A closer look at what makes documentaries tick
Most films and television shows are made to provide us with an escape — after a long day at school or work, all we want to do is to sit on our couch and turn the TV on to get away from our everyday lives. When we think of documentaries, we often think of their opposite effect, which is essentially confronting us with that very same reality we try to escape. So, what is it about a good documentary that is so captivating and intriguing?
Filmmaker Michael Moore, best known for his documentaries, Sicko, Bowling for Columbine, Capitalism: A Love Story, and many more, has a different vision for what a documentary should be. When giving his speech at the Toronto International Film Festival’s sixth annual Doc Conference, Moore shared his advice with fellow documentary filmmakers.
“This word “documentarian” — I am here today to declare that word dead. That word is never to be used again,” said Moore. “We are not documentarians, we are filmmakers. Scorsese does not call himself a ‘fictionatarian.’ So why do we make up a word for ourselves? You are filmmakers. Make a film, make a movie.”
Moore is one of the most influential and successful documentary filmmakers today, and it is his unique vision that has shaped his documentaries into such influential and unforgettable films. If you’ve ever seen a Michael Moore documentary, you know that whether you loved it or hated it, it was unlike most films you’ve seen before. It probably even lingered in your thoughts for hours after screening. Whether it’s with praise or harsh criticism, Moore knows how to keep the public talking with his controversial approach to filmmaking. Moore has the powerful ability to send a serious message to the audience, and alleviate their discomfort and shock with laughter.
Moore told his audience, “It’s hard enough for people to have to think about these issues and grapple with them, and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with letting them laugh, because laughter is cathartic. Also, I don’t want people leaving the theatre depressed after my movies. I want them angry. Depressed is a passive emotion. Anger is active. Anger will mean that maybe five per cent, 10 per cent of that audience will get up and say, ‘I gotta do something. I’m going to tell others about this. I’m going to go look up more about this on the Internet. I’m gonna join a group and fight this!”
Documentaries are powerful forms of media if presented in the right way. Most people believe that the politics of a documentary are top priority, but successful filmmakers like Moore know that the art of a movie comes first. If a film is utterly boring and puts its audience to sleep, the politics of the film won’t get through to anyone.
The difference between a good documentary and a great documentary is that a good documentary has enough influence to enlighten its audience to an issue they may have been oblivious to beforehand. A great documentary, on the other hand, motivates an audience to take action against a cause they now believe is worth fighting for.