads a family into turmoil when an old worker begins to speculate that it may be hidden within their home.
The Hands of Orlac (1924) Orlacs Hände – by director Robert Wiene

THE HANDS OF ORLAC (CREDIT: PAN-FILM)
A world-renowned musician tragically loses his hands in an accident, but is miraculously given a new pair. Unfortunately for the pianist, his new hands once belonged to a murderer, leading to severe consequences.
Orlacs Hände is based on Maurice Renard’s Les Mains d’Orlac. The story was also adapted in 1935 by Karl Freund, and again in The Hands of Orlac (1960), featuring horror icon Christopher Lee as Nico the Magician. The story, along with Robert Wiene’s adaptation, also inspired titles such as Oliver Stone’s The Hand (1981) and Robert Florey’s The Beast With Five Fingers (1946).
New Year’s Eve (1924) Sylvester – by director Lupu Pick
Sylvester is a Klammerspiel film taking place on New Year’s Eve. While celebrating with his family, a man must cope with the bitter rivalry between his mother and his wife. The film is celebrated for its entfesselte Kamera techniques, now known as ‘unchained camera techniques’, which gave much greater mobility to cinematographers and in turn gave filmmakers dynamic shooting possibilities.
Lupu Pick would go on to direct 7 more features and continue his work as an actor before passing away in 1931.
The Last Laugh (1924) Der letzte Mann – by director F. W. Murnau
When an aging doorman for a prestigious hotel is demoted, his shame leads him to conceal the truth from his friends and family. But when the truth is discovered, he is ridiculed by society. The Last Laugh is another Klammerspiel film exploring the lives of the lower middle class, and Murnau deliberately tried to avoid the use of title cards throughout the film.
Lupu Pick was originally signed on to direct the project, but left after a disagreement with writer Carl Mayer. Along with Pick’s New Year’s Eve, the production is also noteworthy thanks to innovative ‘entefesslte Kamera’ techniques by cinematography Karl Freund. This included techniques that are synonymous with shoe-string budget filmmaking nowdays, such as strapping a camera to Freund’s chest and giving him a bicycle to ride while shooting. The cinematographer’s efforts utilized camera movement as a powerful storytelling tool, and the production undoubtedly shows a stepping stone towards the filmmaking tools we see today, such as camera dollys and steadicams.
Die Nibelungen (1924) – by director Fritz Lang
Based on The Song of the Nibelungs (Nibelungenlied), a German poem from around 1200 AD, Die Nibelungen tells the story of Siegfried, the heir to King Sigmund and his adventures. Among his exploits include the slaying of a dragon, a hunt for treasure and the turmoils of love.
Die NIbelungen was adapted by Thea von Harbou, who was married to Lang at the time. It can also be classified as a series of two films, Die Nibelungen: Siegfried and Die Nibelungen: Kriemhild’s Revenge.
Waxworks (1924) Das Wachsfigurenkabinett – by directors Leo Birinsky & Paul Leni
A waxwork museum hires a writer to create stories related to their sculptures, including the tales of Harun al-Rashid, Ivan the Terrible and Jack the Ripper. Waxworks would mark Paul Lini’s final film in Germany, before moving to the United States in 1927 to work for Universal.
Faust (1926) Faust: Eine deutsche Volkssage – by director F. W. Murnau

FAUST (CREDIT: UFA/MGM)
Murnau’s final German film is an adaptation of the legend inspired by astrologer Johann Georg Faust. In what may be one of Germany’s most famous tales, Mephisto the demon wages a bet with an archangel. If Memphisto is able to successfully corrupt a righteous man, he wins control over the entire Earth.
Prior to Metropolis in 1927, Faust was undoubtedly the most ambitious production to be released by UFA. Although the film wasn’t able to recuperate its budget at the box office, it is now celebrated for its use of early special effects and Murnau’s influence on large-scale productions. After directing Faust, Murnau moved to the United States to work for the Fox Film Corporation on Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans.
The Student of Prague (1926) Der Student von Prag – by director Henrik Galeen
Remaking the 1913 title of the same name, which was loosely based on Edgar Allen Poe’s William Wilson, The Student of Prague also takes inspiration from the Faust legend. It would be Henrik Galeen’s most acclaimed film since The Golem’s release in 1915, and is still arguably his greatest achievement.
Tartuffe (1926) Herr Tartüff – by director F. W. Murnau
Based on Molière’s play of the same name, which is also known as The Imposter, the film is another team-up from Murnau, Freund and screenwriter Carl Mayer. The film’s protagonist, Balduin, wishes to find love but is obstructed by his dire financial situation. He is offered the chance to obtain a fortune, but the deal comes with an unusual catch.
The Cat and the Canary (1927) – by director Paul Leni
On the 20th anniversary of a millionaire’s death, his family finally meets in the old man’s mansion for the reading of his will. This American production helmed by Paul Leni is a horror comedy based on John Willard’s play of the same name. It is a blend of theatrical comedy and German Expressionist filmmaking, which influenced horror comedy for years to come. In fact, the film has also been cited by Alfred Hitchcock as an influence on his own work.
The Cat and the Canary was a critical success, particularly concerning the way Leni was able to juggle two seemingly opposing tones. It also serves as a clear example of how German Expressionism influenced the American film industry from the 1930s onwards.
Metropolis (1927) by director Fritz Lang

METROPOLIS (CREDIT: UFA/PARUFAMET)
In a dystopian metropolis with huge disparity of wealth, the son of the city’s leader encounters Maria, a symbol of hope for the working class. Together they strive to bring societal change to their city.
Metropolis is a key title in film history and has had an overwhelming influence on the industry as a whole. For example, Star Wars famously modelled C3-P0 on Metropolis’s robotic shell, while Blade Runner’s celebrated cityscapes were heavily influenced by the film’s cubist, futurist architecture. But these examples only scratch the surface of how Metropolis continues to remain a memorable asset within pop culture; In the 1980s, legendary music producer Giorgio Moroder collaborated with some of the decade’s most celebrated musicians, including Adam Ant and Freddy Mercury, to create a new score the film. In 1949, Thea von Harbou’s story was adapted into a popular manga, which in turn was developed into an anime (Metoroporisu) in 2001 by Rintaro, yet another example of the film’s enduring global impact.
The Man Who Laughs (1928) – by director Paul Leni
A man is sentenced to death in an iron maiden after refusing to kiss the hand of King James II. The victim’s son is then systematically disfigured in order to shame his father, leaving a permanent ‘smile’ on his face. The son, named Gwynplaine, joins the carnival and becomes ‘The Laughing Man’.
Continuing his work with Universal Pictures, Leni’s The Man Who Laughs is an adaptation of Victor Hugo’s novel of the same name. Perhaps most notably, the film is credited as one of the first examples of a Universal production that transitioned from silent cinema to utilizing the Movietone sound system, the optical sound-on-film method that guaranteed synchronicity.

