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NAVIGATING a THEORETICAL MODEL for ANIMATED DOCUMENTARY PRACTICE ALEX WIDDOWSON Abstract

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INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF FILM AND MEDIA ARTS Vol. 3, Nº. 1 ANIMATING DOCUMENTARY MODES: NAVIGATING A THEORETICAL MODEL FOR ANIMATED DOCUMENTARY PRACTICE ALEX WIDDOWSON Abstract ROYAL COLLEGE OF ART, UNITED KINGDOM Music & Clowns is an animated documentary that intimately portrays the subjectivity and relationships between my brother, our parents, and myself. This film will function as a case study to facilitate a reflective exploration and practice-informed analysis of some of the the- oretical frameworks relevant to animated doc- umentary discourse. Placing emphasis on Bill Nichols’ modes of documentary, I trace the in- fluences, interactions, and specific application that this theoretical topology has had on Music & Clowns. Expanding upon Nichols’ framework by way of visual metaphors, I develop increasing- ly sophisticated models of the interactions be- tween practice and theory, maintaining Nichols’ topology to integrate live-action and animated documentary traditions. Keywords: Bill Nichols, documentary modes, ani- mated documentary, theory, practice. 56 NEW APPROACHES TO REALITY: BETWEEN DOCUMENTARY; ANIMATION AND OTHER FILMIC FORMATS Introduction focused on the stories of people with observe Jamie’s unique personality, Down syndrome who are high function- quality of life, and the influence his pres- Music & Clowns is an animated docu- ing. Fischer argued that Phillips’ thesis ence has had on my parents and I. mentary containing a rich portrait of was informed by a relatively privileged someone with Down syndrome. This experience of raising a high function- Despite Jamie’s extremely limited ver- film was conceived as a response to the ing child with Down syndrome. Despite bal communication, Music & Clowns polemic documentary, A World Without Phillips’ son being representative of just attempts to demonstrate how funny, Down Syndrome (Richards, 2016), pre- a small fraction of the UK’s population charming, and perceptive he is. The sented by Sally Phillips, which address- of people with Down syndrome, she film is structured around a series of es the introduction of Non-invasive built an argument for the potential of interviews I conducted with mine and Prenatal Testing (NIPT) to the United the entire community to make societal Jamie’s mother (Anna) and father (Da- Kingdom (UK), and the likelihood that contributions comparable to those with- vid). Topics discussed, relevant to the it will decrease the birth rate of people out the diagnosis. In response to the political subtext, include how they both with Down syndrome. In the UK, prior to dialogue between Phillips and Fisher I felt when first hearing of his diagnosis, the introduction of NIPT testing, 90% of chose to create a film that placed em- as well as the impact of their decision to fetuses diagnosed with Down syndrome phasis away from the abortion debate, eventually move Jamie out of the fam- were aborted. In Iceland, after NIPT test- instead developing a film which tackles ily home into one run by carers. Anna, ing was introduced, the abortion rate the under-representation of the ordinary who was not provided with a prenatal rose to 100% (“Sally Phillips’s film on...”, lives of people with Down syndrome. diagnosis, does not express a position 2016, para. 7-8). This film provides qualitative evidence, on the debate surrounding diagnosis in- which will hopefully demonstrate to formed abortions. In contrast, David al- It could be argued that the significant audiences my brother Jamie’s human ludes to his pro-life perspective. During drop in the birth rate of people with worth, irrespective of his profound lim- the editing process his politicised opin- Down syndrome fits Rob Nixon’s carac- itations or capacity for proactive contri- ions were selected based on their rele- terisation of “slow violence”, a process butions to wider society. vance to his informed perspective and or destruction that is gradual and often rejected where it was possible to infer invisible (Carruth, 2013, p. 847). Jane Suzanne Buchan proposed that polit- overt judgment regarding the choices Fisher, director of the support organi- ically motivated animated documen- made by others. sation, Antenatal Results and Choices, taries can be characterised as an “en- argues that these tests simply provide counter”, evoking for the viewer a sense I also conducted interviews with Jamie. pregnant women with more accurate of being “...