Adventures in the Lives of Others: Ethical Dilemmas in Factual Filmmaking

by James Quinn (Editor)

Putting readers into the shoes of film and TV professionals, Adventures in the Lives of Others is a gripping insider's account of ethics, problem-solving and decision-making at the cutting edge of documentaries and factual television.

It brings together a range of intimate, candid accounts of the struggles involved in making documentary film and television, from Hoop Dreams and Grey Gardens to Super Size Me and Benefits Street. Contributors include legends of the documentary world, filmmakers at the top of their game, emerging directors and producers, and some of the world's most powerful and respected executives. In specially-commissioned pieces, they explore the ethical dilemmas involved in uncovering secrets and breaking taboos, accessing closed and dangerous worlds, fighting injustice, filming raw sex and violence, documenting acts of evil, and the many challenges of turning real life into compelling entertainment.

The contributors include Nick Broomfield, Marshall Curry, Nick Fraser, Liz Garbus, Alex Gibney, Alex Graham, Steve James, Eugene Jarecki, Asif Kapadia, Barbara Kopple, Ralph Lee, Kevin Macdonald, James Marsh, Albert Maysles, Dan Reed, André Singer, Morgan Spurlock, and Penny Woolcock.

256 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 21, 2015

About the author

James Quinn is an award-winning documentary filmmaker and executive producer. During a fifteen-year career in television, his films have won both critical acclaim and widespread popularity with audiences. He has also written a PhD in philosophy and taught at university level, and is currently working on a feature documentary for theatrical release.

Reviews

[Brian Page · Rating 4 out of 5]

ADVENTURES IN THE LIVES OF OTHERS: ETHICAL DILEMMAS IN FACTUAL FILMMAKING, edited by James Quinn, is an important book that showcases examples of actual situations in which prominent documentary filmmakers were confronted by situations that tested their “moral compasses.” The stories are less of “adventures” and more of “ethical dilemmas.” The subtitle should really be the main title. Almost by definition, good documentaries, those that need to be made and that hold the interest of audiences, are situations that are inherently morally ambiguous. As Barbara Kopple notes in her essay, “…documenting violence, atrocities and injustices is a moral responsibility of filmmakers.” (p. 178) but cautions on the price to pay, “You can try to be detached or shut off your emotions, but that’s not going to last long. Nor is it healthy.” (p. 179) Nearly every filmmaker in this collection of essays touches one way or another on the difference between “consent” and “informed consent” by the subjects of sensitive documentaries. The line between exploitation and compassionate representation is never clear. But that, as Nick Broomfield notes in the book’s final essay, is no reason to avoid controversy and confrontation. As long as your moral compass points to the truth of the situation, it is acceptable to risk being misunderstood.