“To tell outstanding stories from the real world, you will need a ferment of ideas about life and living, the courage to go where angels fear to tread, and most of all, personal and inventive ways of using the medium. Do this well, and you will catch people’s attention and make them wonder, laugh, become spellbound, or even weep. Your reward is to move hearts and minds—and maybe change the world a little. Filmmaking is a beautiful and involving art form, one that synthesizes practically every other art form invented, and that makes learning a lifelong adventure. Most significantly, making documentary means you are learning about yourself, and becoming a fuller human being.”
Excerpt From: Rabiger, Michael. “Directing the Documentary.”
This quote from Michael Rabiger’s Directing the Documentary resounded with me, as it nicely captures what it is and what it means to be a documentarian and filmmaker. Filmmakers are not working in self-interest, but rather in the interest of others, hoping to tell important stories, spread messages, and evoke emotions. It is more than just shooting and editing for a final product. It is a process through which we get to better understand ourselves and out world. It is important that we have a clear understanding of our surroundings us so that we can properly tell stories and capture the attention of viewers.
I love the line that filmmaking “makes learning a lifetime adventure.” There are an overwhelming amount of places to explore and stories to be told, so, as a filmmaker, there is no such thing as reaching a limit in terms of learning. I am someone who loves the idea of never settling and continuing to learn as I go, so this short passage definitely resonated with me and reaffirmed my goal to pursue a job in the future in the media involving filmmaking or production.