Adventures in the Lives of Others: Ethical Dilemmas in Factual Filmmaking

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Putting readers into the shoes of film and TV professionals, Adventures in the Lives of Others is a gripping insider's account of ethics, problem-solving and decision-making at the cutting edge of documentaries and factual television.Both accessible and authoritative, the book brings together a range of intimate, candid accounts of the struggles involved in making documentary film and television, from Grey Gardens and Hoop Dreams to Man on Wire, Super Size Me and Benefits Street. Contributors include legends of the documentary world, eminent filmmakers at the top of their game, emerging directors and producers, and some of the world's most powerful and respected executives. In specially-commissioned pieces, they explore the ethical dilemmas involved in uncovering secrets and breaking taboos, accessing closed and dangerous worlds, fighting injustice, filming raw sex and violence, documenting acts of evil, and the many challenges of turning real life into compelling entertainment.

Author Bio

Contributors: Sue Bourne, Nick Broomfield, David Clews, Marshall Curry, John Ellis, Amy Flanagan, Simon Ford, Nick Fraser, Liz Garbus, Alex Gibney, Alex Graham, Rupert Houseman, Steve James, Eugene Jarecki, Asif Kopadia, Barbara Kopple, Ralph Lee, Kevin Macdonald, Leo Maguire, James Marsh, Albert Maysles, Dave Nath, Dan Reed, Charlie Russell, Andre Singer, Kieran Smith, Morgan Spurlock, Eric Steel, Anthony Wonke, Brian Woods, Penny WoolcockJames Quinn is an award-winning documentary filmmaker and executive producer. He has occupied senior positions at several industry-leading independent production companies, including Head of Special Projects at Oxford Film & Television and Head of Factual Television at October Films. He is also Honorary Research Fellow at Royal Holloway, University of London, and has a PhD in philosophy. His other books include This Much is True, a landmark volume on the art of directing documentaries.