Paper Example on Ethics in Documentary Filmmaking

Introduction

Documentary filmmaking is considered to be one of the most effective ways to raise awareness, and also draw attention to a certain issue. However, even while raising awareness to a certain audience through the use of a documentary, it is imperative for the filmmakers to take into consideration various ethical issues that may arise (Anderson & Benson, 1991, p.1). The first ethical issue that should be looked into is the portrayal of the participants who have willingly accepted to contribute to a certain degree towards the documentary. When making a documentary film in which it features human beings as subjects of an argument, it is imperative for the filmmaker to think about the potential impact it will have on the lives of people (Anderson & Benson, 1991, p.1).

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Films are considered to have great power, and do not only affect the viewers, but also the communities the director is targeting in order to make a specific point. Based on this power that these documentaries hold (in relation to changing the lives of people) is the responsibility of ensuring the process is conducted in an ethical manner (Aufderheide et al., 2009, p.18). However, at times especially as a result of the subject of the study, or the focus of the documentary there are instances whereby in order for the filmmaker to make his, or her point he, or she has to 'cross' the ethical lines (Aufderheide et al., 2009, p.25). It is important to ensure that the film participant (actor) is comfortable with how other people (both people that he, or she is familiar, and those that he, or she is not familiar with) perceive him, or her, how his, or her contribution will be judged, and the aspects of life that may ultimately be revealed after their story is featured in the documentary.

The filmmakers need to ensure that they take the responsibility of protecting the people that they will feature in their documentaries. They should not cause harm to the actors, or participants in order to achieve their objective of maybe creating an authentic film, or fulfilling the objectives of their sponsors. It is important to accord the adequate social rights, and personal dignity of the contributors of the film to be respected (Barnett et al., 2011, p.45). Therefore, there is the need to provide, or promote an appropriate balance during the creation of either an authentic, or even compelling film, or also protecting the rights of the contributors of the film.

Other ethical issues that need to be placed in consideration other than ensuring that the contributors of the film are not placed directly, or indirectly in the line of harm is making them aware of how they will be depicted in the film. They also need to be aware of the purpose of the film. In addition to that, as much as documentaries tend to be biased towards the message that they are trying to convey, filmmakers should not 'twist' facts, or influence the participants towards their biasness in order to make a compelling argument (Butchart, 2006, p. 435). They should instead portray the different perspectives that exist, and where they cannot, acknowledge their existence in order to ensure that their audience will make an informed decision in relation to the film, or documentary that they are watching.

Background of the Study

Sicko is a two-hour documentary that was produced by guru filmmaker Michael Moore that investigates the failures, and corruption of the United States healthcare system. It examines the shortcomings of the nation's healthcare networks, providing detailed stories of some of the American citizens who have 'battled' with the health care insurance companies, and have not been successful (Moore et al., 2007). Moore also explores the healthcare systems in Canada, France, Britain, and Cuba in order to show what the country's (U.S.) healthcare system can learn from these other practices.

The documentary points out the unethical, and unjust nature of the US healthcare system. For instance, Moore explores on cases whereby Americans have been denied insurance due to the fact that they are considered to be predisposed to an illness, or face too much of a risk in relation to their pre-existing condition. They are also cases whereby people have been denied insurance because they have a body mass index that is either too high, or too low (Moore et al., 2007). The film points out that the health care system, and in particular the insurance companies are focused on making high profits at the expense of the health of the people it is supposed to help seek, and improve their overall health. The film shows real life cases of people being denied insurance cover, which has resulted in worsened health conditions, and also death (Moore et al., 2007). It also uses 'insider' information from people who have worked in various capacities for these insurance companies to show how these firms manipulate the poor, or economically disadvantaged personnel to benefit financially.

Research Objectives

To assess whether being unethical in documentary filmmaking is wrong if it raises awareness amongst its audience.

To determine whether documentary filmmakers apply fictional elements in order to model the film to their own specification

To determine how documentarians apply code of ethics in their production

Literature Review

Documentary filmmakers from time to time have to ask themselves several questions such as when to, and not to film, how close they should get to their subjects, and the boundaries that they should not cross in their process of creating an authentic story. However, as much as they prepare themselves documentary filmmakers are bound to cross the boundaries that were set ( either by them, or by their subjects), and at times face a conflict in terms of the ethical guidelines, and practices that they believe in, and raising awareness on a critical subject to their audience(Butchart, 2014, p. 199). In this literature review, it seeks to assess evidence in relation to the ethics of documentary filmmaking, and whether producers who at times are unethical, are considered to be wrong if their cause is just 'raising awareness to its audience.'

