The group and me have researched into a multiple number of different documentaries and witnessed a variety of camera styles, techniques, aims & objectives and question structures during interviews in each doc.

Driving me Crazy (1988)

Appearing on screen showed another technique giving the viewers sense of reality, Nick Broomfield who was one of the first explored this technique firstly on the documentary ‘Driving me Crazy’ about a German production company who were making a musical show by Andre Heller. The documentary wasn’t more about the subject itself but the difficulties Broomfield had, reduced budget, time frame changed and importantly the producers were not committed to succeed with their promises.  He used the platform he had to go ahead with experimenting on the process making the film, the arguments he had, failed interviews and dead-end points that came to a stand still.

In his desperate attempt after being forced by specific rules, the content was very diverse, he filmed telephone conversations, meetings and verbal fights with his producers to show the realism of the documentary by filming every failed attempt. By getting his own back he followed the show round a few times in the progress of being relentless and showing his cruel side; with this endeavour he produced one of the funniest films broadcasted I have ever seen.

Nick Broomfield focussed on the stars of the German Production Company thoroughly to show the talent of the members of the musical show also to highlight anti-racism in the industry intwining by reflecting the diversity of black musical experience training for the show called 'Body and Soul' but with the budget being an extravagant €1,600,000 to a mediocre €300,000.

The camera work was very different to his present documentaries which could mean the struggle he had getting the primaries to accept all the terms available. His normal persona interacting with the subject within the documentary back fired, instead he observed the surroundings around him plus using the depth of field shots when around the piano, he used the technique crossing it between interviews with the staff. 

Seeing as the documentary was filmed in Germany, It was produced by a company called Tele Munchen Ferseh Produktionsgesellschaft (TMG) with other production companies called VCL Communications and Virgin Vision for it to be produced and sold globally in different countries. To be distributed, the company First Run Features handles the film being marketed and handling companies to sell the merchandise. Other companies handled different context of the production, 'Plume Designs' grasp the titles as well as 'Damson Studios' who also did titles and opticals, however 'DuArt' and ARRI Munchen were in charge of the laboratory. 'Driving Me Crazy' was released on the 10th September 1988 in Canada shown at the Toronto Film Festival on it's debut where as it was released in the USA on the 2nd March 1990; Thirteen years later it was shown at the Hot Docs International Documentary Festival on the 3rd May 2003. 

Biggie and Tupac (2002)

Biggie and Tupac documentary about their feud directed & produced by Nick Broomfield carried a style that no documentary filmmaker have ever witnessed. His unusual style rushing interviewees into an answer, butting in to there previous answer is a very dangerous attempt towards the subjects openly agreeing for you to interview them, you have to be careful incase them walking out.

The majority of the documentary is specifically participatory mode, Broomfield encountering with the subjects addressing conversations, firstly making them feel comfortable and relaxed by building a civil relationship, adding hints of humor, joking around with them saying “We’ve got you in your shorts today” or “oh, look Elvis” which was shown on the television. Broomfield style being socially accepted by the subjects before the onslaught of questions proves more likely to be provided with priceless facts.

The camera work was very traditional, not doing too much to make it extravagant and look beautiful. The camera at times especially the last scene with ‘Shook Knight’ was out of shot, not covering the special shots such as the inmates but instead tilting towards the ground and behind fellow of the team’s backs. Even Nick Broomfield narrating over the footage made a special note over the fact why the cameraman chose to do this. Therefore this technique has curiously been influenced among the group if an accidental mistake happened or when filming, anything not granted we could keep the audio during post-production.

Companies FilmFour & Lafayette Films produce the documentary Biggie and Tupac, whilst Lions Gate films and Roxy Releasing, distributed the product before the official date at the Sundance Film Festival on 11^th January 2002 therefore it was show in the USA theaters in the year 2002 on the 24^TH May. However other companies globally such as Eurozoom and Three Lines Pictures announced its release a year later in the cinemas in France and Netherlands. In the same year Focus Film Facts, Madman Entertainment, Prime Time Entertainment and Razor & Tie Direct released the documentary as a DVD rental globally.

