The Video Revolution

Video is everywhere. At no other point in human history has so much emphasis been placed on the moving image as an enhancement to how we receive and interpret information. From CNN.com to Reddit, the appetite for original video content continues to grow by leaps and bounds. If you are wondering, “who is to blame,” you can lay all the praise or condemnation on the Internet.

The web has evolved from its early roots as a method of transmitting text to a multimedia-rich, visual medium of communication. Just look at what it has done to politics and journalism. Check any mainstream political or news site and you will see lots and lots of video. Why is video so pervasive? Well, one reason is because of the ease with which even the novice can capture, edit, upload, and distribute video. Add to this the ubiquity of broadband and it suddenly becomes obvious why our culture is being inundated with video content.

While some may argue that it is the Internet that is driving the rapid development of cheaper and better quality tools for video production, others insist it’s the other way around. I say it is a convergence of the two with a third important element: the emergence of the Millennials as a consumer base. The Millennials are those individuals born between 1982 and 1995. They are the first generation of Americans raised with an awareness of the Internet, and are also the first culture whose primary media source is TV. More than their predecessors the Millennials are the ‘video’ generation.

All of this has led to an explosion in the production of video content for online consumption. Whether it is Huffingtonpost, Reddit, or CNN.com, everywhere you look it seems as if anyone and everyone with a computer, smartphone, or tablet is making videos and posting them online.

How then does this new reality affect us as documentarians? First, it means that we now have a lot more competition. Second, it suggests that the old philosophy of buying the best camera that you can afford may not be true anymore. Why would someone lay out $20,000 for a RED when they can pay $5,000 for a DSLR and still maintain a high level of visual quality? Sure, some may argue that a video camera is not a still camera, and vice versa, but the evidence indicates that the line between what we consider “professional” grade and “amateur” is blurring to the point that, as Indie doc makers, there is compelling reason to seriously consider the latter when determining which camera to buy for our projects.

But it’s not only the price difference that makes these new video devices an interesting choice. It is also their form factor. The fact that I can record video on a device as small and easy to carry as a DSLR or smart phone presents intriguing possibilities. Oftentimes, interviews happen in places that are unaccommodating to large camera cases and equipment. DSLRs, smart phones, tablet computers, make it possible to capture footage in ways and places never dreamed of even a decade ago. Moreover, all of these devices record in a highly compressed HD format. With most manufacturers claiming a resolution of 720p or higher, this means that the video quality from these devices is as good or better than most of the non-fictional, TV programming of the 80’s and 90’s. Take a look at the video link above. It is a short documentary shot with a Canon DSLR and some prime lenses. The entire production cost less than $5K to create.

Next week we will take a deeper look at some of these alternatives to traditional video cameras, and how they are revolutionizing the documentary art form. Until then, have a great week.

Healing = Speaking

For the past several weeks, I have shared some of the emotional and psychological context behind each of the interviews conducted for “a final peace”. In the 18-months that it took to finish the film, I learned more about my family than at any other time in my life. I also learned how much I didn’t know.

If there is an underlying message or theme to the film, it is this: get to know your family. Get to know your kids. When I think back to when my aunt Tina was molested the first time, it is clear that after her experience she began to show emotional signs of the abuse. The same is true of my uncle Tommy, my cousin Jason, and me as well. We all showed emotional signs of our abuse. 

Thus, the admonishment to all parents and stewards of children is to get to know your kids. Be attentive to any dramatic changes in their personalities or emotional behavior. Most children are fairly transparent when things are going wrong. Even teenagers will manifest some type of behavioral response to violence in their lives. But we will not see the signs unless we know our children’s individual personalities.

We cannot always be there to shield the ones we love from harm. Even though we do our best we are not always successful. Sometimes events overwhelm us and we are left to deal with the emotional wreckage and pain. When this happens, open communication is absolutely vital. That is the moral of the film. Incest, pedophilia, sexual abuse of any kind will ruin your life if you don’t talk about it. If you don’t endeavor to heal yourself you will always be a slave to the memory. Healing begins with talking about it openly and honestly.

I am forever grateful that I was able to make this film. I can honestly say that it has changed my life forever and for the better. In addition to what I learned about my family, and myself, I also learned how to make a film. But more importantly, I was able to demonstrate to other victims that there is no shame in surviving or, in speaking out.

When Love is not Enough.

Perhaps the most tragic figure of all those I interviewed for "a final peace" is my aunt Candy. Though she was not molested or abused in any way, she still suffered tremendously because of Tom, and I would say, more than anyone else.


My aunt has always been the "cool aunt". The one who never judged but always tried to encourage, the one who loved when no one else would. But it is this very attitude that led her down the path where she was forced to choose between a brother she cared for dearly, and the children she loved more than anything else.


Of all of the family that loved and cared for Tommy, Aunt Candy was his favorite. Throughout his life, she was the one thing he could depend on. If he needed a place to stay or money, or just someone to care about him, she was there.


Even after he abused her children, and she swore she would never have anything to do with him again, she continued to have contact with him till the day he died. That is her nature, and Tommy loved her for it.


