CINEMA VERITE

What is it?

Direct cinema:- Direct cinema was developed in the 1960s by

the Maysles brothers, Albert and David Maysles, - It came from a desire to compare common

opinion with reality.- They wanted to challenge other modes of

documentary through using new film language.- They argued that reality of events in

documentaries failed as other modes manipulated the audience into believing what they wanted.

Maysles Brothers

Albert and David Maysles were a documentary filmmaking team whose “Direct Cinema" works include films such

Salesman (1968) Gimme Shelter (1970) Grey Gardens (1976). Jean-Luc Godard once called Albert Maysles "the best

American cameraman”. In 2005 Maysles was given a lifetime achievement award at the Czech film festival AFO (Academia Film Olomouc). He is working on his own autobiographical documentary.

In 2005 he founded the Maysles Institute, a non profit organization that provides training and apprenticeships to underprivileged individuals.

Examples:

Direct cinema:- Warrendale, 1966- Allan King: producer/directorConsidered by some to be one of the best pieces

of Direct Cinema ever made, Warrendale is a documentary about the treatment of several mentally ill children at the Warrendale Treatment Centre. The film and the treatment centre caused a great deal of uproar about the invasion of privacy and the treatment of the children. It is very good example of Direct Cinema. It films very private moments and demands a great deal of the audience.

What is it?

Cinema Verite:- It is a style of, documentary filmmaking

combining naturalistic techniques with stylized cinematic devices of editing and camerawork, staged set-ups, and the use of the camera to provoke subjects. It is also known for taking a provocative stance toward its topics.

- Often interchanged with Direct Cinema, even though there are obvious differences.

- First used by French ethnologist and filmmaker, Jean Rouch.

- His aim was to explore the reaction between the camera and the subject, not to deny the camera’s existence.

Cinema verite:- "The War Room" (1993) is a great example of the

documentary that includes the technique cinema verite.

- The War Room is a behind-the-scenes look at the politics of governor Bill Clinton. It followed everything from the primaries to the presidential campaign.

- Some famous French examples of cinema verite are “Chronicle of a Summer” (1961) by Jean Rouch and “Le Joli Mai” (1962) by Chris Marker. A famous French film director who was influenced by cinema verite was Jean-Luc Godard. His first feature film “Breathless” (1960) was shot without a script. He improvised the film as he went along, sometimes writing dialogue and rehearsing actors on the spot just before he would “roll cameras for a take.”

Examples: