Comments on: The Business of Self-Involvement: ‘The Business of Being Born’ Trailer http://blog.spout.com/2008/01/09/the-business-of-self-involvement-the-business-of-being-born-trailer/ Daily coverage of what is truly interesting in the film world Sat, 06 Sep 2008 16:25:48 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 By: Christopher http://blog.spout.com/2008/01/09/the-business-of-self-involvement-the-business-of-being-born-trailer/#comment-59583 Christopher Thu, 10 Jan 2008 00:56:33 +0000 http://blog.spout.com/2008/01/09/the-business-of-self-involvement-the-business-of-being-born-trailer/#comment-59583 But then is the point of a documentary solely to promote your cause, to promote a cause, or simply to be an objective journalist? Obviously documentaries can be all three things. I just think it gets a little too self-satisfying for some filmmakers who involve themselves too much and figuratively pat themselves on the back in their films. There was an annoying quote from Ross Kauffman in New York magazine last week regarding him parading his Oscar around. I'm sure the singled-out quote is not something to be taken as an indication of him being self-congratulatory and/or pompous, but due to the way Born into Brothels is handled, I have to accept it that way. But then is the point of a documentary solely to promote your cause, to promote a cause, or simply to be an objective journalist? Obviously documentaries can be all three things. I just think it gets a little too self-satisfying for some filmmakers who involve themselves too much and figuratively pat themselves on the back in their films.

There was an annoying quote from Ross Kauffman in New York magazine last week regarding him parading his Oscar around. I’m sure the singled-out quote is not something to be taken as an indication of him being self-congratulatory and/or pompous, but due to the way Born into Brothels is handled, I have to accept it that way.

]]> By: M. Robert Turnage http://blog.spout.com/2008/01/09/the-business-of-self-involvement-the-business-of-being-born-trailer/#comment-59454 M. Robert Turnage Wed, 09 Jan 2008 18:42:19 +0000 http://blog.spout.com/2008/01/09/the-business-of-self-involvement-the-business-of-being-born-trailer/#comment-59454 Just curious, but do you think the motivations of some of these filmmakers are to become famous for their cause? Because fame does open doors, and if you make yourself famous, doesn't that help out your cause? There are people who have more thoughtful and insightful things to say on any given subject than a Michael Moore, but they aren't famous. I also think all directors (documentary or not) put themselves into film as a way to promote themselves as a brand. Just curious, but do you think the motivations of some of these filmmakers are to become famous for their cause?

Because fame does open doors, and if you make yourself famous, doesn’t that help out your cause? There are people who have more thoughtful and insightful things to say on any given subject than a Michael Moore, but they aren’t famous.

I also think all directors (documentary or not) put themselves into film as a way to promote themselves as a brand.

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