The first edition of this book provided a major stimulus for teaching about documentary film and television and fresh encouragement for critical thinking about practice. This second edition brings together many new contributions both from academics and filmmakers, reflecting shifts both in documentary production itself, and in ways of discussing it. Once again, the emphasis has been on clear and provocative writing, sympathetic to the practical challenges of documentary filmmaking but making connections with a range of work in media and communications analysis.With its wide range of contributors and the international scope of its agenda, this will be essential reading for general filmmakers and documentary students both of academic and practical inclinations.
Articles are hit or miss depending on their subject and my personal interest. I picked this up mostly for its perspective on the 1973 PBS series An American Family. Now, I am perusing other entries.