“present” and/or involved in It felt necessary to grant him an active information. Phillips was criticised by the subject matter and people depict- role in the documentary and offer him Fischer for occupying an overtly pro-life ed” (2014, p. 252). Music & Clowns has an opportunity to provide consent. The position, attempting to directly influ- the potential to present viewers with an ethics of creating a film about someone ence the choices of pregnant women encounter with my family, positioning who is not legally able to offer informed who are likely to give birth to a baby with them in our home, immersed in our in- consent was a significant concern. In Down syndrome (McVeigh, 2016, para. terpersonal dynamics. This film con- response to asking Jamie if he felt com- 5). It was also problematic that Phillips tains within it curated opportunities to fortable with me making a film about 57 INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF FILM AND MEDIA ARTS Vol. 3, Nº. 1 him, he laughed and kissed the micro- making a joke in the former interview or the final outcome would be significantly phone (figure 1). While it is tempting observed my response, prompting a re- different. to infer consent from this act, I cannot enactment. assume he understands the difference Music & Clowns addresses several eth- between a private screening of the Upon completion, I observed Jamie’s ical ambiguities, arguing for the social film and its wide distribution, and thus response to the film. He engaged en- value of the life of someone who can’t may not be able to forsee the potential thusiastically with elements of the work, care for themself, referencing Jamie’s impact of the film’s release on his life. particularly those featuring clowns or limited ability to explain whether or In accordance with the Royal College music, and was able to recognise family not he is offering consent, deciphering of Art’s ethical procedures, David and members. However, his attempts to ar- obscured mental processes based on Anna provided consent on Jamie’s be- ticulate his recognition or approval were observation, questioning the legitimacy half. In a later interview, without prompt, cut short, possibly because the fast ed- of each family members interpretation Jamie kissed the microphone once iting and dynamic animation may have of his cognition, and challenging view- again. I interpreted this repetition as a been difficult for him to process. I do not ers to trust documentary value of a signifier of his intuitive comprehension consider this a flaw in the project as he non-indexical method of representation of the comedic value associated with is not the intended audience. If he were, to illustrate informed qualitative obser- unanticipated subversion. He was either vations. In order to encourage critical Figure 1: Jamie kissing the microphone. Screenshots from Music & Clowns, Author, 2018 58 ANIMATING DOCUMENTARY MODES ALEX WIDDOWSON engagement with the form and subject with form imply additional affiliations the foundation of documentary theory. matter, the film possesses numerous with both the observational and poetic Annabelle Honess Roe argues this is reflexive devices. However, the multiple mode. This complex medley of modal partly due to a flexibility associated with strategies employed in this film prevent interactions has prompted my reeval- epistemological “broadness” (2011, p. it from being categorized in Bill Nichols’ uation of the relationships between 216). Bill Nichols’ proposed modes of reflexive mode. My choice to animate animated and live action documentary documentary create six subdivisions the presence of microphones in some practice, and the theoretical discourses akin to sub-genres in his book, Intro- scenes replicates and contrives a trope relating animation to Nichols’ topology duction to Documentary (2001, p. 99, 1st of the participatory mode. Interspersed of documentary. ed.). His topology was composed of the between conventionally structured par- “poetic mode”, which places emphasis ticipatory scenes, structured around Developing visual metaphors on aesthetics rather than a subject; indexical testimony, are sequences to plot Nichols’ theoretical the “expository mode”, which presents that exemplify Bill Nichols’ performa- framework of documentary a linear authoritative perspective; the tive mode, in which the subjectivity of “observational mode”, documenting a a participant is evoked. In addition to John Grierson’s pithy definition of doc- subject naturalistically; the “participa- this, the use of observational archive umentary as “the creative treatment of tory mode”; focusing on the relationship footage and the playful experimentation actuality” (1933, p. 8) has endured as between the filmmaker and subject; the Figure 2: Bill Nichols erecting the modes of documentary practice on top of John Grierson’s foundational definition, Author, 2018 59 INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF FILM AND MEDIA ARTS Vol. 3, Nº. 1 “reflexive mode”, focusing on the rela- context because it functions as “meta- subject and filmmaker to facilitate rep- tionship between the filmmaker and the commentary” by way of artistically in- resentational authenticity through feed- audience; and the “performative mode”, terpreting conventional documentary back (Ward, 2005 p 94-95).1 attempting to represent subjective sources. Gunnar Strøm undermines knowledge (2001, p. 125 & 138, 1st ed.). the idea that animated documentary Honess Roe was critical of attempts to Collectively the modes appear, at first is a subdivision of the reflexive mode “shoehorn” animated documentary into glance, to be a method for dividing the by illuminating the culturally informed Nichols’ modes, which were conceived spectrum of documentary productions audience’s preconceived limitations on with live action documentary in mind. into distinct camps. This evoked for me the practice.
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