He interviewed Tupac’s biological father, asking questions personally to Tupac and his family. However Broomfield intervening with his previous question the subject is answering showed his boldness and not afraid attitude. The questions were mainly involving the life he had growing up and how he handled his mother being a drug addict. Also interviewing ex cop, ‘Hackie’, he was a cop for 14 years but sentenced for ak47’s in the trunk of his car also working for a criminal organization linked with Death Row Records. Broomfield got crucified by Hackie after asking him a variety of questions but not specific to a point about the killings of Biggie and Tupac. In future related to our documentary, we’d be aware confusing the subject scares them away. 

Kurt and Courtney (1998)

Before the documentary of Biggie and Tupac in 2002, we thought about researching a previous doc by Nick Broomfield and see if any changes of techniques or styles were made from beyond this production.

He keeps to the same code and conventions throughout his work especially opening with the subject and a brief narration about the documentary. We learnt his original camera shot in the car giving the audience a sense of realism, creating the atmosphere on what, where and when the subject came from. The whole documentary is linked together covering the history, his and her lifes, stills, interviews, archive footage with hints of narrative from Nick Broomfield. In order to keep the documentary realistic there were random turn of events being able to interview insecure subjects, most importantly catchy ‘Courtney Love’ on stage with moments later being apprehended by managers of the event. He pushed to the extreme for valuable information needed for doc, he’ll stop at nothing to get his aims and objectives; however he obeyed the rules of regulations towards the music of Kurt Cobain’s ‘Nirvana’.

The style was very similar to ‘Biggie and Tupac’ documentary, participatory in the events, being shown on camera. Nick Broomfield keeps his camera work to a minimum, nothing to fancy just very strict. The advantage could mean especially in interviews, letting them have the spotlight, you’re getting the audience emotionally attached to the subject. As well as showing the negative side to Kurt and his life, he managed to level it out by visiting his auntie with home movies and recordings being carefree, happy and generally not worrying about anything.

Before the interviews, his technique winning the subjects over proved to distinguish precious information in the long run but being forceful once Nick was socially accepted by them. He knew what he wanted to know before the interview started therefore the last interview with Courtney Love’s father showed it was more about the feud between him and his daughter Courtney Love. Nick Broomfield adapted on the feud by asking him brief questions, muttering in-between each other, making him rush, in a way it was meant frustrate the subject to show how much she cared to him.

Being in 1998, the popularity with Nick Broomfield’s work maybe excelled after this film with the relevantly known production and distribution companies of the documentary. The individual company Strength Ltd handled the production side where in terms of distributors, the production had a wide range not just being distributed in a singular company but others world wide. Production companies who specialized in distributing for a particular country for this documentary were Movienet dispersed in Germany in 1999 and Astro Distribution distributed it in Germany 6 years later for DVD purchase as for the middle east especially United Arab Emirates in 2003 Front Row Filmed Entertainment distributed within all the media and finally Roxie Releasing in the USA. 

In other areas during pre-production Cine-Sound objective was to handle the sound mix, Cinematte took charge of the titles sequence where De Lane Lea & Document handled the sound transfer, Duart administered the prints, J.G. Films also known as J&G Films grasp the negative cutting, Post box specialised in video editing and finally TVP took care of the video transfer for the production. 

Hats off to Nick Broomfield for his uncompromising style and bravery.

Sign Of The Times (1990-1992)

Martin Parr, especially involved with British documentary photography is known for photographic projects (Stills in Docs) that take a critical outlook on aspects of the modern world. He’s been linked with documentary filmmaking with his first piece of work collaborating with ‘Nick Barker’ where he took pictures to accompany on Barker’s film ‘Signs of the Times’ in 1990 to 1992.

Signs of the Times by Martin Parr produced by Magnum Photos a international photographic cooperative.

