Documentary Vision

Richard Chisolm, an experienced documentary filmmaker and cinematographer, gathers personal essays on the many choices that shape a nonfiction film. Drawing on years of hands-on practice, he looks at the difficulties that confront both the people who make documentaries and the people who watch them.

The essays cover ethical questions that receive little attention elsewhere, established working methods, and the etiquette filmmakers should follow on set. Chisolm also offers a close analysis of interview technique. He speaks candidly about the production decisions that determine what a finished film ultimately means and how faithfully it represents its subject.

Ranging across a broad array of subjects, the essays aim to deepen readers' sense of what the documentary form can achieve. The book is intended for working professionals in the medium as well as students developing their craft.