Film is a powerful medium for communicating deep and nuanced consumer/ user/corporate/societal insights. Ethnographic films produced in the tradition of direct cinema have the ability to speak for themselves; the film becomes the report. In the spirit of ethnography, direct cinema ethnographic filmmaking embraces an open research attitude and methodology. Willing to receive, accept and highlight even the most unexpected or contradictory insights, it may leave as many questions as it answers.
Goals
This workshop is designed to give participants a background in “observational mode” filmmaking. It will also provide them with traditional and applied examples of this approach to video ethnography, and send them away with specific techniques they can use when designing and executing their next video ethnography research project.
Key benefits
Provide participants with:
- A background in “observational mode”/“direct cinema” style filmmaking
- Traditional and applied examples of this approach to video ethnography
- Specific “fly on the wall” filmmaking techniques they can use when designing and executing their next video ethnography research project
Structure/schedule (TOTAL 240 minutes)
Part A: Introduction to direct cinema ethnographic filmmaking (45 minutes)
- Participant introductions and expectations for the workshop (25 minutes)
- Setting the scene – Bruno Moynié will discuss his production background and theoretical position vis-à-vis ethnographic filmmaking (20 minutes)
Part B: Deconstruction of classical ethnographic films produced in the direct cinema tradition (60 minutes)
- Presentation and screening of samples taken from films by two ethnographic filmmaking gurus: Jean Rouch and Frederick Wiseman (30 minutes)
- Discussion of the structure of and techniques used in traditional ethnographic filmmaking (30 minutes)
Part C: Direct cinema ethnographic marketing and design research filmmaking techniques (90 minutes)
- Screening of samples taken from films produced by Monde Moderne Ltd (30 minutes)
- Discussion of production techniques (e.g. observing and mingling vs. interviewing, letting events unfold on film, use of voiceover), client usefulness, films as critical approaches (60 minutes)
Part D: The limits to and opportunities in direct cinema ethnographic filmmaking for marketing and design research (45 minutes)
- Group discussion and debate (45 minutes)
Target audience
Anyone who does or intend to conduct contextual research using a handheld digital video camera
Organizer
Bruno Moynié. Two Master’s Degrees, one in Social Anthropology (Aix-En-Provence University, France) and one in Ethnographic Film (University of Montréal, Canada) and professional experience in television and commercial production place Bruno Moynié in a class of his own. He is one of a handful of bona fide anthropologist filmmakers working in the marketing and design research industry. Based in both Toronto and Paris, Bruno's ethnographic marketing and design research film projects have taken him all over the world: through Canada, Europe, ...