As a father, I cannot imagine the internal turmoil she must have endured when she found out what had happened to her kids. And as the interview clip for this week reveals, she still feels the pain, even three decades later.


If there is anything to be learned from my aunt's example it is that sometimes, love is not enough when the damage runs too deep. Despite our best efforts and intentions, we can still get hurt when we try to help someone who is broken.


Despite the suffering she endured as a result of her unwavering kindness and loyalty, in my opinion, we need more people like her in the world, not less.


The clip I chose for this week's blog contains the first words my aunt has ever spoken regarding what happened and how she feels about her decisions. It also provides compelling insight into the internal controversy she continues to feel to this day.

Generous to a Fault


Last January, my parents celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. To call such a feat ‘remarkable’ is to understate the obvious. In this day and age, it is not remarkable for two people to stay married for 50 years, it is Herculean.

If you were to ask my parents for the key to their success, they would probably talk about having a good sense of humor, being a good listener, and learning to be supportive of one another through the good times and bad. But one thing they may not point to is their generous spirit.

Growing up, I had numerous opportunities to see my parents’ generosity in practice. They were always the first to offer their home to family members who had fallen on hard times; like my uncle before he went into the Navy. Most of the time, their kindness was appreciated by the recipients, and not used as an opportunity to take advantage of their kind nature. But now and again, as in the case of my uncle, their generosity resulted in personal heartache.

Prior to the film, my parents were unaware of the full extent of my uncle’s criminal behavior. They knew that he was a thief, a drug addict, and that as a child, he had been a victim of sexual abuse at the hands of his father. They also knew that while he was living in their home, he had behaved inappropriately towards me in a sexual way.

What they did not know was how their generosity had facilitated his sexual deviance, or  how they may have been able to stop him before he sexually abused my cousins. That revelation has caused them both a great deal of sadness, which is reflected in the clips chosen for this week’s blog.

The fact that both cared a great deal for Tommy and sought to help him to improve his situation in life is a testament to the kind of people they are. That he, in turn, abused their loving concern is not proof that they were wrong to share their home with someone in need. Instead, it demonstrates that we can never know someone’s true intentions, even when such are considered “close family”. And that sometimes ‘pursuing a higher path’ means taking risks that could have unforeseen and traumatic consequences.

Nevertheless, I continue to admire my parents for holding true to their generous nature, in spite of what happened with my uncle. Even though what resulted may have been a parent’s worst nightmare, I feel they should never regret their efforts to help. It is my firm belief that if all of the adults in my uncle’s life had been as kind and generous, there is no doubt he would have taken a completely different course.

"And the Truth Shall Set You Free."

My aunt Tina has always been the misfit of the family. When she was a child, she had to wear an eye patch for several months due to a problem with one of her eye muscles. Her classmates tormented her for it. Later, as a teenager, she suffered from a condition that caused excessive body odor. Once again, she found herself subjected to continuous ridicule by the kids at school. It is no surprise, therefore, that for most of her childhood and teenage life, she struggled with a poor self-image.

Experts say that pedophiles are very adept at singling out children like my aunt; that they ‘know’ the ones that are most susceptible to coercion by kindness. Whether or not Shelby, Tommy’s father, used kindness or threats to convince my aunt to participate in his perverted sexual fantasies, she won’t say. But there is no doubt that the experience, and what happened afterwards, solidified her self-perception as a loser and a misfit.

Long before the interview, I knew about my aunt’s experience and how her parents treated her when she finally told them the truth. What I didn’t know, or didn’t realize, was how ashamed she was of what had happened, and the degree to which she blamed herself.

One of the most difficult tasks we have as documentarians is interviewing people about the traumatic experiences they have endured. Even when the person is a family member, the job doesn’t get any easier. The initial intent in interviewing my aunt was to focus on her close relationship and memories of Tom, but it soon became evident that I would need to ask her about her experiences with Shelby. For one, it gave credence to the claim that Shelby was a pedophile. Second, it provided a counterpoint to my grandmother’s insistence that her husband had been the only one to blame for what had happened to her son.

I didn’t warn my Aunt that I would be asking her about the ordeal she suffered, or its effects on her personally. The reason I didn’t was that I wanted her answers to be spontaneous and from the heart, regardless of whether she answered the questions or not. That’s exactly what I got and it is some of the most compelling footage of the entire piece.

In many ways, the interview and film forced my aunt to face her past and to reconcile its negative influence on her life. She started going to therapy, and now feels a greater freedom to talk about what happened and the hardships she has had to overcome. And even though she would still say that she is “damaged goods”, the fact is that since the interview,  her opinion of herself has only improved. She now realizes that she was not to blame for what was done to her, nor does she need to bear that guilt anymore.

Grizzly Bears and "Sexual Psychopaths"

First, let me apologize to my regular readers, (and I know for a fact there are more than a few of you ;) ), that I did not have a post for last Tuesday. I believe that I mentioned that I am a full-time student, and last week was midterms. Nuff said. I am currently on Spring Break and have chosen to use this time to conduct a significant portion of my research for my next project.