Super Size Me (2004)

Super size me, written, produced and directed by Morgan Spurlock inquires the decisive question what happens to a normal mid thirty year-old man who is perfectly healthy at a respectable weight can live off the fast food McDonalds and nothing else for thirty days. 

Spurlock's decision to film this documentary forbidding any advice from his vegan girlfriend who's day to day job being a chef warns him about disadvantages and the dangers that lay ahead on his quest to become the average american. At the same time misusing the less exercise with general walking to match up to the other real life subjects in his view for it to be a fair experiment. I'm already admiring Spurlock's guts (not internally). However the overall aim of this suicidal attempt is to raise awareness of the ever increasing rate of obesity in America and how he pursues to draw a parallel between the fast food culture.

During in his time documenting this project he excelled the production driving around the country by gathering information in several parts to make the experiment more accurate, he interviewed a variety of different people on the production aims & topics whilst importantly finding a 'Big Mac enthusiast' that had eaten over 19,000 Big Macs. The more Spurlock collected research on the fast food industry the more it produced some interesting but outrageous information for example, when he interviews a bunch of 1st graders and how more of them recognised the Ronald McDonald symbol/character than Jesus or George Washington. 

The style is very different to the documenter Nick broomfield's traditional, easy and simple technique to Spurlock's voice of god and participatory approach. He certainly makes the documentary a quickened pace, using the interview technique in three different locations with three different people in this case doctors, but quick editing the same question ask to each of them with their response. The camera work for these interviews are not fixed but could be hand held or shoulder mount cams; you can see the slight wriggle in the frame. Throughout the documentary there isn't many interactions with the public, it's generally participating with the subject (Spurlock) and how he changes through the days. 

The documentary widely frames round the emphasis of the interaction between the filmmaker and the subject, so the use of participatory mode is a key element featuring in this production, a good example is Director Michael Moore's on the camera antics. Spurlock's shares his experiences with the situations they are documenting about, asking questions of their subject, sharing experiences with them and finally majorly reliant on the honesty of witnesses. 

On the production and distribution level for this piece, it certainly gathered a major market value with the variety of distributors; 35 different companies to be exact handling the marketing merchandise. The dominant production companies grasping this project were Kathbur Pictures and Con, The. but association with the company Studio On Hudson. For the distribution companies ranging from countries all over the world from 2003 to mid 2004 were scheduled for theatrical release where as when it reached 2005, companies scheduled for DVD release globally, the reason it made so much of a profit was for the advertising purposes plus the use of a wide range of distributors. The budget for this project was estimated to be around $65,000 yet on the opening weekend gathered around $516, 641 over 41 screens in the USA alone however it grossed to a whopping $11,529,368 at the box office. 

Circo (2010)

Circo, a documentary about the circus business travelling around the country in Mexico operating by a man called Tino Ponce who's aim was to go in search of new and fresh paying customers. The documentary highlights the struggles and the importance keeping the business going maintaining the family ownership by making his father proud, Ponce recruited within his family as performers while himself labouring through day and night controlling the circus from faltering physically and it's financial fortunes. Documenting the struggles the Ponce's family face show the effort and commitment Circo life offers, the troubles in generation divides and financial issues including the tear apart of marriages.

The camera techniques really idolised the courage the family take and specially the creative side of them. The majority of shots maintain their focus on the subject on screen; an example where it shows the children in the family working hard and perfected their persona to help Circo improve as a business, at such a young age their prepared to do what they can for the recovery of Circo regardless of the circumstances, however the style doesn't show the characters constantly on the practical side but the person behind the circus which really captures the emotional side of the subjects. 

Circo production companies for this production are C5 and Hecho a Mono, Hecho a Mono is a production where they specialise in producing documentaries highlighting the spotlight on diversity and rich cultures in Mexico, also offering help with independent producers and productions. Therefore being made in 2010, it wasn't distributed in the USA since 2011 in the theaters by First Run Features then the following year later Public Broadcast Service (PBS) broadcasting it in the USA on television. 

By Joe Taphouse