A2 C2SB Documentary: Amy

Question 1

What is John Grierson’s definition of documentary?

Answer 1

‘the creative treatment of actuality’

Question 2

Name Nicholl’s 6 modes of documentary

Answer 2

Observational, Expository, Performative, Poetic, Reflexive & Participatory

Question 3

What is the key feature of the Expository mode?

Answer 3

‘voice of god’ narration

Question 4

What techniques might a documentary maker working in the Poetic mode employ?

Answer 4

Music, montage, dissolves, juxtaposition.

Question 5

Name the director of Amy

Answer 5

Asif Kapadia

Question 6

Name the editor of Amy

Answer 6

Chris King

Question 7

What year was Amy released?

Answer 7

2015

Question 8

Name two major production companies for Amy

Answer 8

Film 4 and Universal Music

Question 9

Name Amy’s manager, who was also a major source of information in the film

Answer 9

Nick Shamansky

Question 10

Name the two childhood friends of Amy who’s voices feature in the film

Answer 10

Lauren Gilbert
Juliet Ashby

Question 11

Name the (cover) song featured in the scene where Blake Fielder-Civil reappears in Amy’s life. The scene features extensive use of paparazzi photographs.

Answer 11

We’re Still Friends by Donnie Hathaway

Question 12

Name the composer of the piano score for Amy, featured notably during her funeral .

Answer 12

Antonio Pinto

Question 13

What was the budget and box office for Amy?

Answer 13

$3.4M and $23.7M

Question 14

Name two other documentaries by Kapadia

Answer 14

Senna & Diego Maradona

Question 15

What mode of documentary making is Nick Broomfield most famous for (although he has worked in all of them!)

Answer 15

Performative

Question 16

Name three Nick Broomfield documentaries

Answer 16

E.g. The Leader, The Driver & The Driver’s Wife, Biggie & Tupac, Kurt & Courtney, Aileen: Portrait of a Serial Killer; Chicken Ranch; Whitney: Can I Be Me?

Question 17

Name three Kim Longinotto documentaries

Answer 17

E.g. Divorce, Iranian Style, Sisters In law; Salma; Shinjuku Boys, Shooting the Mafia.

Question 18

Which two-word phrase did Kapadia use to describe his approach to documentary?

Answer 18

True fiction

Question 19

“There is a misconception that somehow documentaries are real. Everything is fake. Everything is constructed”.
Who said this?

Answer 19

Asif Kapadia

Question 20

“I’m interested in underdogs.”
Who said this?

Answer 20

Kim Longinotto

Question 21

Which filmmaker’s approach has been described as ‘not so much fly on the wall as fly in the soup.’ ?

Answer 21

Nick Broomfield

Question 22

Identify three advantages for filmmakers of digital technology

Answer 22

Smaller, lighter & cheaper cameras
Much greater ability to short for long periods due to capacity of tape/hard drive
Enhanced ability to manipulate material via digital editing.

Question 23

Identify three advantages of digital technology for audiences

Answer 23

Availability of films online
For DVDs, the ‘extras’
Ability to share on social media

Question 24

Identify three advantages of conventional celluloid film technology

Answer 24

Image quality: resolution
Dynamic range in colour
The ‘magic’ of cinema - its heritage & craft