e214. How To Make A Great Documentary! (and Why?)

Have you ever done that thing where you’re doing some work, and you toss on a Netflix documentary, just to have some background noise going. You’re not really trying to pay attention. But the next thing you know, you’re twenty minutes deep into learning about the competitive world of speed Rubik’s cube solving? And now they have you! There’s no turning back! You’re invested. What is that? What makes a great documentary? What makes it compelling? And why would anyone want to make one? On this week’s episode Monica, Wayne, and Mav are joined by documentary film makers Julie Sokolow (director of Aspie Seeks Love) and Tobias Deml (director of Gaming Wall Street) to talk all about documentaries. What is their process? What makes a documentary work or not work? What makes them popular? What is the nature of subjectivity and objectivity? And why did everyone love Tiger King anyway? Listen in and let us know what you think in the comments. Citations and Links: * This episode’s Call for Comments* SIE Society webpage* Ad Fontes Media Interactive Media Bias Chart* Safe Area Gorazde by Joe Sacco* CHUTZ-POW! Volumes I-III by Wayne Wise, et al and the Holocaust Center of Pittsburgh* “e68. Parallel Media” of this show* Aspie Seeks Love (Amazon)* Gaming Wall Street (HBOMax)* Roger & Me (HBOMax)* Nanook of the North (HBOMax)* Tiger King (Netflix)* The Staircase (HBOMax dramatization)* The Staircase (Netflix documentary)* The Devil and Daniel Johnston (Amazon)* 13th (Netflix)* Grey Gardens (YouTube)* Betting on Zero (Amazon)*