Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with documentary

Documentary about a man representing himself in a lawsuit?

ErWenn — Wed, 01 May 2013 18:47:39 -0800

A friend of mine is trying to remember the name of a documentary they once saw and Google has failed them. I'm forever touting the skill and speed with which the AskMe community solves dilemmas like these, so don't fail me now! Here's what she asked me: I saw a documentary about a man who was representing himself in a lawsuit or series of lawsuits -- I think the government had filed them against him for sending threatening letters. Something about defending his land and eminent domain... He had a wife that he met in a foreign country. She was a lot younger than him and she moved to the US and married him. They were both chain smokers and used a plastic fork as a cigarette holder. They lived in a trailer that was a mess and full of document boxes of his "research" for his case. And they had a few big dogs.

My kickstarter successfully funded in 15 days! Now what?

manwoo — Wed, 01 May 2013 08:47:57 -0800

The kickstarter I launched for the documentary I've been shooting over the last 18 months got funded in 15 days. We've got 20 days left to go on the campaign. It's a big project but kickstarter is only part of our fundraising plan so the goal was rather modest. I would certainly like to secure more pledges. What techniques can I use to make the most of this time? The project got funded quickly because of the efforts of the tight-knit community in which I live and the subject matter I'd like to think. How can I bring in more funds having already met the goal? Metafilter is curating the project. Almost all of our marketing has been through Facebook. Any ideas? Google searches lead to plenty of blog articles on launching but not much information specific to this situation. We're funding post-production and film festival entries.

Ukraine social issues for documentary

captainscared — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 09:28:10 -0800

I am teaching a documentary class in Kiev at the end of the month. Students will work together to create several projects around a single issue. I am looking for topics of a social nature for them to explore. Last year they focused on the issue of cigarette smuggling. Any suggestions for further exploration would greatly be appreciated. Thanks.

Roger & Me & who else?

Edna Million — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 13:14:37 -0800

What are the best movies about class struggles? I'm looking for the best films that depict class struggle.
To narrow down that huge category, I'm looking for films in which economic issues are the subject of the film. Nonfiction/documentaries are preferred, as are North American films (though if you're enthusiastic about a fiction film from elsewhere, by all means tell me about it)! I'm thinking of films like Roger & Me, or Strike.
Big bonus points for films that include violence by/against animals (not for my pleasure!! For my interest in the intersections between class-based and species-based violence).

Share your favourite documentary films/series here

abbagoochie — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 17:36:01 -0800

I watched Nina Conti: A Ventriloquist's Story - Her Master's Voice yesterday and it was so amazing I forgot how long it's been since I saw a really good documentary. I've watched everything Herzog has done in the past 6-7, Being Elmo, Carl Sagan's Cosmos, the 7 Up films and Jarvis Cocker's Outsider Art series. What are your favourite documentary films/series? (except nature docs? I can never get into them). I'm happy to watch films from any english-speaking country - but will also give it a go if they're subtitled.

Can you recommend some fashion docs for lazy weekend watching?

bluefly — Sat, 09 Mar 2013 12:52:25 -0800

I'm interested in watching more documentaries or miniseries about the fashion/clothing industry. Three I've rented recently were Valentino:The Last Emperor, The September Issue, and Signé Chanel. I especially enjoyed the last two as they really showed a lot behind the scenes about how stuff is made (both the media and the couture dressmaking sides). I'd be interested in all levels of clothing and shoes, from mass market to haute couture and all aspects from designing to manufacturing to marketing. Also, I'd like it if the films or TV shows were easily available in the US (either can be ordered/streamed online or likely found in a local video store). Thanks!

Are there any George Nakashima documentaries online?

Infernarl — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 22:32:56 -0800

Are there any documentaries about George Nakashima available to view online? I would like to know more about his life and his work. I am particularly interested in the architecture of his studio.

Shooting incident involving poachers and film crew?

broadway bill — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 10:47:21 -0800

I'm trying to recall a shooting incident involving a documentary film or news crew, a conservationist/conservation group, and some wildlife poachers in Africa. If I remember correctly, the incident was in Africa and involved a conservationist in a shootout with a poacher, and the poacher was killed. The whole event was caught on camera, and was something of a news story. Any help with names, links, etc.?

MLK Day Documentary

j_curiouser — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 18:37:50 -0800

What age-appropriate documentary should I watch with my 10yo daughter to help her understand the civil rights movement and MLK's place in it? I googled around quite a bit and found tons of short news clips, speeches, and excerpts. I'm looking for something cohesive. There's also the groundbreaking 'Eyes on the Prize', which is (a) too long and (b) a little too intense for the age IMHO. Have any ideas? Prefer free-on-the-web, but other suggestions welcome. Thanks!

