This document provides biographical information about documentary filmmaker Nick Broomfield. It notes that Broomfield studied law, political science, and film. He films with a small crew using cinéma vérité techniques, which involve naturalistic filming styles and provoking subjects. Broomfield is often seen holding the sound boom in his films. The document discusses some of Broomfield's philosophies, including that it is more honest for filmmakers to make their presence felt rather than remain hidden. It also mentions one of Broomfield's early documentary films from 1991 called "The Leader, the Driver and the Driver's Wife".

1. Nick Broomfield
Tuesday 15th
February 2011
‘Documentary’:
The study of film language in relation to the ‘real’ with particular emphasis on
selection and construction in film representation.

2. Starter Test on key ideologies –
Fill in the gaps!
1) Chris Terril describes docu-soap as “a passive sort __
_____________” (199_)
2) Documentary is ‘the ___________use of_________’
(John G_________)
3) “Representation is not only about viewing ourselves,
but also ______ _________ ________” (Wendy H_____
- 200_)

3. Who is Nick
Broomfield?
Born 30th
January 1948 in London
He studied Law at Cardiff, Wales and political
science at the University of Essex;
subsequently, he studied film at the National
Film and Television School. Broomfield films
with a minimum of crew, just himself and one
or two camera operators, which gives his
documentaries a distinctive style.
Broomfield himself is often in shot holding the
sound boom.
Cinéma vérité (Film Truth) is a
style of documentary filmmaking,
combining naturalistic techniques
with stylized cinematic devices of
editing and camerawork, staged set-
ups, and the use of the camera to
provoke subjects. In French the term
means, roughly "cinema of truth".
As Bill Nichols points out, the
reality effect of a new mode of
documentary representation tends
to fade away when "the conventional
nature of this mode of
representation becomes
increasingly apparent".
He very much embodies the conventions
of ‘Cinéma vérité’

4. “If you’re making a film it’s more honest to make your
presence felt than to hang back furtively on the other
side of the room, because no-one really benefits from
that”
“What’s more important is the interaction between the
film-maker and those being filmed, and that the audience
is aware of that interaction so they can make their own
decisions”
(Nick Broomfield)
PARTICIPATORY

5. Eugene Terre’Blanche (AWB)
The Leader, The Driver And The Driver's Wife Movie Review (1991) from Channel 4 F
‘The Leader, the
driver and the driver’s
wife’ (1991)
Nick Broomfield

6. Task
• You are going to watch the opening 5
minutes to…..
You must consider the following in analysing this sequence:
1) How is Nick Broomfield’s “presence” conveyed to the spectators? Note down
specific codes (verbal/non-verbal) that convey this.
2) Does Nick Broomfield “hang back” or could he be described as “Obtrusive|”?

7. Feedback
• Before we feedback on the two areas on
the previous slide, you must indepedantly
consider:
What mode(s) of documentary this text
conforms to and why?
You must use your modes of
documentary worksheet from Lesson 1

8. Finally…
“The filmmaker’s voice can emerge
from direct, personal involvement in
the events that unfold”
Bill Nichols
(Page 119)

9. Homework
• Research and write down 5 interesting
facts or compelling statistics regarding the
terrorist attacks of September 11th
.
Due: Next lesson

10. Homework
• Research and write down 5 interesting
facts or compelling statistics regarding the
terrorist attacks of September 11th
.
Due: Next lesson