Documentaries for Inspiration

I viewed two more documentaries over the past week. Both were very moving and focused on a topic/issue rather than following a person around, like in many documentaries. This should be helpful for developing my style in my film. It's more about gathering perspectives and showing through image.

Waste Land (2010) focuses on Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It shows the enormous amount of waste that comes from people today, poor and rich alike, and goes to the dump where some of Brazil's less wealthy are "trash pickers." This dump is the largest landfill in the world in terms of volume of trash received daily and is the media for Vik Muniz to use in his latest art creation. Vik Muniz is an artist who makes pictures from everyday objects and unlikely materials to create astounding and bold images. He grew up poor in Brazil, but with his success now, he wants to give back to the community. There are many scenes of the streets and homes with kids interacting with environment, which can be moving for the viewer. Throughout the film, he creates masterpieces based off of photographs he has taken of the trash pickers. All of the proceeds from this project will go back to them. He portrays the people who live and work here to give them a voice. In Waste Land people share their life philosophies while doing everyday jobs. I hope to capture this real feeling, as well.

Food Inc. (2008) is a hard hitting film that takes a deep look into the American food industry and the culture that surrounds the mass consumption of unhealthy, cheap foods. The issues such as animal quality of life, food safety, and worker safety are pressing issues in today's society and keep the film interesting. Each of these issues has a few subjects who are interviewed on their take and the personal ways that they have been affected by it. One of the strongest points in this documentary to me, is the fact that people can drive progress. The transitioning of many companies including large chains such as Wal-Mart towards organic foods shows the power of consumer culture. This is a universal view that in our society, if people demand change, they can really make a difference and be heard.

In addition, Food Inc. uses narration to move the story along. It also takes advantage, stylistically, of "chapters." I may be interested in doing as well for different parts of the film. I will have to see how the aspects of all the footage and interviews I get work together.

Waste Land as well as Food Inc. incorporate intense music, interviews with many, and shots that follow people. They make the viewer see the many different aspects of the subject at hand and resonate with the viewer even after the film is long over. I know these films are professionally made by countless people, and I am just one person. I still have high expectations that I can create a great project. I think viewing the documentaries, I have a broader sense of what I can use in my own work. For example, sometimes images or facial expressions are better at describing than words.