The reason why I find these types of documentaries exciting, is because they are created by ordinary people with a passion for film making. Vimeo is their channel of speech, and was created by film makers as a channel for other film makers to expose their work.
I wanted to deconstruct two documentaries that focuses on different subjects, as well as using different approaches to reach their audience. I find it interesting how different methods can be used to approach an idea, and how the director chooses to tell the story.
The first documentary is called "Richard". It is the story about a piano tuner who one day decided to give up his possessions and become homeless. The story focuses on the main character Richard, and how he survives in London without a home. He tells the emotional story about how he got fed up with his life, and one day realized that he didn't really need all his stuff and his home.
The documentary is filmed in a lot of different locations, to take the viewer into the mind of Richard. It is filled with aesthetic pictures of London, to illustrate how Richard perceives the world after he gave up his home. The documentary is shot entirely on tripod, with very limited movement. The tripod shots contributes to the whole feel and look of the documentary, as it makes the shot very calm and relaxed. The documentary is dominated by a voiceover from Richard himself, telling the story of his life. As he does this, the viewer is invited into Richards' world, through a montage of him in different situations around London. The documentary comes together really, but I do miss the intimacy an interview scene can create. With only voice-overs to really emphasize the silver lining in the story, the viewer doesn't really bond with Richard, but perceives him, as an outsider would perceive a stranger. Still "Richard" is a deep and energizing documentary, that proves man doesn't need a TV and a mortgage to be happy. It is a life-affirming documentary, that takes the viewer on a journey in the life of Richard, without disturbing neither him or the viewer.
Watch "Richard" here:
The second documentary I have chosen to deconstruct, is the story about former Canadian Kickboxing Champion Ian "The Jackal" Jacklin.
Ian Jacklin seems like a compassionate guy in the beginning of the documentary, as he is telling the story about how he started fighting. The main sequence in the documentary is interview. Here we get a glimpse of Ian as he is today. As the documentary progresses, the viewer get a glimpse of Ian's former life through old tapes and recording from his early careerer.
As kickboxing became illegal in Canada, Ian moved to America and became a professional kickboxer. As his careerer moved forward, he started getting noticed. He moved to California and began acting next to his kickboxing careerer, and that is where his careerer started going down hill. The whole portrait of Ian seems a little rushed, but we still get a good look at Ian's life through the documentary, from his late teens to his early twenties.
The documentary is a classic "look back", but I would personally have liked a more intimate look into the kickboxing careerer, since this is where the documentary begins. It ends in a very strange place - with cancer treatment and research. The documentary manages to jump in time, and randomly introduce Ian as an independent film maker and holistic cancer treatment front-man.
Both "Richard" and "The Jackal" are storys of a man who took a chance in life, portrayed in two different aspects. Richard makes the audience feel free, while "The Jackal" is an autobiography of a former boxer, trying to create awareness of his project. Both are very different approaches to documentaries, and bot are achieving what they set out to achieve - A brief look into the world of a extraordinary human being. One is humble and free, the other is in your face and a little bit obnoxious. But common for both of them, is the search for happiness in two very different shapes and forms.
Watch "The Jackal" here:
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