San Jose State University SJSU ScholarWorks Master's Theses Master's Theses and Graduate Research Spring 2012 Nothing But The Truth And The Whole Truthiness: Examining Markers Of Authenticity In The Modern Documentary Andrew V. Dickerson San Jose State University Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/etd_theses Recommended Citation Dickerson, Andrew V., "Nothing But The Truth And The Whole Truthiness: Examining Markers Of Authenticity In The Modern Documentary" (2012). Master's Theses. 4128. DOI: https://doi.org/10.31979/etd.xa9f-dgzx https://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/etd_theses/4128 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Master's Theses and Graduate Research at SJSU ScholarWorks. It has been accepted for inclusion in Master's Theses by an authorized administrator of SJSU ScholarWorks. For more information, please contact [email protected]. NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH AND THE WHOLE TRUTHINESS: EXAMINING MARKERS OF AUTHENTICITY IN THE MODERN DOCUMENTARY A Thesis Presented To The Faculty of the Department of Television, Radio, Film, and Theatre San Jose State University In Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Masters of Arts by Andrew V. Dickerson May 2012 © 2012 Andrew V. Dickerson ALL RIGHTS RESERVED The Designated Thesis Committee Approves the Thesis Titled NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH AND THE WHOLE TRUTHINESS: EXAMINING MARKERS OF AUTHENTICITY IN THE MODERN DOCUMENTARY by Andrew V. Dickerson APPROVED FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF TELEVISION, RADIO, FILM AND THEATRE SAN JOSE STATE UNIVERSITY May 2012 Dr. Alison McKee Department of Theatre Arts Dr. David Kahn Department of Theatre Arts Dr. Matthew Spangler Department of Communication Studies ABSTRACT NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH AND THE WHOLE TRUTHINESS: EXAMINING MARKERS OF AUTHENTICITY IN THE MODERN DOCUMENTARY by Andrew V. Dickerson This thesis examines the phenomenon comedian Stephen Colbert dubbed “truthiness” as it pertains to representations of authenticity in the documentary film genre. This thesis identifies several “markers of authenticity,” such as voice-over narration and confessional interviews, which have come to represent trustworthy representations of reality in the documentary form. This thesis also provides a content analysis of the markers’ use in five carefully selected contemporary documentaries, including Super Size Me (Spurlock, 2004) and Bowling for Columbine (Moore, 2002). The purpose of the study is to create a more comprehensive definition of the word truthiness as it pertains to the documentary film genre. The results of the study show that truthiness exists when a marker of authenticity is used to support the articulation of the documentarian’s viewpoint at the expense of a subject’s authenticity. The results of the study also show that truthiness exists when any marker of authenticity is used to convey a secondary meaning for comedic or ironic effect. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to acknowledge the superhuman efforts of my advisor and first reader Dr. Alison McKee. The impact her knowledge, advice, and motivation had on the completion of this thesis is immeasurable. I do not believe I could have completed this work without her tireless commitment and for that I am eternally grateful. I would also like to acknowledge the efforts of my second reader Dr. David Kahn, who aided in the development of this thesis from its infancy three years ago. His never- ending enthusiasm for thought-provoking study and his work with the students of San Jose State University is commendable. I would also like to thank Barnaby Dallas and Nick Martinez for their help over the past seven years, spanning my undergraduate and graduate involvement with the San Jose State University Ice Hockey Team and the Television-Radio-Film-and-Theatre Department at San Jose State University. Their dedication to their respective disciplines in the department and University-related extracurricular activities is inspirational and I am honored to have worked with both of them. Finally, I would like to thank my parents, Carla and Rich, my brother, Brian, and my fiancée, Janelle, for their continued love and support. I could not have accomplished all that I have to this point, or all that I will in the future, without each of you. v TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION Significance of the Study ................................................................................................ 1 Literature Review ............................................................................................................ 5 CHAPTER 2: STRUCTURE OF RESEARCH Methodology ................................................................................................................. 15 Definition of Terms ....................................................................................................... 18 Markers of Authenticity ................................................................................................ 19 Voice-Over Narration and/or Subtitles ..................................................................... 21 Manipulation of Footage ........................................................................................... 22 “Talking Heads” or “Confessional” Interviews ........................................................ 26 Documentarian’s On-Screen Presence ...................................................................... 28 Documentarian’s Level of Intrusion ......................................................................... 30 Participants’ Consent ................................................................................................ 33 Staged Action ............................................................................................................ 34 Conclusion .................................................................................................................... 36 CHAPTER 3: SETTING THE STAGE – FILM DESCRIPTION Super Size Me (2004) .................................................................................................... 37 Spellbound (2002) ......................................................................................................... 38 An Inconvenient Truth (2006) ....................................................................................... 40 Food, Inc. (2008) .......................................................................................................... 41 Bowling for Columbine (2002) ..................................................................................... 43 CHAPTER 4: RESEARCH FINDINGS Voice-Over Narration and/or Subtitles ......................................................................... 46 Food, Inc. ................................................................................................................. 47 Bowling for Columbine ............................................................................................. 49 Super Size Me ............................................................................................................ 51 An Inconvenient Truth ............................................................................................... 53 Spellbound ................................................................................................................. 55 Synthesis ................................................................................................................... 57 Manipulation of Footage ............................................................................................... 61 Spellbound ................................................................................................................ 61 Super Size Me ............................................................................................................ 64 Bowling for Columbine ............................................................................................. 67 Food, Inc. .................................................................................................................. 70 An Inconvenient Truth ............................................................................................... 72 Synthesis ................................................................................................................... 73 Talking Heads or Confessional Interviews ................................................................... 77 vi Spellbound ................................................................................................................. 77 Food, Inc. ................................................................................................................. 79 Super Size Me ............................................................................................................ 81 Bowling for Columbine ............................................................................................. 83 An Inconvenient Truth ............................................................................................... 84 Synthesis ................................................................................................................... 85 Documentarian’s On-Screen Presence .......................................................................... 88 Super Size Me ............................................................................................................ 89 An Inconvenient Truth ............................................................................................... 91 Bowling for Columbine