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The Art of the Observer: A Personal View of Documentary

Hardback

Main Details

Title The Art of the Observer: A Personal View of Documentary
Authors and Contributors      By (author) David MacDougall
SeriesAnthropology, Creative Practice and Ethnography
Physical Properties
Format:Hardback
Pages:288
Dimensions(mm): Height 234,Width 156
ISBN/Barcode 9781526165343
ClassificationsDewey:791.430233092
Audience
General
Tertiary Education (US: College)
Professional & Vocational
Illustrations 42 black & white illustrations

Publishing Details

Publisher Manchester University Press
Imprint Manchester University Press
Publication Date 25 October 2022
Publication Country United Kingdom

Description

The art of the observer is a personal guide to documentary filmmaking, based on the author's years of pioneering work in the fields of ethnographic and documentary cinema. It stands in sharp contrast to books of academic film criticism and handbooks on visual research methods, being based extensively on concrete examples from the author's own filmmaking experience. The book places particular emphasis on observational filmmaking and the ways in which this approach is distinct from other forms of documentary. It offers both practical insights and reflections on what it means, in both emotional and intellectual terms, to attempt to represent the lives of others. The book makes clear that documentary cinema is not simply a matter of recording reality, but of artfully organising the filmmaker's observations in ways that reveal the complex patterns of social life.

Author Biography

David MacDougall is Honorary Professor in the Research School of Humanities and the Arts at the Australian National University, Canberra -- .