Using Documentaries to People Watch

To some extent, I feel that writing requires a certain amount of sociology and psychology. We’re telling stories for people and, to reach them, studying people and how they function is one way to do that. In a purely academic non-creepy sort of a way, of course. However, I think there are ways to “people watch” without going out there in public and staring people down. One of them, is to watch documentaries.

There’s a number of documentaries out there that you can watch on cable or, if you’re like me, Netflix. Some of the History Channel and National Geographic documentaries are interesting, but there’s a certain amount of repetition and bravado that comes from the episodic format. You’ll see the “pulse” when there’s a commercial break; I’d argue that watching the documentaries without the commercials helps you see the scripting better and reinforces points if you’re “watching” this in the background.

The other valuable thing that documentaries provide, is that you can people watch segments of the population you may not normally would given your environment. Many documentaries are critical or try to capture a point through exploration; this can also offer you a broader range of topics to listen to — some of which you may not necessarily be comfortable with. I’m a firm believer that pushing your own boundaries is a good thing, because it means your characterization will be sharper and you’ll be able to layer in more depth.

Here’s a few I’d recommend watching:

Religulous – Explores religious through the eyes of an atheist.
Jiro Dreams of Sushi – Follows the world’s best sushi chef.
Grizzly Man – Tells the story of a man who lived with the bears in Alaska, and then was killed tragically.
Cave of Forgotten Dreams – An exploration into an inaccessible cave in France where ancient cave paintings are threatened by a changing environment.
Terry Jones’s Medieval Lives – A humorous take on how people lived in medieval times, produced by the BBC. If you like this one, there’s a series of these, where Jones breaks down history in a more pragmatic way.

Mood: Boo-yah

Caffeinated Beverages Consumed: *whistles innocently*

Work-Out Minutes Logged Yesterday: Walkin’ with these boots

In My Ears: The Dredd soundtrack

Game Last Played: Tetris

Movie Last Viewed: IQ

Latest Artistic Project: In progress!

Latest Release: “Fangs and Formaldehyde” from the New Hero anthology through Stone Skin Press