THE MAN WHO LAUGHS (CREDIT: UNIVERSAL PICTURES)
The Man Who Laughs is a source of inspiration for DC Comics’ hugely popular character, The Joker; a figure that is often voted as the greatest villain of all time among millennial audiences. In particular, Cesar Romero’s portrayal of the character throughout the 1960s TV show Batman bears a striking resemblance to Conrad Veidt’s The Laughing Man. However, the inspiration can also be seen throughout the villain’s comic book history and in other interpretations of the character.
Asphalt (1929) by director Joe May
Noted as one of the final silent films to come out of the German film industry, Asphalt tells the story of a criminal seeking redemption. As the titular would-be heroine, Asphalt wants to leave her life of trickery after a chance encounter with a man.
To create the critically acclaimed aesthetics of Asphalt, director Joe May worked with Expressionist designer Erich Kettelhut, who had previously worked on Metropolis and Dr. Mabuse the Gambler (Dr. Mabuse der Spieler) with Fritz Lang.
M (1931) M – Eine Stadt sucht einen Mörder – by director Fritz Lang

M (PARAMOUNT)
When German police officers fail to uncover the mysteries surrounding a child-murderer, the criminal underworld takes matters into their own hands. M is Fritz Lang’s first sound film, and the director’s personal favorite from his own filmography.
Before shooting began, Lang’s controversial production faced a number of roadblocks. As well as receiving death threats for wanting to depict a child’s murder on-screen, Lang was initially denied access to a studio because the Nazi party thought the original title, Mörder unter uns (Murderer Among Us), meant the film would serve as anti-Nazi propaganda.
Vampyr (1932) by director Carl Theodor Dreyer (as Carl Th. Dreyer)
Loosely based on J. Sheridan Le Fanu’s In a Glass Darkly, Vampyr centers on Allen Gray, a man who uncovers the mysteries surrounding a supposed vampire who can force humans into submission.
Having just made the widely acclaimed The Passion of Joan of Arc, Vampyr was Carl Theodor Dreyer’s first sound film. He was largely inspired to make Vampyr thanks to the success of the stage version of Dracula, which became popular in New York and London in 1927.
Nazi Germany and the End of German Expressionism:
By the 1930s, key figures of the German Expressionist movement had moved to the United States to work for large American studios, and technological advancements in sound design was forcing a seismic shift in the way filmmakers told stories. Similarly, many tools that had been utiiized throughout the German Expressionist movement, such as ‘entefesslte Kamera’ techniques, had progressed the industry far beyond what had been available prior to the Expressionist movement.
Politically, Germany had become radicalized and Adolf Hitler was appointed Chancellor of Germany in 1933. With the Nazi party now in power, Joseph Goebbels was appointed Head of the Reich Ministry of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda. Their mission was to seize control of all aspects of German culture, and a division was created to focus solely on the film industry. However, that didn’t mean German Expressionist filmmakers were excluded from the industry by default. On the contrary, Goebbels believed he could manipulate Fritz Lang’s talents as a director. Although his film The Testament of Dr. Mabuse was set to be banned in Germany, Goebbels asked Lang to become Head of UFA film studios. This, understandably, was the night Lang fled the country for France. Robert Wiene also lived in exile, residing in Budapest after receiving an offer to make One Night in Venice in Hungary. Prior to this, Wiene feared for his future after the Nazi party banned his 1933 film, Taifun. He would die of cancer in 1938, by which time Lang had joined Paul Leni and F.W. Murnau in the United States.
References
Fritz Lang: The Nature of the Beast
Silberman, Marc (1995). German Cinema.
Hall, Phil. “THE BOOTLEG FILES: “NOSFERATU””.
Wakeman, John. World Film Directors, Volume 1.
Hedges, Ines (2009). Framing Faust: Twentieth-Century Cultural Struggles.
Kauffman, Stanley. “The Mark of M”. The Criterion Collection.
Jensen, Paul M.. The Cinema of Fritz Lang. New York: A. S. Barnes & Co.. 1969. SBN 498 07415 8. pp. 93
Havis, Allan (2008), Cult Films: Taboo and Transgression, University Press of America, Inc., page 10
Thomson, David (2012) The Big Screen: the story of the movies New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux

The word “documentary” defies easy definition. Here are some versions from various reference guides and textbooks:
“Documentary concerns itself with representing the observable world, and to this end works with what [John] Grierson called the raw material of reality. The documentarian draws on past and present actuality — the world of social and historical experience — to construct an account of lives and events. Embedded within the account of physical reality is a claim or assertion at the centre of all non-fictional representation, namely, that a documentary depiction of the socio-historical world is factual and truthful.”
–Keith Beattie, Documentary Screens: Nonfiction Film and Television, p. 10.
“Documentary is the creative treatment of actuality.”
— John Grierson, Cinema Quarterly 2.1, p. 8.
“Documentary defines not subject or style, but approach. … Documentary approach to cinema differs from that of story-film not in its disregard for craftsmanship, but in the purpose to which that craftsmanship is put.”
–Paul Rotha, Cinema Quarterly, 2.2, p. 78.
“A non-fiction text using ‘actuality’ footage, which may include the live recording of events and relevant research materials (i.e. interviews, statistics, etc.). This kind of text is uually informed by a particular point of view, and seeks to address a particular social issue which is related to and potentially affects the audience.”
–Paul Wells, “The Documentary Form: Personal and Social ‘Realities,’” An Introduction to Film Studies, 2nd ed., ed. Jill Nelmes, p. 212.
“[A]ny film practice that has as its subject persons, events, or situations that exist outside the film in the real world.”
–Steve Blandford, Barry Keith Grant, and Jim Hillier, The Film Studies Dictionary, p. 73.
“A nonfiction film. Documentaries are usually shot on location, use actual persons rather than actors, and focus thematically on historical, scientific, social, or environmental subjects. Their principle purpose is to enlighten, inform, educate, persuade, and provide insight into the world in which we live.”
–Frank Beaver, Dictionary of Film Terms, p. 119.
“A nonfiction film about real events and people, often avoiding traditional narrative structures.”
–Timothy Corrigan, A Short Guide to Writing About Film, 4th ed., p. 206.
“Film of actual events; the events are documented with the real people involved, not with actors.”
–Ralph S. Singleton and James A. Conrad, Filmmaker’s Dictionary, 2nd ed., p. 94.
“A documentary film purports to present factual information about the world outside the film.”
–David Bordwell and Kristin Thompson, Film Art: An Introduction, 5th ed., p. 42.
“A film or video presentation of actual events using the real people involved and not actors.”
–John W. Cones, Film Finance and Distribution, p. 154.
“A type of film marked by its interpretative handling of realistic subjects and backgrounds. Sometimes the term is applied widely to include films that appear more realistic than conventional commercial pictures; at other times, so narrowly that only films with a narration track and a background of real life are so categorized.”
–Edmund F. Penney, Facts on File Film and Broadcast Terms, p. 73.
“A term with a wide latitude of meaning, basically used to refer to any film or program not wholly fictional in nature.”
–James Monaco, The Dictionary of New Media, p. 94.

When it comes to documentaries in particular, there are a few more things to be kept in mind before starting to write a script. Documentary scripts do share many common elements with scripts for fiction films, shorts and features alike. However, they also have their own specific considerations:

Documentary deals with fact, not fiction. Most importantly, documentaries delve into a non-fictional world with real events, real issues, real conflict, real people and real emotions. Everything seen and heard on screen is grounded in accuracy and has no element of fiction.

Documentary is flexible. Unlike fictional films, documentaries have no fixed visual and conceptual guidelines per say. It’s impossible to concretize events or decide one way or the other about how the film will turn out eventually. There are fewer ‘rules’ to be followed, which reflects the fact that there are few rules in the real world as well. This makes it more challenging but infinitely more exciting.

Documentary inspires movement and action. At the very heart of documentary, there is an issue and a message at hand. The passing on of this message to the audience is usually the reason that the film was made in the first place. Documentaries have long been used as an instrument to inspire change in their audience, be it social change or inner change.

