The first masterclass of the day was on interview technique. It was hosted by BBC’s Kate Adie with a panel including a police interrogator, a forensic investigator and a QC: the subject in discussion was how to get the ‘real truth’ out of someone, an invaluable technique for the would-be documentarian.
Rapport and mutuality are both very important. make it absolutely clear who you are and what you are doing because if there is any confusion, then you won’t be able to get open or honest answers from them.
It’s kind of an obvious one, but background research is also essential. That way if you do know they are lying then you can have something up the sleeve to get the truth out of them. If dealing with a hostile or defensive contributor, lack of research will often lead to them outsmarting you, after which you lose the upper hand.
A nifty trick from the QC: when approaching the killer question with a defensive individual: rock out the negative to catch them out, i.e. instead of asking, ‘did you push her off the balcony?’ ask, ‘are you saying you didn’t push her off the balcony?’ Sneaky stuff.
After that I attended the screening of Heavy Load, a film about a punk band of the same name, made up of people with learning difficulties and their support workers. Director Jerry Rothwell followed them for two years, and the film depicts a portrait of their double lives: rehearsals, gigs and local fame on one side; group cooking, day-centres and lack of freedom on the other. I strongly urge you to see it when it’s released in October. It was a real Horlicks-for-the-soul experience, which had the audience screaming and laughing all the way through.
Following in the comedy vein was the final session of the festival, ‘Larry Charles in Conversation’. Larry has in the past produced and directed films and series including Seinfeld, Curb Your Enthusiasm, and Borat. He certainly knows how to bring the funny. A packed house was treated to clips from his new documentary Religulous, starring Bill Maher, due for release this autumn. It’s incredible that people can now dismiss all religion as a silly, groundless pursuit and do it so succinctly, logically and thoroughly. You want controversial? Go and see this film.
“We are the last gasp of monotheism”, says Charles. This coming from a man who at one point wanted to be a Rabbi, so he’s obviously given it a lot of thought.
At the awards ceremony later, Heavy Load wins the Audience Prize, and to round the whole thing off the band play to a packed Keble College bar. Their rendition of I See You Baby, Shaking that Arsehole was simply top notch. I’ve learned a veritable shedload at this, my first Britdoc. I have a lot to be getting busy with, and fully intend to return next year, hopefully several completed films better off.
Fellow documentary-maker? Commissioner? Write to Chris at: chrisgbates@gmail.com