For those that don’t know, my next doc is about the Atascadero State Hospital (ASH) in California, and its mistreatment of homosexuals in the 50’s, 60’s, and 70’s. It was during this period that the hospital became a major research center into the treatment of what was then considered “sexual deviancy”. 

Homosexuals were considered “sexual psychopaths” until the 1960’s when the law was changed and they became “Mentally Disordered Sex Offenders”. They were committed without due process and for an indefinite period of time, during which they were subjected to electric shock therapy and an even more heinous treatment with a drug known as “Anectine”. They were tortured in an effort to “cure” them of their homosexuality.

I have been researching the subject since January and it has not been easy. For one, the State has not digitized any of the information regarding ASH and its policies or procedures; thus, the only way to get at it is by showing up at the Office of the Archives of California (OAC) in Sacramento and asking for whatever records they have left. The second major issue is that all of the really important stuff is protected by medical privacy laws like HIPAA.

Three weeks ago, I discovered a potential gold mine of info amongst the ‘restricted’ records held by the State. I had to submit a detailed justification to the State Archivist as to the reasons why I needed access to them. Understand that these are records that are not usually provided to an indie doc maker. But, thinking ‘creatively’ I realized that my research met their criteria for use and was able to convince them of my need. Thus, here I am, in Sac, spending hours a day going through some of the most boring files in State history. Yet still, I love it.

A large part of my pre-prod for “a final peace” was spent researching my family and my uncle’s history. It was like solving a family mystery, and became the most enjoyable part of the process. It is in the research that we learn the most about our subjects and begin to form our ideas and opinions on how to present them. That was true with “a final peace” and it is true with my new film as well. So far I have learned that homosexuals were made to participate in “group therapy” sessions with convicted pedophiles and rapists. They were also threatened and beaten by hospital staff in addition to the other mistreatment they endured. And yet, that is exactly what they did, they endured, and for that they are exemplary. 

If there is one thing I love about being a documentarian it is in the learning that there are always two sides to every story; and that there are often heroes. To me, the men that endured the horrific treatment at ASH are heroes, and it is my privilege to let others know about it.

So what about the “grizzly bears”? Last week, I saw Werner Herzog’s documentary about Timothy Treadwell, aka the “Grizzly Man”. Though I imagine most have already seen the film, I think it is a great example of how to approach a complex and largely unsympathetic subject. By the end, it had me wondering if Treadwell isn’t a modern day John Muir. I highly recommend it and would be interested in your opinion of Herzog’s work. The link above is only the trailer but the entire film is now available on Netflix. Next week we will continue the story of “a final peace” and the interview with my Aunt Tina. Till then, have a great week.

Grandma

As I have indicated previously, making a documentary about your family presents its own unique challenges and obstacles. Some, like those of my grandmother, are surmountable only by grace.

Soon after I decided to film “a final peace”, my grandmother was diagnosed in the early stages of Alzheimer’s. Her behavior had become erratic and she was inclined to unpredictable outbursts of emotion. In spite of this, her long-term memory seemed unaffected. She could easily recall moments from the past, 20, 30, and even 50 years previous.

Still, I questioned whether it was appropriate to subject her to the kind of questioning needed for the film. I feared that she would become overly emotional or even confrontational, or that she might not be able to remember anything.

At the same time, I realized she was critical to Tom’s story. As his mother, she had an understanding of his childhood and early adulthood that were irreplaceable.

Moreover, I recognized that my window of opportunity to interview her was rapidly closing. Soon her disease would begin to seriously affect her disposition and memory.

Ultimately, it was due to her insistence that she participate that my concerns were overcome; and I can only say now that I am glad for it. The witness my grandmother gave about her son was the first words she had said on the matter in over a decade, and they were probably her last.

The shoot was to be my first, EVER, as director and cinematographer. My crew was comprised of two film students, who I had taught to use the sound and lighting equipment, my daughter Sophie, and her friend Nolan (neither had ever worked on a film set). I was responsible for conducting the interview.

The location, the chapel at my grandmother’s retirement home, was selected for its obvious irony. I was about to reveal my grandmother’s complicity in the abuse of her daughter Tina and son, Tommy. I thought the religious motif would give the scene an added ‘density’.

If that sounds clinical, it’s because it is. It was during this interview that I realized the importance of detaching myself emotionally from what was being said. From the very beginning the content was extremely personal and emotional. At one point during the interview, I almost broke down crying. Viewing the process from a mostly ‘creative’ standpoint gave me space to hear what was being said without necessarily feeling it. Of course, this only worked to a point.

After the interview was over, I hugged my grandmother and we cried together for several minutes. It wasn’t a cathartic moment in the usual sense. We had only opened the infected wound. We hadn’t yet removed the dead tissue or treated it. That would come later. Still, in many ways it marked an important beginning for the film, and of the journey that was about to unfold.

I have not spoken to my grandmother since the interview.  I understand that she is well and is proud of me, and “a final peace”.  For that I am extremely grateful.  Despite her many failures, the interview revealed that she had also been a victim, and that the loss of her son had affected her more than anyone knew.