Friday, October 30, 1998
Pioneer filmmakers display revolutionary techniques
SPEAKERS: Robert Drew, Richard Leacock credited with changing
industry
By Marisa Yamane
Daily Bruin Contributor
Pioneer filmmakers Richard Leacock and Robert Drew will be
visiting UCLA from Saturday through Monday, where they will
showcase their most prized films and give a series of accompanying
lectures.
"This is a historical event to bring people here to see these
films that will never be shown on television anymore," said Marina
Goldovskaya, event coordinator.
Leacock and Drew’s filmmaking techniques revolutionized American
history, said Goldovskaya.
Their groundbreaking films during the 1960’s created an entirely
new film genre, called cinéma vérité, that greatly
impacted the world of film. Cinéma vérité is the art
of documenting real life as it happens.
"They took the camera from the tripod, helped make special
equipment and made the camera move," Goldovskaya said.
A new breed of lightweight 16mm cameras allowed filmmakers in
the ’60s, like Leacock and Drew, to be more discreet as they
filmed. The result – a more realistic view of real life.
"The smaller the camera, the better it is … you don’t have to
have actors who don’t know how to act," Leacock said.
Though this change took place nearly 40 years ago, contemporary
filmmakers still use this method.
"Today, television and documentary and fiction film use what
they had found," Goldovskaya said.
Leacock, who now resides in France, and Drew, who lives in New
York, will come to Los Angeles for the International Documentary
Congress, a film festival held sporadically every few years.
"I felt that I had to bring them to the students because the
students have to know what their history was if they want to know
how to move forward," Goldovskaya said.
"(Leacock and Drew) are of the same caliber as Einstein in
physics," she added.
Saturday, Leacock will give a presentation discussing his
experiences filming for Robert Flaherty, who is considered the
father of documentary film. Leacock was one of the last people to
work with Flaherty,
Flaherty, who passed away in 1951, directed documentaries such
as "Man of Aran" and "Industrial Britain" and was nominated for an
Oscar in 1949 for his film "Louisiana Story."
Sunday, Drew will be joining Leacock to show a series of films
they made about President John F. Kennedy.
On Monday, Leacock will discuss the future of documentary
filmmaking and its association with digital technology.
"This (technology) makes it possible to make films with less
people and much less money, and much better quality," Leacock
said.
All the lectures, which are free of charge and open to the
public, will be held from from 2 p.m. until 5 p.m. and will be
located in the James Bridges Theater on Saturday and Sunday and in
Melnitz 2534 on Monday.
On Monday evening at 7, there will be a special documentary
salon series screening of three documentaries, including "Jane,"
which focuses on the early career of actress Jane Fonda.
Goldovskaya said this film festival will be an educational
experience.
"Students will learn and hear from them how and why and with
what means they did achieve what they achieved," Goldovskaya
said.
"This will inspire them for the rest of their lives."
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