The Documentary as Privileged Access

Published in LUMINA -  Australian Journal of Screen Arts and Business

Privileged access is becoming an overused term in documentary.   It’s a buzzword that’s often used to hype up a promotional synopsis, trailer or a funding submission.   It feels like all meaning has been robbed from a term that is intrinsic to the very essence of the documentary process.  

Privileged access can make a great film, but it’s not a one-way process. It’s not a ‘given’.  Access might produce a wonderfully dramatic scene for the person behind the camera, but it could make life hell for people in front of the camera.  Privileged access and ethics go hand in hand.