Essentials in Ethnographic Film Production (Essay Sample)

Ethnographic Film Production Name Institution Course Instructor Date Ethnographic Film Production Essentials in Ethnographic Film Production It varies with the frames more so normative frames be it film as a record,text, a sense impression or lastly,relational practice (Heider, 2021). Heider delves deeper and explores it as utilized in practice such as film festivals among others. Both studies take on a multi dimensional approach and as such allows for greater flexibility more so in defining the genre while exploring the elements that make a film ethnographic. It goes beyond the typically modes of reading and writing. Ethnographic film is centered on the means of visual, aural and oral. It largely aids in building the utilization of media that is diverse coupled with having tools that represent both narratives and cultures (Lemelson & Tucker, 2015). Unlike how feature films are conducted, ethnographic filmmakers are largely focused on recording events as and when they occur. It does not require scripts, sets, actors or even retakes. The film captures the natural environment in its totality. The films are also required to capture the essence of the people, their fears, passions and motivations (Lemelson & Tucker, 2015). A facet that is critical to the success of the entire film is the development of trust between the anthropologist or ethnographer and the people who are the topic of conversation or study (Lemelson & Tucker, 2015). The trust created is normally referred to as a social contract and within it there are obligations coupled with ethical considerations that must be factored into when making the film. The elements or essentials also include disciplinary dialog, styles widely used in ethnographic film, subjects and the methodological norms (Heider, 2021). The subjects are pivotal in the entire process and form the fabric of the film.Within digital ethnography, there are principles such as multiplicity which is the different ways of engagement on a digital spectrum, the non-digital centricness, reflexivity,openness and lastly, the unorthodox ways of communication (Heider, 2021). Areas of Articulation and Differences Between the Approaches Heider focuses more on the intricacies of film from a highly technical standpoint. For starters there are elements that are critical in the making of the film such as the appropriateness of sound, music and the explicit theory (Heider, 2021). The appropriateness of sound focuses more on the film being a visual medium and as such a majority of ethnographic films are known to have a sound track (Heider, 2021). The soundtrack is integral in that it provides or enhances the visuals. Music according to Heider can serve as a distraction more so when it serves as the sound of the events that take place when the actual visuals are being shot. The most commonly used music is folk songs or instrumental music from a specific culture (Heider, 2021). Ethnographic films are largely tied to ethnographic understanding and this largely determines its success. Lemelson takes on a different approach and focuses largely on the phases of film-making notably pre-production, actual production and post production (Lemelson & Tucker, 2015). Pre-production centers on getting the concept and undertaking various activities that eventually lead to the making of the film (Lemelson & Tucker, 2015). They include planning how the entire film will be shot, selecting the anticipated scenes, coming up with the entire team, designating duties among others (Lemelson & Tucker, 2015). Lemelson explores the entire film making process from the process of conceptualization right down to its execution where as Heider focuses on the technicalities of film making and the role of each element. The management of footage explored by Lemelson is highly informative and provides a glimpse into the numerous dimensions of film making that are often given little importance or notoriety. Lemelso...