Why's of Filmaking
Why's of Filmaking
Richard Leacock
June 18, 1991
Having spent some twenty years teaching documentary film making, I am still puzzled by people who say to me "I want to work in documentary...and I would like to work with you on your next film..." The answer to the last part is easy, "No" since I do not work with a crew. The answer to the first part is more difficult because I don't know what it means.
Supposing some one said to you "I want to work in motorcars..." but nobody would say that. If questioned, most say that they want to "direct" and some that they want to be a "Cameraman". I need to know a whole lot more about the nature of their interest. Do they want to make money? Lots of money? Do they want to work for Television? Do they have a compelling need to communicate with other people even if it doesn't make money? Do they want to capture those aspects of a situation that they happen to be in, that intrigues them, and share it with others? Do they go places just to see what goes on there? Do they ever sketch people and situations? Do they take photographs? Another way of sharing experiences. Is this something that bugs them?...That they just have to do...?
I ask these questions because what we do is very, very difficult. Years ago, as a child, I wanted to play a musical instrument. I rashly chose the violin. I was not bad at it but I was not good enough . I didn't like to hear myself play. I didn't practice. After seven years, I realized that I didn't care enough... I quit. Anyone can buy a reasonably good violin but they should not go rent an auditorium for a while. Quite a while.
It is easy to make a bad film, which is why it is such an attractive field. Most films are badly shot and badly edited. Most people don't even know the difference (and I include film critics in this category) If you really want to make movies you must shoot and shoot and shoot...and then edit what you shoot, yourself. That is the only way you will learn. Don't take courses, don't read books...just do it!
Until recently people could say "but it is too expensive..." Today, with video-8, this is not true. I am working entirely in Video-8. I feel liberated. I can experiment, try different ways of shooting and when I am content I can come home and edit,and re-edit. There is no limit. As for people who only shoot when they are paid, I suspect their motives and their interest.
Robert Flaherty, the maker of Nanook of the North (1921) and Moana (1925), was my model. He was his own camera and his own editor. The first time I met him was in 1936, he had come to visit his daughters at our school in England. He spent a whole afternoon filming a blond Irish girl, combing her hair! Filming and filming, for the pleasure of it! I thought he was mad! Years later, I realized that it was I that was mad!
Richard Leacock
June 18, 1991
Having spent some twenty years teaching documentary film making, I am still puzzled by people who say to me "I want to work in documentary...and I would like to work with you on your next film..." The answer to the last part is easy, "No" since I do not work with a crew. The answer to the first part is more difficult because I don't know what it means.
Supposing some one said to you "I want to work in motorcars..." but nobody would say that. If questioned, most say that they want to "direct" and some that they want to be a "Cameraman". I need to know a whole lot more about the nature of their interest. Do they want to make money? Lots of money? Do they want to work for Television? Do they have a compelling need to communicate with other people even if it doesn't make money? Do they want to capture those aspects of a situation that they happen to be in, that intrigues them, and share it with others? Do they go places just to see what goes on there? Do they ever sketch people and situations? Do they take photographs? Another way of sharing experiences. Is this something that bugs them?...That they just have to do...?
I ask these questions because what we do is very, very difficult. Years ago, as a child, I wanted to play a musical instrument. I rashly chose the violin. I was not bad at it but I was not good enough . I didn't like to hear myself play. I didn't practice. After seven years, I realized that I didn't care enough... I quit. Anyone can buy a reasonably good violin but they should not go rent an auditorium for a while. Quite a while.
It is easy to make a bad film, which is why it is such an attractive field. Most films are badly shot and badly edited. Most people don't even know the difference (and I include film critics in this category) If you really want to make movies you must shoot and shoot and shoot...and then edit what you shoot, yourself. That is the only way you will learn. Don't take courses, don't read books...just do it!
Until recently people could say "but it is too expensive..." Today, with video-8, this is not true. I am working entirely in Video-8. I feel liberated. I can experiment, try different ways of shooting and when I am content I can come home and edit,and re-edit. There is no limit. As for people who only shoot when they are paid, I suspect their motives and their interest.
Robert Flaherty, the maker of Nanook of the North (1921) and Moana (1925), was my model. He was his own camera and his own editor. The first time I met him was in 1936, he had come to visit his daughters at our school in England. He spent a whole afternoon filming a blond Irish girl, combing her hair! Filming and filming, for the pleasure of it! I thought he was mad! Years later, I realized that it was I that was mad!