The Origin of Ethical Problems in Documentary Production

Nichols (1991) pointed out that she found it remarkable that there was no governing body of ethical issues in the film industry. Rosenthal (1998) stated that while the relationship between ethical considerations, and film practice are important, it is one of the most neglected aspects in the documentary field. Ethical considerations are deemed as important in documentary filmmaking (Nichols, 2006, p. 48). The reason for this is that documentaries are normally considered to be an attempt to tell a true story the way it happened albeit using a particular perspective (the director's perspective).

Ethical considerations are particularly important in documentary filmmaking as they help the producers to be able 'to draw the line' between the actuality of the events, and the aesthetic needs of the film. Hampe (1997) points out that even though documentaries are based on real events, and at times depict reality they are not in reality actual events due to the presence of the camera, and that in most cases the producer normally alters the events (Caroll & Choi, 2006, p. 72). Winston (2000) points out that in questioning documentary ethics, it is important to take into consideration the influence of the camera on the contributors of the film, the presence of the filmmakers, and then determine the ethical nature of these two principle factors in the making of a documentary(Winston, 2000).

Theoretical Review

Ethical Behavior

In filmmaking, it is important to point out that there is no single format of ethical behaviors that a filmmaker can adapt. This means that there is no single code of ethics that filmmakers should follow in order to make what can be considered to be an ethical documentary. Different filmmakers will adapt to different ethical guidelines in relation to the place, and time when the filmmaker is working on a certain project (Carolyn & Benson, 1988, p. 68). Asch (1992) points out that ethical truths are specific in relation to a particular culture, and moment in history.

Most filmmakers have come to the realization that they cannot be able to rely on a single set of ethical guidelines to follow in different situations that they may be involved in during the production process. The reason for this is that the different circumstances require different ethical guidelines as they have specific dilemmas (Carolyn & Benson, 1988, p. 72). It is also important for the filmmakers to understand that they should also take into consideration the ethical codes of both their subjects, and also intended audience. The reason for this is that the human subjects who will be included in the film have their own ethical principles, and therefore, these codes should be taken into consideration. Therefore, the filmmaker has to assess the different varied ethical codes during the film production, and make an attempt to adapt to the relevant guidelines in a particular situation.

Situational Ethics

This form of ethics arose from utilitarianism, which was proposed by Jeremy Bentham (1789), and John Stuart Mill (1861). Bentham held the belief that something was ethical, or morally right if it brought the greatest amount of pleasure, and the least amount of pain. He held the belief that pleasure, and pain can be used to define what is good, or morally right in comparison to what is wrong (Dorsey, 2006, p. 502). John Stuart Mill slightly modified Bentham's perspective on utilitarianism. Mill felt that the only way to determine what is right, or wrong is through the comparison of the consequences of all the alternative situations for a certain circumstance.

Fletcher (founder of situational ethics) states that situational ethics is a modification of utilitarianism whereby it replaces the pleasure principle with the love principle. In situational ethics the proposed proponent is that, the end, or the consequence of a situation will normally justify the means (Gajilan, 2007). Therefore, based on this notion one would state that even if a documentary is considered to be unethical, and it is relaying valuable information to its audience then it will automatically be considered to be ethical.

Fletcher stated that the law of love is the ultimate method of deducing what can be considered to be right, or wrong. However, most consequentialists are opposed to the fact that all values can be construed to a single factor based on pleasure, love, or satisfaction. They propose a pluralistic theory of value (Govaert, 2007, p. 254). The reason for this is that when assigning qualities of either good, or bad people use a variety of qualifying words such as trustworthy, horrifying, and corrupt. The variety of values results in different values, and attitudes on various components.

Based on the argument that is promoted by consequentialists, it can be seen that different filmmakers may place different ranks on the values that they hold, and therefore adopt different ethical notions. For instance, there are cases whereby the film producers may value the subjects' interests over their responsibility towards their audience. It is important to point out that the documentary filmmakers' primary objective is to ensure that they do not knowingly harm the reputation of their subjects (Govaert, 2007, p. 257). In addition to that, they should try as much as possible to depict the truth in the documentary film. The term 'depict' is used in order to show that as much as documentaries are based on actual events, the presence of a camera, and an unfamiliar person alters the behavior, and routine of the subjects. These fa...