Ethical Considerations in Documentary Filmmaking

Aaron Lehman Film 284 “This is the best thing to wear for today, you understand. Because I don't like women in skirts and the best thing is to wear pantyhose or some pants under a short skirt, I think. Then you have the pants under the skirt and then you can pull the stockings up over the pants underneath the skirt. And you can always take off the skirt and use it as a cape. So I think this is the best costume for today.” From the documentary film Grey Gardens, Edith 'Little Edie' Bouvier Beale and her mother was the subject of the film showing their daily routines in the nearly condemned 28-room mansion in The Hamptons, all the while with the Maysles Brothers filming their activities. This film shows the mother/daughter duo in action with their eccentric ideas and oddball remarks. Upon first viewing, as an audience, we can‘t help think that perhaps the Maysles Brothers are mocking these two. With the subject matter of the film and how they interact act with the camera almost makes it seem like we are to taunt at them. We, however, must give the brothers a chance to show us their portrait of The Beales. With information from an article entitled “Hospitable Visions: Some Notes on the Ethics of Seeing Film: and “Introduction to Documentary,” the question of “Were the Beales intentionally mocked for the Maysles brothers own intentions?” will hopefully be answered. From the Article “Hospitable Vision,” by Margaret R. Miles and S. Brent Plate, the authors suggest that; “And if we begin to see differently, opening up space for the other to come into our view, then we might be also stimulated to live and act differently, more open to the face, the body, the skin of the other.” Perhaps the Maysles brothers are merely doing just that. With no intention of mocking the Beales, they just wanted to show the mother and daughter still trying to live a life of luxury and be happy as ever in the living conditions as shown. To shown the will and endurance of humans. Just to show Edith 'Little Edie' Bouvier Beale still being optimistic on finding a husband that is a Libre. During the filming of Grey Gardens, the Maysles brothers are actively engaged with the Beales. Constantly responding to ‘Little Edie’s’ questions if she is looking good today or not. “Filmmakers who set out to represent people they do not initially know but who typify or have special knowledge of a problem or issue of interest run the risk of exploiting them.” From Bill Nichols book “Introduction to Documentary,” with their little conversations and questions, could they be actively exploiting them? Or perhaps the brothers are just merely showing the Beales on how they interact with the filmmakers and to see what they have to say when it is being filmed? Nichols is suggesting that this engagement between filmmaker and subject that is new could lead to this. Maybe we can assume that they just wanted to merely show their interaction with the camera. We obviously know it is there! The brothers just wanted to show this family’s still happy attitude in the conditions being endured. With information from “Visions” and “Introduction,” the Maysles brother’s intentions were just to want to mean well. To show the human interaction with the camera and what will happen out of that. There is no cover up for that. The cameras presence added to the story. As filmmakers, perhaps our most important job is to represent people truthfully and honestly in the context that it is shown and filmed under.

Works Cited Miles, M. R., & Plate, S. B. (n.d.). Hospitable Vision: Some Notes on the Ethics of Seeing Film. In Cross Currents. Retrieved August 28, 2008, from http://www.crosscurrents.org/MilesPlateSpring2004.htm Nichols, B. (2001). Introduction to Documentary. Bloomington, Indiana: Indiana University Press. Retrieved September 23, 2008.