Some Thoughts on Talking to Film Subjects

I was listening to the BBC World Service this morning on NPR and they were interviewing people of various castes in a village somewhere in India. First they interviewed the proprietor of a tea shop of one caste. On the street outside the shop, they then spoke to a man of another caste. When asked if he would ever buy tea in the tea shop, he responded that he would not. The interviewer asked in inquisitive tones, "Why not? Can you explain this to me? I don't understand."

I thought the interviewer's manner in asking this question was productive. Stopping short of the incredulity he may very well have felt, he responded with the very universal human experience of curiosity. Even if he felt it absurd that his subject wouldn't buy tea from the tea shop, by withholding judgment, he gained insight. I was particularly impressed by this because I imagine that, in the heat of the moment, it can be difficult to conceal one's prejudices in the face of cultural differences. For me, this interviewer's curiosity proved a productive strategy.

On the other hand, what makes for a successful film can vary greatly from person to person. Many documentary filmmakers rely on the provocation of their subjects (Michael Moore, who personally I can't stand, comes to mind). Certainly, a defensive subject is no less authentic than a didactic or bemused one. Each portrays a different sort of reality. For myself, though, I have no desire to burn bridges before they are even built (or after, for that matter).

The NPR interview got me to thinking a bit about the way in which we ask questions. For three years, I have been working with a peer counseling hotline. One of the first things we teach staffers is never to ask "why" questions. They tend generally to put people on the defensive regardless of the spirit in which they are asked, since asking "why" often leads people to believe that you are invalidating their point of view.

In general I am really interested in the question of how to approach potential film subjects. No doubt, it varies from subject to subject, but it is something I think we will all be thinking a lot about this summer and I look forward to hearing about people's experiences and insights.