Kirsten Johnson’s words left a powerful effect on me, especially when she said “I can and will leave a place I film (a war, a refugee camp, etc.) when the people I film cannot”. This brings in the notion of power and privilege which is so so important, especially in regards to documentary making. As a director, when you go into a situation to “get the best story”, you have the power to use your privilege to take what you need (i.e., interviews, shots, etc.) and then leave and go back into the “real world”. However, every single individual that you filmed doesn’t get to leave with you. They are still living their reality, and what might make an exciting or depressing documentary is just how they are living their every day life. This is why I liked what KJ said later on: “My work can change the way my subject is perceived by the people who surround him/her and can impact reputation or safety for years in the future”. If a filmmaker acknowledges that they have privilege then they should use that privilege to change the way the subject is perceived for the good. Media in general, especially powerful and factual documentary-making is one of the best ways to distribute information and impact the world. But it’s such a difficult line to navigate how to film a certain population without extorting them just for a “good film” but rather to enlighten the world about them.
This is something I’ve struggled with a lot as a photographer, especially in terms of my portraits. For my “Les Gens de Malchance” vernissage, I was terrified to go up to people experiencing homelessness because I did not want to seem like I was “prostituting” their life to make a good photo. It was a strange and difficult dynamic, especially after I sat on the ground with one young girl for a few hours, just watching everyone else walk by. As it started getting dark, I realized it was time for dinner and left to go back to my host family… However, she had no place to go. Outside, on the cold, dark ground was her home, whereas I had the privilege to “opt in” to her lifestyle for a few hours, and then “opt out”. I’m hoping I can ask KJ a few questions about how to reckon with one’s self about this difficult navigation because I often become too worried or afraid of offending someone and so miss out on filming opportunities.