The first big subject we learned in Media Studies this year has been documentaries, and I LOVE them. We watched 2 examples, one being American Promise (2013) directed by Joe Brewster and Michèle Stephenson, and the other being Exit Through the Gift Shop (2010) produced by the famous artist Banksy.
American Promise has got to be one of my favorite productions I have ever watched. It was so impactful. I loved the choice to film this doc over 13 years, to document the entire schooling lives using the same subjects. Not only did it so effectively show the impact the schooling had on the boys over time, but it also gave the audience such an attachment to them, as it felt like you had been growing up with them the entire time. It was also such an important subject and I think the doc really portrayed how black Americans are treated in the predominantly white, higher-level education system, as well as how it impacted them. Not only were they singled out their entire lives, but it led one of the two subjects, Seun to be totally flunking for years and have no self-confidence. The other subject Idris, on the other hand, was so pushed to succeed at the school, and so micro-managed that he left the school with still little self-accountability, from what it seemed. The doc also highlighted the struggles of the parents, not knowing whether to keep pushing their boys in the direction of the prestigious school or if it was doing more harm than good. After watching this doc, I researched trying to find out what happened to them, I was glad to find they both ended up very successful and remained friends.
Exit throguh the Gift Shop was an entirely different type of documentary to American Promise. Especially because a lot of the filming done was not originally filmed for the purpose of the doc that was produced. The doc begins with the main subject Thierry, a French man living in Los Angeles. He loves to carry around a video camera and at some point, he was hanging around a cousin of his who was into street art, and he began filming him and fell in love with it. From there he somehow got permission to follow many famous street artists like Sheppard Fariey and even the highly secretive Banksy. He tells them all he is filming a doc about street art, but really he just likes the filming. Eventually, Banksy asks him about the film and says we need this now. He compiles some footage and creates a terrible film that is in no way a documentary. It is then that Banksy takes over the doc, and Theirry ends up becoming a street artist himself, known as Mr. Brainwash. Anyway, I'll stop rambling about what happens in the doc, you really should watch it yourself. Basically, the doc becomes more about Theirry himself, but also highlights the significance, and effort that goes into street art. It was at this time so important as street art was being questioned as real art and criticized. This doc showed so many what it takes to create these works and that they really do have meaning and significance. I loved how this doc showed what it started out as, and how it kind of came into production on accident, I love the indirect interviews with many artists that worked with Thierry, and Banky's interview that really aids the narration of the doc.
This doc also really makes the audience reflect on consumerism. When Thierry becomes his own street artist overnight, he gains tons of fans loving his work, because he was able to get Banksy to quote that he was something to appreciate. It really highlights how shallow our society is and how quick we are to jump at what's trending and what we are told to like.
This is the quote Mr Brainwash got from Banksy, that he displayed, causing fans to flood into his first major art event.
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