Doc Mode Activity Number 1 - Interactions

For this documentary mode activity, I decided to explore the observational mode. I decided on observational mode, because I was very intrigued by an idea that Nichols brings up in Introduction to Documentary, where he says that people who did observational documentaries chose to "observe the lived experience spontaneously" (pg 172). This was a massive part of my process for this project. I just went out with my camera, and drove around randomly, looking for things to shoot. I knew from the beginning that I wanted to make a documentary about the environment, and the way that we are treating our environment in this area. I had a clear idea, but once I started shooting, that idea shifted as I filmed spontaneously.

 This project began to be about relationships, relationships between the natural and natural, natural and unnatural, and unnatural and unnatural. It was extremely interesting to me to see the interactions between natural and unnatural things, such as  the quail sitting on a man made fence, or the power lines that obstructed a beautiful view of the mountains. These were the types of shots that I set out to film when I started working on this project. However, as I filmed, I started finding examples of ways that the environment has affected structures that have been abandoned. For a long time, I have been very interested in places that are left to the mercy of the environment, and not the people around them. These abandoned places have held a fascination with me, that has not been assuaged by research or exploration. In summation, I love abandoned places, and I love seeing the power that the environment can have over things that are built to withstand the environment.

(exploration of an abandoned recreation center)

 I think that there is something incredibly profound and beautiful about these abandoned places. For this part of this project, I was highly influenced by the opening scene to Naqoyqatsi. The representation of this abandoned building revived in me my love for abandoned places, and made me want to see what was available in this area.

However, this project was really all about how everything is intertwined. As I filmed the interactions between natural things, I thought about the fact that butterflies are indicator species. This means that of something is wrong with the environment, butterflies will be the first to die, signaling potential future problems for other species. This illustrated the idea that if we are not careful with the unnatural aspects of our environment, then the natural ones will suffer. 

For me, there was also a sense of spirituality in this project. In the vast majority of the scenes that I documented, I found a disrespect or a disregard for the other part of the interaction. This was especially true in the scenes where man made structures are infringing on nature. I kept thinking that, if God has given us this Earth as a gift, then why are we not spending more time, energy, and resources to care for it, and to make sure that it is not being harmed. What right do we have to be callous with a gift from God? I tried to portray this sense of spirituality through the music that I put behind these shots. 

Interactions