What was this music (Athens?) documentary?

quiet coyote — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 19:52:09 -0800

My friend insists that she saw a documentary in which people were interviewed who lived in a house with Jeff Mangum. She thought that it was about the Elephant 6 Collective, but since we can't find any reference to that, she thinks that it might be about the Athens music scene. Do you know what it is? Things she remembers:
-Grainy videos inside and outside of a giant house with peeling white paint
-A room in the house with strange instruments, like kids' toys
-A discussion about the Neutral Milk Hotel song Jesus Christ and of the Jittery Joe's performance
-Mention of the musicians moving to Colorado

She says that Jeff Mangum was not actually in the movie. She saw it between 2004 and 2011.

Planet Earth-esque documentaries focusing on cities, etc.?

archagon — Thu, 03 Jan 2013 01:35:33 -0800

I love Planet Earth, Life, and other documentaries that David Attenborough is associated with -- as much for the educational value as for the beautiful cinematography and show-not-tell approach. They're works of art in and of themselves. Are there any documentaries in a similar vein that focus on cities, architecture, landmarks, and other human creations? For example, it would be incredible to explore Tokyo through the same lens!

Japanese documentaries: help me find more!

ninjew — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 08:58:53 -0800

Japanese documentaries: help me find more! I have recently watched Jiro Dreams of Sushi and Quill: Life of a Guide Dog, and although I enjoyed the subject material, for me they shared something else. These films were an insight into what everyday Japanese life is like. so, help me find similar documentary-style or nonfiction Japanese films.

I don't mind Japanese language films as long as subtitles are available. I'm not all that concerned with what the subject matter is, since I'll watch documentaries about almost anything. I really just don't know where to start looking. help me, metafilterers!

Interesting documentary films about video game graphics?

mortaddams — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 12:27:12 -0800

What are the most interesting documentary films about the history of video games? I am especially interested in anything that discusses the history of game graphics.

The World of Mosses

bepe — Tue, 04 Dec 2012 09:39:28 -0800

Tell me about the quietest, mellowest, most relaxing nature documentaries that you know. I have the Planet Earth and Blue Planet series, and they're both amazing, but I'm looking for something slower paced and with less carnivorous ripping things apart. I'd watch the World of Mosses, if such a thing existed. Little birds building nests. Beetles roaming about, beetling. The lives of fungi. I'm happy to buy things on DVD, or I can stream from netflix, amazon or youtube, if they're available in that format. I look forward to your quiet and low energy comments.

What to bite next?

Ender's Friend — Sun, 25 Nov 2012 10:57:53 -0800

Food, food, food! Please recommend all the best food documentaries, similar to "A bite of China". Inspired by this post, I watched the seven episodes of "A bite of China" subtitled on YouTube, and loved it. I followed related links from there to some short documentaries on Korean food, too. I want more! Please recommend some other great food documentaries. To clarify: not looking for political/social commentary (so not really interested in the slew of docus on Monsanto, GMOs, obesity, junk food, etc.), but just pure food, preferably in its natural habitat - i.e. traditional cuisines in the context of different cultures.

Documentaries on Art/Artists and Innovation

zresearch — Fri, 23 Nov 2012 20:47:33 -0800

Please recommend some documentaries online on art, artists (of any/all kinds) and innovation (in a wider sense, perhaps especially including technological innovation and entrepreneurship) that I can show to a class. Short clips/excerpts are fine - this is for a 30 minute segment in an undergrad class that I help teach. Interviews with famous artists/innovators (e.g. Orson Welles, Jackson Pollock etc.) are fine too

Thanks very much for any tips!

What are your favourite short Canadian radio stories?

JPDD — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 17:17:45 -0800

What are your favourite short Canadian radio stories? I'm teaching an introductory radio documentary workshop in Toronto next week and I need examples of very short radio stories - 6 minutes or less - or longer stories that I can excerpt a portion of.

I love the CBC - but most of my brainstorming is coming up with American stuff. Clearly, I'm not very patriotic in my radio nerd-dom...

So, can you help me out? What are your favourite short Canadian radio pieces? (fiction would be ok but I'm most interested in non-fiction)

Thanks!

Need help finding specific science documentary

l2p — Sat, 03 Nov 2012 21:57:05 -0800

Looking for the name of a science/cosmos documentary from the early/mid-90s that compared medieval cathedrals to super colliders. In 1995, at age 16 or so, I saw a documentary about space, the cosmos, subatomic particles, and super colliders and they compared our modern hunt for understanding with that of the old cathedrals: super massive structures. The vibe of the documentary seemed more like an ethereal and mystic pairing of science and religion, with generous use of low note synthesizer sounds.

There was a male host and at some point he was walking down a spiral staircase. There was heavy reference to CERN.

My searches over the years have turned up nothing. Any idea what the name of this could have been?