Documentary involves less control. Unlike fiction films, documentaries must be shot in the real world and show real events happening. Often, the filmmaker is unable to control the event he is shooting as well as the circumstances surrounding the event. It’s difficult to think about lighting when in the middle of a sniper shootout! There is less control over the subject in documentary; however this unmodified, improvised element is often the very charm of non-fiction films.

Documentary subject is paramount. Documentaries are inherently bound to their subject matter. Since their purpose is so issue-specific and their circumstances are non-fictional, the subject is the most important aspect of documentary films and is given precedence over other aspects, for example: entertainment value. In fact, until recently filmmakers scoffed at the idea of a documentary being entertaining. This attitude has, of course, changed now but subject still remains the dominant element.

Credibility is key in Documentary. The emergence of the documentary as a recognised cinematic genre in the 1920’s inherited the trust of the audience in the veracity of the image as an authentic representation of the real. Today, we are much more skeptical, even with documentaries. Audience trust, once lost is gone forever so a documentary, in this day and age, must always provide credible information and sources to put a suspicious audience at ease.

Form is more important than formula. There are no recipes in documentary films. Every subject and issue is specific and is showcased on film in its own appropriate manner. Form and the layout in which a subject is showcased in a film are important as they add value to the film, but there is no one tried and tested way to do this.

In addition to these conceptual considerations, the screenwriter must ask a number of practical questions as well: ·
Why is this film being made? ·
What does the producer/client/financier want to achieve through the film? ·
Who is the targeted audience and what should their reaction to the film be? ·
How much does the audience already know about the subject? ·
What will be the film’s technical conditions of use (Black & White/Multi-colour? Animation? Etc) ·
What is the budget of the film?

These factors contribute significantly to the nature of the script for the simple reason that, at the end of the day, film like any other art is a product. Artistry must go hand in hand with practicality, production technicalities and, of course, economics. You may ask yourself,

“What difference does a film’s budget make to a script?” The answer is, enormous. It would be easy to write a powerful scene about an ancient battle in a foreign country but the reality of it is that the film crew would have to fly there, hire hundreds of men, use elaborate costumes and props and perhaps even hire trained horses for authenticity.

There would even be the additional costs of transport, food etc. This could be an expense the budget does not allow. The scriptwriter will probably have to write a ‘cheaper’ version of the same scene, which might be to shoot abstract visuals of a few men’s feet running, weapons clashing, bloody faces etc and supplement them with the voice of an historian talking about the battle in question and what happened in it. Less elaborate? Certainly. Less powerful? Not necessarily.

RESEARCH, RESEARCH, RESEARCH: YOU CAN’T SAY IT ENOUGH!

Every film, especially a documentary, has a ‘value’. This could be social, political, historical, philosophical, artistic or of some other kind. The amount of research a scriptwriter puts in is directly related to the ‘value’ of the film.

In the rush to get started, many people often skim over the research process. Especially in films that involve subjects of a personal nature; for example: a person’s journey within his own family to explore social dynamics. A scriptwriter could be instructed to write a script on a live event that was shot some time ago, like a riot, or for a film on the thoughts and feelings of a celebrity already captured in detail on camera. He might ask himself, “How can I possibly add anything more to the subject information?” Even in films that seem straightforward and detailed information has already been given to the scriptwriter, there is always room for more research. There are simply no shortcuts that will provide the quality of a well-researched film.

Suppose a scriptwriter has the footage of a live riot, shot by the filmmaker, along with a detailed log of the events that took place before, during and afterwards, the filmmaker’s personal thoughts about his experience and on-camera interviews with people on both sides about their views. He may think he has enough information to write a fairly comprehensive script and he would be right. However, what if he did a little study on the political, historical and social reasons why that riot may have taken place for some extra context, or if he spoke to a few more people who were involved on that day and who may have seen something he didn’t know about. Perhaps he could visit the riot site, or meet an expert on riots and get his perspective on what happened and even collect the newspaper coverage of that riot and think about the role of media in that event. He could even go so far as to place himself in the middle of a riot (highly unadvisable) to get a first-hand perspective on the experience. In the end, he may or may not use any of the so-called ‘extra’ information he gathered, but his in-depth knowledge on the subject would be extremely valuable in creating an insightful and engaging script.

Curiosity

The best research is done when there is a genuine desire on the part of the scriptwriter to learn more about the subject of his documentary. This is easier said than done, especially when you get that dreaded call about writing a script on the inner components of a diesel generator, but inspiration and curiosity go a long way in helping a scriptwriter. After all, if you’re not excited about it, how on earth are you going to make hundreds, thousands or even millions of people excited? Therefore, the first step in the research process would be to develop a healthy interest and curiosity about the subject of the film. The scriptwriter must ask himself some important questions:

What have I not yet been told about this subject?
Is everything I have been told the truth? How much do I need to verify?
What would I personally like to know about this subject?
If I were a member of the audience, what would I want to learn about this subject?
What can I find that is little known on this subject?
If the shooting has not yet started, what information can I gather that would aid the filming process?
Quantity Vs Quality

One of the more important questions that scriptwriters have is, “How much research is enough?” The quality of research is far more important than the quantity. After all, if you were a writing a script for a film on the First World War, you could spend a lifetime studying the subject and never meet that script deadline. One of the more important skills of the scriptwriter is to segregate relevant information from the irrelevant. This can be done by having detailed and on-going communication with the filmmaker at all times. The focus of the film and the subject matter it is dealing with must be kept in mind at all times. Any information gathered or lead followed must first be put through a ‘relevancy test’. The scriptwriter must ask himself:

Is this information or source of information directly related to the subject of my film?
Is it necessary for the audience to know this information?
Will this information add to the overall quality of the film?
Even if it is relevant and will add value, is it more relevant than all the other information I have gathered so far?
Will I be able to incorporate this information into the script even if it is relevant to the subject?
The ‘Strategy’

Almost every scriptwriter starts off with a research strategy. After all, it’s extremely inconvenient to be in the middle of writing a script when a new piece of information crops up. It’s important to think about and list down every approach and every source you will use to gather information needed for research. The all-important question that usually crops up is, “Where do I look?”

Each scriptwriter has his own sources and approaches for gathering information and many use the same tried and tested ways throughout their careers. A few places to start are:

Print Research :

There are millions of places to look in print: Newspapers, books, magazines, journals, digests, reports, archives, diaries…the list is endless. The scriptwriter must decide which one will be suitable for subject-related information gathering and then physically get hold of the required publication. The usual places to go for finding print material are libraries, bookstores, institutions and organizations with archives and, of course, the internet. Other places could be antique book stores, publishing houses and academic institutions. People also keep print material in their houses and that out-of-print, obscure thesis you were looking for could be lying in your neighbour’s house so it never hurts to ask around.

Unless your film is about something extremely specific, chances are you’ll have a stack of a hundred relevant publications lying in your house waiting to be read. Chances also are you’ll probably not have enough time to read all of them. The art of scouring through large amounts of print material quickly can only be picked up over time, however a novice scriptwriter should try and train his eye to skim over words and stop to read bits of text which occur to him as something he could put in his script or which sounds interesting and should be kept aside. It also helps to keep a look out for ‘keywords’ or words that strike a chord because of their meaning. These words can be used later on in the script, if you are going to write narration. In addition, you may be exploring the idea of including visuals of print material in your film as well, in which case you must select and isolate this material carefully for filming later.

