The Uncertainty of Documentarism

Steyerl talks about how the “unbroken belief” of the documentary form is challenged. What does Steyerl mean by this? Certain movies and films are based on true stories.  How does truth inform fiction? How might fiction inform the truth?

Steyerl argues that the “unbroken belief” of the documentary form is challenged through the aura of authenticity that is a direct result of a documentary’s unintelligibility. Essentially, he states that the inability to understand certain forms of documentation actually creates authenticity in the field and consequently breaks the standard set forth by precedents of documentary media. He calls this idea “modern documentation” as it allows viewers to be directly immersed in a given moment as it is captured. For example, war footage that is chaotic, messy, and hard to understand would prove to be more authentic than war footage that is carefully shot, executed, and produced. This is the case as the former allows the audience to feel emotions that are much more intense than the ones they would be experiencing when watching the latter.

I think that the truth may inform the fiction created around it by allowing this fiction to have a solid basis and validity. When it comes to documentation, truth is crucial as your audience will expect the information they are receiving to have a foundation in reality, allowing them to relate to the information and truly feel genuine emotions. On the other hand, I think fiction might inform the truth by making it more picturesque and artistic. Like Oscar Wilde once said, “Life imitates art far more than art imitates life.” Essentially, by creating fiction about a given topic, the truth behind it will take on a similar connotation and resemble this fictitious picture.

What is the significance of the authenticity and representation of the truth in the media that you consume on a daily basis? What is the role of a live broadcast?

The authenticity and representation of truth in the media I consume are important for my understanding of the events described and the amount of trust I place in those who provide me with the information. Additionally, a live broadcast allows me and other spectators to truly feel immersed in the moment in which a given event occurs, let’s say the final goal in the World Cup or a broadcast of a tragic event overseas. This only contributes to the emotions I attribute this event to and the level of relatability I can have with other people who also watched the broadcast at hand.

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