PALEY CENTER FOR MEDIA, THE: DOCFEST 2011: THE DOC FILMMAKER TAKING ON POWER {LONG VERSION ANAMORPHIC}
Summary
One in a series of seminars presented by The Paley Center for Media in New York as part of its DocFest 2011 Television Documentary Festival. This seminar examines documentary filmmakers who have taken on corporations or governments in the course of their documentation. Ron Simon (television curator, The Paley Center for Media in New York) offers opening remarks about this year's DocFest before introducing Cameron Yates (Program Manager, Hamptons International Film Festival). Yates briefly discusses his connections to the panelists. Joe Neumaier (Film Critic, New York Daily News) moderates the following panelists: Joe Berlinger (Filmmaker, "Crude," "Paradise Lost III: Purgatory"); Laura Israel (Filmmaker, "Windfall"); Josh Fox (Filmmaker, "Gasland"); Anthony Baxter (Filmmaker, "You've Been Trumped"); and Karen Shatzkin (Lawyer). The panelists touch on such topics as: Berlinger on the difficulties involved in the filming of "Crude" and his legal trouble with the company Chevron as a result of the film's release; Baxter on his reasons for making "You've Been Trumped"; Fox on the effect of "Gasland" on advocacy groups across the country; Israel on her complicated dealings with wind energy companies; Shatzkin on the legal strategies that companies use in reference to documentaries; Baxter on his desire to serve as a voice for the people featured in his film; Berlinger on how his attitude on filmmaking changed over time from storytelling to advocacy; Fox on forming friendships with his film subjects and the problems with the politics surrounding environmental law; Israel on the "divisiveness" and "air of paranoia" fostered by wind energy companies; Shatzkin on the potential pitfalls of narrative storytelling in documentary filmmaking; Fox's artistic approach to the filming of "Gasland"; Israel on the importance of symbolism in "Windfall"; and Baxter on his confrontation with mogul Donald Trump for his film "You've Been Trumped." Questions from the audience then lead to a discussion of the following topics among others: Fox on the gas corporations debunking the incendiary water shown in "Gasland"; Berlinger on the financial difficulties involved in his legal battle with Chevron; Shatzkin on the corruption in the legal system; Baxter on his interactions with documentary filmmaker Michael Moore; Shatzkin on the specifics of defamation law and misrepresentation in reference to documentary filmmakers; Berlinger on the "ethical dilemma" inherent in his filmmaking process; protection both legal and physical required for some documentary filmmaking; and lessons from the panelists for aspiring documentary filmmakers. Clips are interspersed throughout, including: a trailer for Berlinger's "Crude;" a clip from "Gasland" displaying the effects of contaminated water, notably its incendiary properties; an excerpt from "Windfall" outlining the issues inherent in placing wind turbines in a small town; and a clip from "You've Been Trumped" featuring Baxter questioning Trump at a press conference.
Details
- NETWORK: N/A
- DATE: October 20, 2011 6:30 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 1:34:13
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: 106400
- GENRE: Seminars
- SUBJECT HEADING: N/A
- SERIES RUN: N/A
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Ron Simon … Host
- Joe Neumaier … Moderator
- Joe Berlinger … Panelist
- Laura Israel … Panelist
- Karen Shatzkin … Panelist
- Josh Fox … Panelist
- Anthony Baxter … Panelist
- Cameron Yates … Guest
- Michael Moore
- Donald Trump