Field Research :

Since film is a visual medium, it is integral that a scriptwriter get an accurate picture of the visual information in the film. He could go to the various locations in which the film will be shot, or to locations where events took place earlier or will take place in the future. The scriptwriter could attend related events or even put himself into places where the people in the film will be or would have been. He could even go to museums, art galleries or any kind of public viewing space where he could gather information. The ‘field’ exists only in relation to the subject of the film and therefore the options are endless and should be visited upon the scriptwriter’s discretion.

Once the writer reaches a location, it is important to look out for things which might be relevant to the script. You could track events as they happened or look for clues that could reveal facts much like a detective. How to gather field material when on location is subjective to the film, but the scriptwriter must keep a look out for all things visual that can be incorporated as images within the script. The culture of the area should be learnt, the people met, the details noted. Once you gather this knowledge, you must keep it aside for future reference. It also helps when on a shooting location, to note things like where the sunlight comes from at what time and what the sounds are heard around the area. These little details will help you design the script in a more artistic and insightful way.

Interview Research :

Nine times out of ten, a scriptwriter will be called upon to write a script about something he knows nothing about. Factual knowledge can usually be easily attained from print and field research; however the scriptwriter must also gather perspective. Not one but many. The best way to gain perspective is to speak to people directly and indirectly connected with the subject. Films are a medium for people, by people and therefore a human perspective is imperative for any film. Interview research, which is basically meeting people and asking them questions, is a must for every film.

The scriptwriter must first decide whom to speak to and what to ask them. Normally, the first person or people to seek out are the experts on the subject at hand. They can provide the scriptwriter with not only knowledge but the benefit of their experience. If there are specific events in the film, then the scriptwriter can speak to people who were involved with the events, directly and indirectly. The selection of people should be varied to get different, even opposing, types of information from each. The questions to ask them should cover a range of ideas and should typically include factual and emotional elements as well as opinions and insights. These conversations should be recorded carefully and relevant points should be kept aside. It always helps to listen to any ideas they may have about how you can ‘treat’ the film conceptually, irrespective of whether you incorporate their opinions into the script or not. Who knows? Somebody may give you a gem of an idea.

Inner Worlds & Metaphors :

Every scriptwriter has a different personality, a different perspective.
Consequently, every scriptwriter has something unique to contribute to a film. This is often one reason why filmmakers come to a specific writer to write their scripts again and again. Imagination is the biggest talent and tool of the scriptwriter. Although not for everybody, a very effective approach at the research stage can be to look within oneself and gather the benefits of past experiences and try and create an emotional stance on the matter at hand. On a spiritual level, meditating upon the inner world within oneself can be a powerful way of harnessing knowledge locked within the sub-conscious mind and perhaps, if one believes so, the power of the collective unconscious or the cosmos.

Metaphors or parallels exist all around us in our lives. Sometimes, we see something that reminds us of something else or inspires us in a particular way. It could be completely unrelated to the object or concept it invokes a memory of, but still portray it in a meaningful way. You could see a highway ridden with rush hour traffic and be reminded of thousands of ants filing in an out of an anthill carrying food. Or the same sight, with horns blaring and drivers swearing, could make you think about the conquest of a robotic age over humaneness. The possibilities and metaphors around us are endless, just waiting to be picked out by an inventive and imaginative writer.

Digging Deep

Every scriptwriter wants to write a brilliant script and it’s a well known fact that some profound investigation needs to be done for this to be accomplished. So what exactly is digging deep and going beyond the facts? What exactly is the scriptwriter looking for and how can it be defined? There are a few ways of looking at these concerns. Suppose a scriptwriter is researching a film on the migratory killer whales or Orcas off the New Zealand coast. Here is an example of the kinds of research material he might look for:

The ‘Top’ of the issue

The top of the issue includes the facts; killer whales and their appearance, migratory patterns and when they go, where are they spotted, their behavior, their sounds, activities, intelligence. The scriptwriter could delve into scientific research being done on the whales by interviewing two marine researchers, lets call them Ted and Sue, a couple who live and work on the New Zealand coast. The writer could find out the history of the Orcas and the role that humans played in it. Ted and Sue could even take the scriptwriter on a whale observing expedition, where he would experience the whales first hand and also get an idea of what could be shot for the film.

The ‘Heart’ of the issue

The scriptwriter could find out more insightful details about the whales as living creatures and fellow mammals. Do they love, do they hate? Why do they beach themselves all together – is it really collective suicide because they mourn their dead like us humans? What kinds of relationships do they have among each other? Yes, a mother whale is attached to her calf, but are the aunts, the uncles? What do they say to each other when they click and whine? Have Ted and Sue ever come into close contact with any whale? Did they feel a connection? How did the whale react to human contact and was it significant in terms of its emotional value? What did the scriptwriter feel when he looked at a whale for the first time and did he get a sense of the ‘spirit’ of the creature?

The ‘Root’ of the issue

The scriptwriter would find out that the whales have a tragic history because of the excessive whaling that took place in past decades. This tragic and brutal past was because of people, who hunted them almost to extinction. Could their subsequent conservation by people later on be a result of guilt? The scriptwriter could ask what larger role this film could have and the answer might well be to aid in conserving the Orcas for the future by dispelling myths and increasing awareness. This could the message of the film; that everybody needs to get on board to save the killer whale and help them flourish in the oceans.
The ‘Branches’ of the issue

The scriptwriter could try and find related issues that would add value to the film.
Does the migration of the whales have any effect on the surrounding ecosystems? How about thinking about the spirit of travel or of the ocean itself? Perhaps talk to a person or a group of people who have saved a beached killer whale in the past. Or go in the opposite direction and talk to a person who has killed a killer whale or eaten one. The possibilities of branching out to explore the issue in greater detail are endless. The scriptwriter should then choose which of the details add value to the film.

Finding Challenges

An issue, when explored in a film, is incomplete when there is nothing introduced that challenges it. The scriptwriter must study the challenges facing the killer whale and their survival as a species. What is being done by people that is hurting their health and causing their numbers to decline, if at all? Are there any challenges put forth by nature that they have to overcome, for instance, like changing temperatures in the waters of the Antarctic? How about large sharks and the threat they pose? Then, the scriptwriter must ask, ‘Is it possible for the killer whales to triumph over these challenges?” and “If they can, then how?” and possibly even, “What can people (i.e. the audience) do to help?”

Sifting the rice from the chaff: The Post-it Method

Once you’ve done all there was to do, gathered every bit of relevant information, followed every interesting lead and asked every insightful question, chances are you’ll have more material than you need. At this stage, it’s time to start thinking about which bits of information are going to figure in the film. It’s time to start ruthlessly eliminating material that just doesn’t tell the story. A film lasts for only so long and there are only so many things to be said.

Organizing research into a comprehensive story basically involves cutting and pasting and seeing which bits of material can follow and ‘flow’ into each other. A good technique is to write down each piece of information in a few words on a post-it or cue card or simply any small piece of paper. For example: one post-it could state “Whales regularly beach themselves in large numbers” and another one could say “Sue looked into the whale’s eyes and cried” etc. Then, stick the post-its in random order on a blank board or wall in columns and rows. After that, the scriptwriter must start a painful process of plucking, discarding and re-sticking until he forms an information chain, which tells the story the writer wants to tell. The only requirement of the story at this stage is that the information must ‘flow’ and all the futile bits of material are discarded. It’s now time to start thinking about writing that script.

It’s not enough however, just to have random action on screen. The images, the action, the events have to be meaningful. A documentary, like any film, has limited time in which to convey a multitude of things and to tell a story. Therefore, all the components within the film must be specific and meaningful so as not to waste precious screen time. Each shot has an underlying ‘meaning’ depending on the nature and arrangement of objects and actions within it. This visual way of communication or language has evolved through the years and has three basic elements:

Icon is showing an object or emotion through its likeness – it is what it is and what the audience sees. The signifier represents the signified through similarity to it. For example, a face on screen showing fear is a face showing fear. There are no other meanings, no ‘reading between the lines’. This is the most straightforward approach to a shot.

Index measures a quality not because it is identical to it (like an icon), but because it has a direct and inherent relationship to it. For example, to show heat, or the idea of heat, as a visual, the shot could show a thermometer or heat waves over an empty road or perhaps even a man sweating profusely. This works very well because the scriptwriter can translate an intangible object, like heat, into a tangible and visual reality.

Symbol or Metaphor is an arbitrary sign in which the signifier has neither a direct nor an indexical relationship with the signified, but rather represents it through convention. For example, a rose could be shown to signify love or romance, falling calendar pages could denote time. This technique of using symbols to express ideas and objects has become very popular for its artistic appeal but can and should be used with caution and with a view to the audience’s ability to ‘read between the lines’.

Sequences usually fall into one of two categories:

A Continuity Sequence is a unit of continuing action which ends in a break in time. This type of sequence is a collection of shots that show an event or events that happened in the same block of time. The end of the sequence occurs when that event is complete and the film moves on to another point in time. The shots within this kind of sequence must be functional, must be logical and must give the illusion of continuity. For example, a continuity sequence could be of a man walking from his
house to his office. The sequence starts from when he is outside his front door and the first shot could be of him locking it. After that there could be shots of him walking along the street in his neighbourhood, passing people on the street, going past a children’s park, walking on a pedestrian path with other office goers and, finally, walking into the entrance of his office building. The shots in this sequence would all appear to be in chronological order and continuous.

A Compilation Sequence is a unit of information or thought and is sometimes called a ‘newsreel sequence’. There may be many breaks in time during this kind of sequence because the scope is broad. The shots within it could be of events that occurred independently, at different points in time, at different locations and contain different people doing different things. The common aspect that ties all these shots together is conceptual, which is the subject of the sequence. It usually ends when the film’s discussion of the subject ends. For example, the sequence could be about worldwide protests against war and could contain different shots of people from all parts of the globe, some holding banners, some marching hand-in-hand, some giving speeches etc. the sequence would end, when the subject of these protests ended in the film.

A scriptwriter has many choices to make when deciding about the content, treatment and nature of sequences. They can have their own distinct
‘personalities’. A sequence can have a completely autonomous audio-visual and conceptual quality to it. A sequence can be a mere chronological aspect within the film, like a link in a chain, without anything distinct about it. A sequence can be descriptive, where it doesn’t take a stand but just establishes details. Or it can be a strong part of the narrative within the story and contain events that drive the story forward. A sequence can occur in linear time, which is the real time in which events occur, or in non-linear time, when it can cut back and forth between different moments in time.

Documentary sequences, for the most part, are observational. This means that they observe events as they happen. If the film didn’t record the event, it would still take place. For example, a village farmer herding his cattle to graze in the fields is an event that would occur everyday, whether or not there was a sequence that contained it. However, sequences can also be organized. These days, many filmmakers choose to construct or initiate events that can be then included in a sequence. For example, if the film dealt with the issue of the fur trade and how animal rights activists are combating this evil, the filmmaker could organize a rally with a group of activists and use that sequence in the film. The rally would be a real event and the filmmaker’s involvement in organizing it doesn’t affect its authenticity.

Blogger-Akash Shinde😍 (Assistant Director)

Student Of Journalism and Mass communication.

I am quite sure that most of us have grown up watching films made by these great directors. But quite interestingly, not many people are aware of the fact that apart from making feature films, these directors have also made some of the most iconic documentaries.
Here is a list of some of the famous directors and the documentaries that they have made.

1. Sikkim – Satyajit Ray

Without doubt Satyajit Ray remains one of the finest directors India has ever produced. Interestingly, not many people know that Ray has even made some really exciting documentaries.
Through this documentary Ray painted the real picture of then Sikkim. The Indian government thought that the film was promoting Sikkim and decided to ban it.
The ban was lifted years after Ray’s death. Apart from this controversial documentary, Ray also made a documentary on Rabindranath Tagore and one on famous Bengali author and his father, Sukumar Ray. All his documentaries have received rave reviews.
 

2. Faces After The Storm – Prakash Jha

Prakash Jha made this documentary years before he made hard-hitting political and social dramas like Gangajaal and Rajneeti. This documentary, made in a true Prakash Jha style, dealt with the issue of communal violence in Bihar.
It won the Filmfare award for the Best Documentary of the year – 1983. The documentary also won a National Award the same year.
 

3. Sonal – Prakash Jha

This documentary deals with the life and struggle of famous dancer Sonal Mansingh. The documentary showed her zest and passion for dance and how this passion inspired her to achieve great success.
It was awarded the Golden Lotus – Best Documentary 2002 (National Award).
 

4. Satyajit Ray, Filmmaker – Shyam Benegal

Shyam Benegal is one of the most respected filmmakers in India. He is often considered as the uncrowned prince of Indian parallel cinema. Apart from features, Benegal has made countless documentaries. Many considered this one as one of his best documentaries.
The documentary was also awarded the prestigious National Award. Apart form it, Nehru, a documentary he made on our former prime minister is also worth watching.
 
 
5. Inshallah, Football – Ashvin Kumar

Ashvin Kumar is the youngest Indian whose work has been nominated for the Oscars. His films and documentaries often revolve around sensitive and controversial topics.
This sensitive documentary deals with the life of a Kashmiri kid, who dreams to play football in Brazil and how the politics in Kashmir influences his life. The documentary also won the prestigious National Award.
 

6. Children Of A Desired Sex – Mira Nair

Mira Nair is one of the few directors of Indian origin who has received fame and recognition even outside the country. This documentary deals with the serious issue of female feticide. It also throws light on the controversial topic of abortion.
 

7. India Cabaret – Mira Nair

This is another acclaimed documentary by Mira Nair, which each and every one should watch. The film shows how the society stereotypes a woman. It shows how some society quickly brands a woman as immoral.
 

8. Jeevan Smriti – Rituparno Ghosh

Through this documentary famous director Rituparno Ghosh shows us the important moments and memories from the life of Rabindranath Tagore.
 
9. Ustad Allauddin Khan – Ritwik Ghatak

Many people consider Ritwik Ghatak as one of the best directors our country has ever produced. It deals with the life of legendary sarodi Ustad Allauddin Khan. He also taught the famous Ravi Shankar.
 

10. The Forgotten Army – Kabir Khan

The New York and Ek Tha Tiger director has not only made big budget feature films but he has also made a hard hitting short film and a documentary too. This documentary was based on Subhas Chandra Bose’s Indian National Army and praised by each and everybody. This documentary also happens to be the first thing he ever directed.
 

