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TV & DocumentaryTV & Documentary TV & DocumentaryTV & Documentary

Advantages provided by TV:Advantages provided by TV:

1. Reaching an audience1. Reaching an audience

2. Sponsorship & Budgets2. Sponsorship & Budgets

Precedents for TV Doc.Precedents for TV Doc.Precedents for TV Doc.Precedents for TV Doc.

William BluemWilliam Bluem::

1. Radio documentaries of 1930s1. Radio documentaries of 1930s

2. Non-fiction tradition of 2. Non-fiction tradition of Flaherty, Grierson, LorentzFlaherty, Grierson, Lorentz

3. Motion Picture Newsreels3. Motion Picture Newsreels

““March of Time” NewsreelMarch of Time” Newsreel““March of Time” NewsreelMarch of Time” Newsreel

11. Founded by Louis de Rochemont. Founded by Louis de Rochemont

2. Actually began in radio (Roy 2. Actually began in radio (Roy Larsen) and moved to m.p in 1935Larsen) and moved to m.p in 1935

3. Attempt to get 3. Attempt to get behindbehind newreels newreels

very different approachvery different approach

March of TimeMarch of TimeMarch of TimeMarch of Time

1. Always seeking controversy1. Always seeking controversy

2. Single issue in depth2. Single issue in depth

3. Willing to use reenactments3. Willing to use reenactments

1st Important TV Doc. Series1st Important TV Doc. Series1st Important TV Doc. Series1st Important TV Doc. Series

Grew out of this journalistic traditionGrew out of this journalistic tradition

1. 1. See It Now See It Now on CBS on CBS

2. Developed by Fred Friendly 2. Developed by Fred Friendly and Edward R. Murrowand Edward R. Murrow

3. From 1951 to 1958 sponsored 3. From 1951 to 1958 sponsored by Alcoa Aluminum Companyby Alcoa Aluminum Company

Murrow’s PhilosophyMurrow’s PhilosophyMurrow’s PhilosophyMurrow’s Philosophy

1. Deal with single subject -- 1. Deal with single subject -- in depthin depth

2. Paid for out of network profits2. Paid for out of network profits

3. Editorial policy 3. Editorial policy notnot news news

4. Stylistically -- cross-cutting to 4. Stylistically -- cross-cutting to show one side then the othershow one side then the other

Turning point for Turning point for See It NowSee It NowTurning point for Turning point for See It NowSee It Now

The McCarthy Era: (3 shows)The McCarthy Era: (3 shows)

1. 1. The Case Against Milo Radulovich The Case Against Milo Radulovich (1953)(1953)

2. 2. Argument in IndianapolisArgument in Indianapolis (1953) (1953)

3. 3. Report on Senator McCarthyReport on Senator McCarthy (1954) (1954)

Eventually lost sponsorship (Alcoa Eventually lost sponsorship (Alcoa drops in 1955)--- too controversialdrops in 1955)--- too controversial

TV Documentary SeriesTV Documentary SeriesTV Documentary SeriesTV Documentary Series

1. 1. See It NowSee It Now replaced by replaced by CBS CBS ReportsReports in 1959 in 1959

2. NBC began 2. NBC began White PaperWhite Paper in in 19601960

3. ABC began 3. ABC began Close-UpClose-Up in 1960 in 1960

ABC ABC Close-UpClose-Up Unit the Unit the Most InnovativeMost Innovative

ABC ABC Close-UpClose-Up Unit the Unit the Most InnovativeMost Innovative

1. Built from Robert Drew’s 1. Built from Robert Drew’s Time-Time-LifeLife Unit Unit

2. Experimental & innovative2. Experimental & innovative

3. Trained many documentarians:3. Trained many documentarians:

Leacock, Pennebaker, the MayslesLeacock, Pennebaker, the Maysles

Technological BreakthroughsTechnological Breakthroughs

1. Lighter cameras (handheld)1. Lighter cameras (handheld)

2. Better sound recording equip.2. Better sound recording equip.

3. Faster lenses and filmstock3. Faster lenses and filmstock

Leads to “Cinema Verite” styleLeads to “Cinema Verite” style

Problems for TV Problems for TV DocumentaryDocumentary

Problems for TV Problems for TV DocumentaryDocumentary

1. 1. Fact (reporting) vs. Editorial --- Fact (reporting) vs. Editorial ---most doc. units grew out of news most doc. units grew out of news divisiondivision

2. 2. Networks and outside pressure:Networks and outside pressure:

– Fairness DoctrineFairness Doctrine– Sponsors influencing contentSponsors influencing content

Public BroadcastingPublic BroadcastingPublic BroadcastingPublic Broadcasting

1. NET estab. in 19671. NET estab. in 1967

2. Later much of funding from 2. Later much of funding from big corporations: Ford, Xerox, big corporations: Ford, Xerox, IBMIBM

3. Finally establishment of PBS:3. Finally establishment of PBS:– Still relying on corporate sponsorsStill relying on corporate sponsors

– Constant fundraisingConstant fundraising

Arthur Barron & CBS Arthur Barron & CBS ReportsReports

Arthur Barron & CBS Arthur Barron & CBS ReportsReports

1. 1. Berkeley Rebels Berkeley Rebels (1965) -very (1965) -very controversialcontroversial

2. Next - doc. about teenagers:2. Next - doc. about teenagers:

16 in Webster Groves16 in Webster Groves (1966) (1966)

a. Some a. Some createdcreated sequences sequences

b. Some “cinema-verite”b. Some “cinema-verite”

Criticism of Criticism of 16 in W.G.16 in W.G.Criticism of Criticism of 16 in W.G.16 in W.G.

Selection -- what it shows vs. what Selection -- what it shows vs. what it leaves outit leaves out

StagingStaging Camera tricks - slow-mo, etc.Camera tricks - slow-mo, etc. MusicMusic Editing loads (unfairly) the Editing loads (unfairly) the

meaningmeaning

Webster Groves Webster Groves RevisitedRevisited

Webster Groves Webster Groves RevisitedRevisited

In response to complaints -- CBS In response to complaints -- CBS produced produced Webster Groves Webster Groves RevisitedRevisited (66) (66)

Gave people chance to blow off Gave people chance to blow off steamsteam

Chance to examine & re-examine Chance to examine & re-examine the original documentarythe original documentary

Typical “Documentary” Typical “Documentary” Issues?Issues?

Typical “Documentary” Typical “Documentary” Issues?Issues?

FairnessFairness ObjectivityObjectivity TruthfulnessTruthfulness Reporting vs. OpinionReporting vs. Opinion Imposing own point-of-viewImposing own point-of-view

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