I'm now starting to make the research into roles segment of my report a lot richer, by digging deep into the world of the documentary producer. Unlike a film producer, they tend to have a much greater role in the story telling, this is because they are finding the stories, working with he contributors and ultimately interviewing them. Therefore the content tends to solely lie with the producer. It isn't a writing role as such, more investigative, selection based, building a jigsaw.I have mentioned previously that the film The Impostor, has had a great influence on myself and Lauren, the style and content seemed perfectly matched. Sometimes with documentary there is too much style over content, or the content is there but the basic style lets it down. The Impostor was complimented by both, neither existed without the other, and if one of them had been slightly weaker, it would not have had the same impact.
I love the filmic look of The Impostor, which I know Lauren is doing a lot of research into, so I don't need to go into detail about the style. What is interesting for me is how they dealt with he story. There is no narration, something I want to avoid, let the audience piece things together with the help of the contributors. I want out audience to be active, not passive. Each revelation is told my the characters. So I want to know how the producers did this, how did they know what to ask? How did they make the links? How did they structure in the beginning of at all? What was there building blocks? A sort of what came first the chicken or the egg?
I knew the main producer that has done interviews and has been photographed at awards ceremonies is Dimitri Doganis. He seemed to be the investigative force, he found the story and did the interviews. Then there is a whole list of other producers, 18 to be exact. It didn't have a large budget and was backed by film four, it is completely British. What did these producers bring to the table? Who was in charge of what? I hope to contact a few a figure out what I am most closely linked to, what title would they have given me?
Most interesting there was NO writer credited. The producers were writing the content or organizing the content the contributors gave them. The director would then choose the shots.
All The Impostor producers:
| John Battsek | .... | executive producer |
| Sam Brown | .... | development producer |
| Katherine Butler | .... | executive producer |
| Simon Chinn | .... | executive producer |
| Paul Cziok | .... | archive producer |
| Robert DeBitetto | .... | executive producer |
| Poppy Dixon | .... | co-producer |
| Dimitri Doganis | .... | producer |
| John Farrar | .... | development producer |
| Kate Horne | .... | assistant producer: Spain |
| Tabitha Jackson | .... | executive producer |
| Mary-Jane Mitchell | .... | development producer |
| Randy Murray | .... | local producer: Phoenix, AZ |
| Theresa Murray | .... | local producer: Phoenix, AZ |
| Robert Sharenow | .... | executive producer |
| Molly Thompson | .... | executive producer |
| Vanessa Tovell | .... | line producer |
| Paloma Lopez Vazquez | .... | local producer: Madrid |
The norm for docs is indeed to be the Producer/Director and to have working with you a team including a researcher (or more if bigger project) - then employ two man crew (sometimes three including a camera assistant). The Producer is the person guiding the story, writing and often directing the piece and as you say doing the interviews. It makes the project manageable and ensures that the vision of the film is clear - you are then answerable to some sort of Series Editor/Exec Producer who will oversee and ensure you meet all editorial requirements and that the storytelling etc are clear - they sit in on viewings throughout the edit as well as overseeing the initial stages of development (having regular meetings prior to and during the shoot). That was my experience as a Producer and it is the most common way of doing things. Good research!
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