11. Through Eyes Of A Painter – M.F. Husain

Not many people know that the famous painter was also a great connoisseur of films. This 18 minute documentary, was praised by each and everyone at home and abroad. The film went on to win the prestigious golden bear at the famous Berlin International film festival.

12. An Encounter With Faces – Vidhu Vinod Chopra

Today he might be more famous for producing films like Munnabhai and 3 idiots, but one can’t deny the fact that he is also an extremely talented director. This documentary is about Mumbai street children. The documentary received a number of awards both at home and abroad.
These documentaries show us why these directors became such great pioneers of art and cinema.

The historical background of Documentary in India
On the historic midnight of August 14 and 15, 1947, India became independent from British rule. First Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru’s speech, “A Tryst with Destiny,” was recorded by independent filmmaker Ambles J. Patel with two cameras and sound equipment. There were no official film units of the Government of India or other Indian filmmakers to film this historic moment and the subsequent nationwide celebrations.
That was 57 years ago, but today India boasts a vibrant independent documentary filmmaking community. Indian documentary filmmakers have today carved a niche for themselves in the nonfiction genre world with their creativity and hard-hitting works on subjects ranging from Indian arts and social concerns to natural history. Traditional Indian images of the Taj Mahal, droughts and poverty-stricken villagers have given way to films covering a spectrum of social, societal, environmental and human issues facing India. Films on issues such as human rights, censorship, gender roles, communal politics, individual liberty and sexual identity form the new Indian documentary filmmaking community.
But the Indian documentary filmmaking tradition dates back well before independence. In 1888 a short film of wrestlers Pundalik Dada and Krishna Navi at Bombay’s Hanging Gardens was filmed by Harishchandra Sakharam Bhatwadekar. This was the first recorded documentary film in India. In the 1930s, filmmakers D.G. Tendulkar, who had studied motion pictures in Moscow and Germany, and K.S. Hirelekar, who had studied culture films in Germany, brought the latest concepts of documentary film and laid the foundation of the documentary movement in India.
In April 1948 the Indian Government formed the Films Division and described it as “the official organ of the Government of India for the production and distribution of information films and newsreels.” Screenings of Films Division documentaries were made mandatory before feature films at all cinemas in India. From June 1949, the Films Division started regular distribution of newsreels and documentaries through its own distribution set-up. Films were dubbed in five languages—English, Hindi, Bengali, Tamil and Telegu—and 97 films were produced in 1949-50. The Films Division soon became one of the most important sources of public information, and it tried to reach out to people in the remotest corners of India. Many exciting films emerged from the Films Division—S.N.S. Sastry’s I Am 20, Fali Bilimoria’s The House That Ananda Built, Sukhdev’s India 1967 and M.F. Husain’s Through the Eyes of a Painter. The Films Division today is Asia’s biggest documentary and short film producer, having to its credit innumerable films that have won laurels at home and abroad during the last 56 years.
In the 1950s Burmah-Shell, a private company, invested in making training films and sales promotion films of outstanding merit. Canadian filmmaker James Beveridge, who had worked at National Film Board of Canada and was a protégé of John Grierson, produced and directed several Burmah-Shell Films in India.
In 1978, An Encounter with Faces, Vinod Chopra’s documentary about Bombay street children, went all the way to Hollywood, where it was nominated for an Oscar. The film also earned nine out of 12 awards at the Oberhausen Film Festival, and won the top prizes at festivals in Milan, Leipzig and Finland. At the International Film Festival of India, it won the Golden Peacock. The technique of the film was singled out for special mention: direct, unwavering conversations with children, neither patronizing nor pitying.
The advent of digital video technology has further revolutionized the Indian documentary technique. Traditionally Indian documentary overwhelmingly favored the didactic social documentary, but now filmmakers have moved towards the internationally accepted direct cinema style, adopting its realist aesthetic and reliance on interviews, while continuing to retain Griersonian voiceover narration.
Until the advent of the satellite television boom in India in the early 1990s, state broadcaster Doordarshan’s two national terrestrial channels were the only TV networks in India where documentary films could be screened. The launch of Discovery Channel in India in August 1995 and the subsequent entry of National Geographic Channel in 1998 created further avenues for Indian filmmakers to screen their work. Discovery Channel has also launched Animal Planet in India and will add a Lifestyle channel in October 2004. India’s largest TV network, Zee TV, has announced plans to launch a documentary channel called Khoj in the next few months.
In addition to the broadcasters, the nonprofit Public Service Broadcasting Trust was formed to support the production of independent documentary films. The trust receives its funding from the Ford Foundation and Doordarshan. According to Rajiv Mehrotra, an internationally renowned filmmaker and the founder of PSBT, “We do not seek sensationalism or explicit confrontation—though that might bring in TV ratings—but to provide quiet, considered insights and, dare I add, wisdom to focus on contemporary predicaments and valuable elements of our heritage. We encourage filmmakers to work with the newer, less expensive digital technologies so that they could explore more innovative treatments and approaches to the documentary, afford more time on location and create truly in-depth, incisive films.” PSBT has already produced over 50 films and has started work on a documentary miniseries: The Story of Indian Broadcasting, which will both evaluate and document the achievements of Public Service Broadcasting in India.
The Indian documentary community has presented cinematic gems and has put Indian images on television screens across the planet. Mike Pandey is the only Asian filmmaker ever to have won the Green Oscar twice at the Wildscreen Festival in the UK, for his documentaries Rogue Elephants of India and Shore Whale Sharks in India. The latter film was shot under extreme conditions and took almost three years to complete. “Shore Whale Sharks in India aimed towards creating policies to support a ban on the killing and trade of whale sharks in India as well as finding sustainable alternatives for the fishermen,” says Pandey. The Earth Matters Foundation set up by Pandey to create the preservation of wildlife in their natural habitat began an awareness campaign to save the whale shark. The campaign successfully got the hunting of this species banned worldwide.
Besides Pandey, several Indian filmmakers, including Anand Patwardhan, Sanjay Kak, Amar Kanwar and Rakesh Sharma, have already carved a niche for themselves on the international documentary stage. Award-winning Patwardhan’s latest documentary, War and Peace (2002), documents activist movements in South Asia since the 1998 nuclear tests in India and Pakistan. Patwardhan has been making documentary films for the past 25 years about human rights issues in India, like street dwellers in Bombay, the rise of religious fundamentalism and the negative impact of globalization.
Kak has carved out a special niche in the echelon of experimental cinema,  and his films such as Land, My Land, England (1993), A House and a Home (1993), Geeli Mitti (1985), A Matter of Choice, Harvest of Rain and One Weapon have received awards as well as critical appreciation at film festivals in Paris, Fribourg, Hawaii and Dhaka. His documentary In the Forest Hangs a Bridge won the 1999 Margaret Mead Film Festival Documentary Film Award in the US.
Kanwar, a recipient of a 1998 MacArthur Fellowship, was awarded the Golden Conch-Best Film Award at the 1998 Mumbai International Documentary Film Festival for his film A Season Outside. His next film, A Night of Prophecy (2002), was filmed in several diverse regions of India and features music and poetry of tragedy and protest performed by regional artists.
Sharma’s Final Solution (2003) graphically documents the changing face of right wing politics in India through a study of the 2002 communal riots in Gujarat. The film was banned by the Indian censors, even though the film has been acclaimed at international film festivals.
Other Indian films that have fared well on the international film festival circuit include Rahul Roy’s When Our Friends Meet, a film on male sexuality; Barf Snow, a film by Saba Dewan, on trekking with slum girls; and Into the Abyss, Vandana Kohli’s film on depression, for which he won the RAPA 2003 award in India for Best Director.
The Mumbai International Film Festival for Documentary, Short and Animation Films was launched in 1990 as a biennial competitive event and is organized by the Films Division, in close cooperation with the State Government of Maharashtra. In this festival, outstanding films in various categories are selected by an international jury for Golden and Silver Conches and hefty cash prizes. The festival aims to serve as a platform where the filmmakers of the world can meet and exchange ideas, explore the possibility of co-production and market their films.
In August 2003 over 300 Indian documentary filmmakers came together to protest the attempt by the Indian Ministry of Information and Broadcasting to make censor certificates a mandatory precondition for Indian documentaries entered into the 2004 Mumbai International Film Festival. The documentary filmmaking community saw through this apparently innocuous step, recognizing it as a part of a wider structure of control and repression, where the rights to free speech, dissent and even creative expression are increasingly coming under threat in India. In an unprecedented display of collective resistance, filmmakers from across the country organized around the Campaign Against Censorship, and were successful in forcing the ministry to drop its attempts to introduce censor certification for the festival. The filmmakers then set in motion Vikalp—Films for Freedom, an independent documentary film festival. After a stopover at Bangalore, the celluloid caravan traveled on to Trivandrum, Chennai, Delhi and Kolkata.
The Indian documentary community is now looking at expanding its horizons. Pandey has already been invited to be a jurist for the 2004 Wildscreen, where he is also a finalist for the esteemed Filmmaker for Conservation Award. Vanishing Giants, his film on the elephant crisis in India, is also a finalist for a Panda Award. Patwardhan was the keynote speaker at Silverdocs in the US in June, and Sharma picked up the Wolfgang Staudte award at the Berlin Film Festival earlier this year.
In the near future it seems there will be a documentary film made by an Indian filmmaker screening at a theater near you….
Indian Documentaries
The story-tellers are finally weaving tales that promise to change the fabric, not just of the country, but of the world!