Any Seattle history documentaries?

letstrythis — Fri, 02 Nov 2012 22:13:24 -0800

Does anyone know of any good documentary films about Seattle history? I'm interested in its founding up to the 90s. Not looking for stuff about grunge. Would love it if there were something in a Ken Burns, but I don't expect miracles. Thanks!

Nature documentaries for young children

Dansaman — Mon, 29 Oct 2012 17:09:05 -0800

What are some of the best nature and science documentaries for young children? I'd like to get some nature and science documentaries for my four year-old daughter: oceans, forests, jungles, mountains, volcanoes, plants, insects, sea life, land animals, weather, geography, geology, astrology, evolution, etc.

She doesn't necessarily need to be able to understand all of it as long as there are interesting visuals. So documentaries that are aimed at older children, or even adults, still might be acceptable.

Thank you for your recommendations!

story-oriented video editing resources

kaibutsu — Mon, 22 Oct 2012 16:14:42 -0800

I'm looking for some really good how-to guides on making videos, especially on documentary style and story-oriented pieces. There are a bunch of great resources for making story-oriented radio pieces at Transom.org. I'm interested in learning more about video, though; I have a basic editing setup at this point and some decent portable equipment. I'm also chillin' in western Kenya, working on a bunch of projects that could use some documentation. What are some good resources on the art of story-oriented video editing?

Can you help me create a list of example of "Immersion Cinema"?

codybaldwin — Fri, 19 Oct 2012 17:44:09 -0800

Can you help me create a list of example of "Immersion Cinema"? I just read Chuck Klosterman's article on the film "Room 237" which introduces the term "Immersion Cinema". I'm trying to create a list of other examples of this type of cinema.

"It's based on the belief that symbolic, ancillary details inside a film are infinitely more important than the surface dialogue or the superficial narrative. And it's not just a matter of noticing things other people miss, because that can be done by anyone who's perceptive; it's a matter of noticing things that the director included to indicate his true, undisclosed intention. In other words, it's not an interpretive reading — it's an inflexible, clandestine reality that matters way more than anything else. And it's usually insane."

The first thing that came to mind was Jay-Z's "On to the next one".
Of that list I think the video that best fits the criterion is this video. But, I would prefer talking--I think hearing someone voice is pretty crucial to the process.

Any help is much obliged!

More How It's Made

gregr — Sun, 14 Oct 2012 20:30:23 -0800

I want to watch more shows like How It's Made. I like that it's dry and information dense. What do you suggest? Most of the how things are built shows are too reality television for me. I want to actually see how things are made. I could care less about the human story.

I've seen some of the Mark Evans "A _____ is born" shows. Those were reality tv, but you actually learned a little bit about how something was created

Tell me a story about what it was like...

sio42 — Sun, 23 Sep 2012 17:51:57 -0800

Documentary Recommendations: I don't know what this is called but I've noticed in two recent Ken Burns documentaries. In The West, there are some very old Native Americans who talk about their experiences and memories. And in his one about the Brooklyn Bridge, there is a man is over 100 years old taking about how he was a water boy when he was about 10 years when the bridge was being built. I want more of these types of interviews where they have pictures of the past along with people who were there talking about it. The time period I'm interested in is as old as photography is but before, I guess, modern movies. Maybe no later than 1920s?

There is something about seeing these people talking about the past that is so absolutely fascinating to me. Like when the South Cheyenne woman gave the little whoop the warriors would do before they would dance and then she just laughs. Granted, she was born well after so much damage was to the Native American population, but she was alive in a much different era than I could ever witness.

When I was a kid, the movie Apprentice to Murder came out about the Hex murders. I was talking with my great-grandmother's aunt (great-great-aunt?) who was born in 1900 and had lived in the next town over from where those murders took place. She had known the people involved, not as friends, but as people about town. I knew the movie was based on real events, but that connection to a real person just made it so real in a way it hadn't been before.

I imagine the term might be first-hand accounts, but I'm not really a history person so I'm not sure what else to search for to narrow down my search. It doesn't have to be about a particular incident, like a war. It can be just someone recounting everyday living.

I'm not trying to romanticize anything about the past, just hearing actual people talk about things that will only ever be pictures to me is simply fascinating. It feels like time-traveling.

I have Netflix but also public and university libraries to order DVDs from.

i would ask the old folks in my family but they're all long gone, unfortunately.

Family Secrets on Film

Fairchild — Fri, 21 Sep 2012 08:42:30 -0800

Documentaries about ordinary people, their secrets and inner lives. Yesterday I watched Phyllis and Harold. This documentary kind of reminded me of 51 Birch Street. I enjoyed both. What are some more documentaries about ordianry people that delve into the personal? These two documentaries were about marriage, which were largely unhappy. I'm interested in marriage and romantic relationships. I'm also interested in the parent-child relationship, family secrets, family in general, complicated relationships, wonderful relationships, love stories, etc..

Thanks.