Integrated Theory and Practice (ITAP) 2: Britain Through a Lens

Question 1:

Research John Grierson's famous definition of documentary. To what extent do you agree or disagree with his definition?

Answer:

John Grierson’s famously said that “Documentary is the creative treatment of actuality” (Grierson,1932,) which fits in line with his 3 principle’s of documentary, which are as follows

(1). We believe that the cinema’s capacity for getting around, for observing and selecting from life itself, can be exploited in a new and vital art form. Documentary would photograph the living scene and the living story.

(2). We believe that the original (or native) actor, and the original (or native) scene, are better guides to a screen interpretation of the modern world.

(3). We believe that the materials and the stories thus taken from the raw can be finer (more real in the philosophic sense) than the acted article.

In terms of following all the main staples that any production that is titled as being in the documentary genre should follow, I generally agree with all the main principles attributed with documentary filmmaking. They provide a clear and defined basis for all the main structures needed to start of a documentary film.   

John Grierson

Question 2:

Who were the poet and composer on the film 'Night Mail ? What other work did they go on to produce? provide examples.

Answer:

The poet and composer who worked on ‘Night Mail were W.H.Auden (poet) and Benjamin Britten (composer). Auden went on to produce more poetic works such as ‘The Age of Anxiety’ which won him the Pulitzer Prize, libretto for a number of operatic works including “The Rakes Progress’ and ‘Love’s Labour’s Lost’. ‘Night Mail’ was the only film production that he wrote for, and this was also true with Benjamin.

W.H.Auden

Benjamin Britten

Question 4:

What did the films of the British Documentary Movement depict that had previously not been seen by larger audiences?

Answer:

The British Documentary Movement exposed the population to a new and mostly uplifting portrait of themselves, through a new and creative lens. It was to be their first contact with a genre that helped to unify the classes together through a common sense of national pride and duty, which became prominent in World War 2.