Stories and Tellers:
India is considered to be a land of storytellers. If you walk down the streets of even small towns here, you will come back enriched with stories from the youngest kid on the block to the oldest grandmother who has lived through generations. Be it a roadside tea stall or a public toilet or a ‘paan-shop’ (betel leaves outlets), everyone has a story. No doubt, story-tellers from India and abroad have taken great pride in documenting their experiences in the country through prose, poetry, pictures and video. With a diverse culture, rich history and a strong base in all forms of Sciences, the nation is a perfect muse for documentary filmmakers.

Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and West Bengal- from where most of the international cinema from India has emerged- are also the states that have sprouted documentary film-makers. These states have been strong on the socio-political map of India which has given birth to documentaries as a form of education and social awareness. Though almost all the renowned fiction film-makers have popular documentaries to their names, there was a strong breed of specialist Documentary filmmakers – Anand Patwardhan, Sukhdev, John Abraham to name a few- who are some of the earliest popular names known in this craft. They filmed for passion and to bring about a social change. Some of them travelled through villages with projectors and a collection of documentaries to educate and empower the less privileged. The word documentary was a pure social fabric then, not so much a business.

This was further accelerated with the Government of India stepping in with Films Division and an NGO – PSBT (Public Services Broadcasting Trust). While both of them have funds of about Rs. 1 Mn per doc on an average even now and have access to several film festivals, they largely lack in branding and giving quality docs to the world, mostly because of their low budgets, bureaucracy and distribution restrictions. Their stringent policies are yet to be updated to provide co-productions with other countries. Moreover, their lack of quality and compulsory screening of docs in cinema theatres in India during the 90s gave them a notorious equation: Documentaries = Boring Content.
There is also the Indian Documentary Producers’ Association (IDPA) which has been a platform for filmmakers though they are largely limited in their scope for helping them monetize their content. Awards ceremony at the biennial Mumbai International Film Festival (MIFF) and a few forums and workshops are the limited scopes of this organisation.
Though these organisations are a good starting point for young and experimental doc filmmakers, most of the documentaries are largely classified as ‘reportage’ in the international format of documentaries. A ‘documentary’, in international parlance, needs to be narrated from a character/s point of view. A filmmaker would need a year or more at least to make such a film where he gets close enough to the subject and the character. Hence a significant investment of time and money for serious filmmakers acts as a deterrent for most others who want to take a shortcut to fame.

Global Doc Business:
Though many filmmakers start off with a social angle, quite a few of them have been taking the docs to international markets and monetizing them. Binding together this web of global documentary filmmakers are a maze of film festivals like IDFA (Amsterdam), Hot Docs (Toronto), Dok Leipzig (Germany), Yamagata (Japan) and several smaller but important festivals in countries like Iran, Bosnia to name a few. Moreover, almost all the big film festivals and markets have a documentary section making it the most popular form of story-telling. The size of the industry in sheer numbers of films is comparable with that of the fiction film industry though I would think the revenues are a different ball game altogether. They are well supported by a small but strong clique of sales agents who represent the films for the global market. The buyers and commissioning agents are from TV channels and NGOs and recently from OTT platforms. A significant but often overlooked market comprises educational institutions and a small percentage of these films get theatrical screenings.
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The Pitch: 
The pitching forums are the most important part of the doc making process. Every important doc festival has it and there are some who are popular for pitching and networking with the commissioning agents. Most countries known for their doc industry have state and NGO funds that help the doc filmmakers. If your film is not interesting at the pitching stage then it is very rare that the Channels or other platforms would be interested in it once it’s finished. Moreover, pitching happens at every stage of the filmmaking process: pre-production, production, post-production and distribution. Most new filmmakers and a few of the veterans too go through this process till they are well known in the industry and are pursued by the media platforms themselves.
Film festivals: 
IDFA is one of the topmost festivals for documentaries in the world- equivalent to a Cannes festival for fiction films. Helmed by Ally Derks till recently, it has seen long queues in sub-zero temperatures for the theatrical screening of docs and also has the IDFA- Bertha fund that supports docs at various stages of completion. Quite a few Indian docs have had its support- Lyari Notes, Menstrual Man, My Name is Salt- to name a few. Some of the other important festivals for Indian docs have been- Dok Leipzig, Sheffield Docs, Hot Docs. More importantly, these festivals serve as a networking platform for all stakeholders to meet and discuss the doc business.
Sales Agents: 
Unlike the flamboyant sales agencies for fiction films, their docs counterparts are low-key boutique agencies owned by one or two people. They believe in personal interactions with their filmmakers and are very well organised and focused in building their slate. They are the conduit between the filmmakers and the screening platforms and have also backwards integrated into co-productions and pre-sales. Recently, they have also become very niche by focusing on one or two of the rights that can be majorly fragmented as- TV, Digital, Theatrical and Institutional. Cat n Doc, Cinephil, Widehouse, Visible Film are a few of the agents that Indian filmmakers have worked closely with. These agents have to have their ears close to the ground and know what the programming plans of the doc TV channels are. They normally charge up to 30% as commission on sales other than a fixed fee as the cost of sales.
Media Platforms: 
TV channels have been the primary producers and exhibitor of docs. Arte (France, Germany), BBC (UK), NHK (Japan), SBS (Australia), CBC (Canada), YLE (Finland), Rai TV (Italy) are some of the well-known documentary only channels in their respective countries. In India, besides Doordarshan, NDTV screens some of the global docs. Most of the channels have to commission and buying agents and are partly or fully state sponsored. While the commissioning agents are responsible for production (and co-production) of docs, the buyers ensure that their ‘strands’ and ‘library’ is kept full and diverse by constituting a healthy mix of individual docs and series. Co-producing channels usually retain the rights for the territories they beam in and might also have a revenue share.
The typical length of docs for TV are 26″ and 52″. Feature length docs are more than 90″ and are good for theatrical. The popular feature-length docs also have ‘television cuts’ of less than an hour. OTT platforms like Amazon Prime and Netflix have pushed the envelope for docs while Vice has grown to a $5Bn + company in just about a decade screening only documentaries. In fact, Netflix has commissioned about 50 feature films globally and 65 documentaries for 2017!
Foundations:
Last but not least foundations like Sundance, ESODocs, European Documentary Network (EDN) have been instrumental in supporting and funding docs. Recently Yes Bank has started a fund for supporting Indian docs.
Future Looks Bright:
Infotainment in India is a growing industry with more channels added each year and generating an ad revenue of about Rs.3 billion. Discovery has rejigged its team and planning a new programming strategy. Epic is repositioning itself and becoming more ‘infotainment’. Vice is launching on multi-platforms with a tie-up with Times of India group. News channels are making more noise and every year more are getting added with niche subjects and regional languages. Indian docs and doc-makers are going big and global with their local stories. Biopics are consistently clocking in profits and now we have one on Sachin Tendulkar releasing this week after several on sports persons from different disciplines. There are more platforms who are buying and investing in real stories as ideas for fiction dry up. The YouTube generation is producing and consuming more content in all forms and platforms. Indians used to only watch movies to forget life. now they want to see different lives on the screen. This augurs well for the documentary industry.
Last week Alexandro Gonzalez Inarritu unveiled a VR version of his immersive film ‘Carne y Arena’ on refugees fleeing their country and is the first such movie to be ever screened at the Cannes festival. Indians have always been leaders in technology globally and it won’t be long before we have our own VR films rooted in realism.

Blogger-Akash Shinde😍 (Assistant Director)

Student Of Journalism and Mass communication

Not all documentaries are the same, and will require different documentary techniques from the cinematographer. There are six main types of documentary genres.
Poetic mode: A poetic documentary eschews linear continuity in favor of mood, tone, or the juxtaposition of imagery. Since, the director of photography is often asked to capture highly composed, visually striking images that can tell a story without additional verbal context. Leni Riefenstahl’s Olympia (1938) is an example of a poetic documentary that focuses on visuals and artistic style to help reveal an inner truth.
Expository mode: Expository documentaries set up a specific point of view or argument about a subject and often feature “voice of God” style voice-over. The cinematographer is responsible for collecting footage that supports and strengthens the spoken argument of the film, including stock footage, archival footage, b-roll, or re-enactments of historical events. The Dust Bowl (2012) is historical account of the disastrous drought that occurred during the Great Depression. Burns uses photos and facts to supplement the causes and impact of one of the worst droughts to plague North American farmland.
Participatory mode: Participatory documentaries are defined by the interaction between the documentary filmmakers and their subject. Therefore, a cinematographer is equally responsible for capturing the interviewer as he is the interviewee. , also, often present the filmmaker’s version of the truth as “the” truth, focusing on direct engagement with subjects and capturing real emotional responses and interactions. Many of the interactions that are captured support the filmmaker’s point of view or prove the film’s intent. Many of Michael Moore’s documentaries, like Bowling for Columbine (2001), are participatory but also blend elements of observational and performative modes.
Observational mode: A style of documentary embraced by the cinema verité movement, observational documentaries attempt to discover the ultimate truth of their subject by acting as a fly-on-the-wall—in other words, observing the subject’s real-life without interrupting. Cinematographers on observational documentaries will often be asked to be as unobtrusive as possible in order to capture their subjects in a raw, unguarded state. An example of this direct cinema type of documentary is Primary (1960), a film chronicling the Wisconsin primary between John F. Kennedy and Hubert H. Humphrey.
Reflexive mode: Since the subject matter is often the process of documentary filmmaking itself, a cinematographer will shoot behind-the-scenes style footage of the entire film production process, including editing, interviewing, and post-production. Dziga Vertov’s reflexive documentary Man With a Movie Camera (1929) made history with its actor-less presentation of urban Soviet life.
Performative mode: , using his or her personal experience or relationship with the subject as a jumping-off point for exploring larger, subjective truths about politics, history, or groups of people. A cinematographer is often asked to capture the documentary production process, as well as intimate footage that illustrates the direct and often personal relationship between filmmaker and subject. Supersize Me (2004) by filmmaker Morgan Spurlock documents his experience eating only McDonald’s fast food for 30 days, chronicling the body issues, health problems, and the ensuing doctor’s visits in an attempt to question the food sold at the famous fast-food chain.

Blogger-Akash Shinde😍 (Assistant Director)

Student of Journalism and Mass communication.

Making a Short Film

Note: The process of production is further divided into three major steps, Pre-production, Production and Post-production. As this is important and big topic, it require a separate course/subject to study in detail. This topic is covered into our study as to develop your understanding of short film as a medium. The rest is technical.

Making a short film with the availability of today’s technology has become a relatively simple endeavor for most people.  Assuming that you own a respectable computer, a digital camcorder and some kind of editing software, you are basically ready to go.  Add some decent actors, a simple script and you’re a filmmaker!
But, first things first; you will need a story.  Remember, most of what filmmakers do is to become a storyteller.  And if this is your first attempt at creating a short film, consider a comedy or spoof on a topic that isn’t too serious.  With the discriminating taste that has been acquired by most film viewing audiences, even on Youtube, it’s wise to leave the more sobering ideas to those that can spend millions of dollars telling their story. 
Now that you have a basic outline for your story using the cast available to you, create a bit of a character for each role.  What is the personality of each character?  Do they have a specific way of speaking?  There are many ways to create individual characters for each role which helps when writing the final draft of the script.  But don’t get jammed here.  You might have friends that are really good actors and you have no idea.  Ask around; see who is up for the excitement involved in making even a short film.  Then work around what you have when writing the final draft of your script.  Don’t forget that although you might only have a few characters in your story, that there will be background actors required, set dressers (to create realism) and production assistants to help organize things during the day of filming.
Once all of the “pre-production” already mentioned is completed, now you are ready to start filming.  Make sure your camera battery is fully charged and that you have more than enough tape required for filming your short film.  Don’t worry about filming in sequence.  You might have to work around people’s schedules, so shoot out of order if necessary.  This can be fixed in editing.  Remember to be careful not to “cut” the scene pre-maturely.  Some of the best films were created during the “unscripted” moments.  Also, don’t forget to take close-ups and different angles of the same scene to have plenty of footage to use when editing.
Finally, it’s time for editing.  Hook up the camera and import the video into your computer.  Please note that these short films can take up a huge amount of space, so make sure you have enough space on your hard drive.  In your editing software, begin placing scenes in order.  You will notice, as you go along, that some scenes don’t work; that’s where editing comes in.  Choose another clip from that same scene until you find one that works for you.  Continue until the entire film is complete.  Word to the wise: try making a very short film (5-6 minutes) before attempting a longer film.  You will discover that the experience you will gain even creating such a short piece will go a long way when shooting future projects.  

Blogger-Akash Shinde😍 (Assistant Director)

Student of journalism and mass communication.