Hey Guys!!
This month I go into production on my domestic violence documentary so I've been watching a vast array of different documentaries to gain inspiration. I love watching documentaries because they are often immensely entertaining and informative at the same time.
Here is a list of documentaries that truly inspired me.
1. Exit Through The Gift Shop
I've always been fascinated by street art and I'm a huge fan of Banksy(his art is my computer desktop picture). This documentary delves into the world of a man who claimed to be a documentarian and made contact with Banksy in hopes of making a film about him. The tables turned when Banksy decided to direct the documentary himself when he realized this man was not a documentarian at all. It's light-hearted, intriguing and artful.
2. Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond- Featuring a Very Special, Contractually Obligated Mention of Tony Clifton
I found this documentary extremely interesting for a few reasons. First, as an actor, I am always curious about the process other actors go through to get into character and this film is all about Jim Carrey's "method" when taking on the role of Andy Kaufman in Man on the Moon(1999). Also, Jim Carrey is one of my favorite performers because of his freedom and lack of inhibition. If you're a Jim Carrey fan, I think you'll find this film tremendously captivating. Third, I mean... the title.... how could I not watch a documentary with Jim Carrey as the thumbnail and that title. Fourth, this documentary scored 100% on Rotten Tomatoes! Maybe I'm weird, but I love discussing why films received 100% on RT.
3. The Traffickers
This is one of the only documentary series I have watched and I was blown away. Nelufar Hedayat does an amazing job presenting and taking the audience through an investigative journey while exposing the underground secrets of the black market. Episode 7, The Girl In the Window, touches on a subject I'm very passionate about- human trafficking. This episode shows the dark secrets of the Red Light District in Amsterdam- it is extremely informative and explains this topic in an engrossing and cutting-edge way. It's also extremely heart-wrenching and infuriating which I find is important for a documentary exploring topics such as human trafficking and black market trade.
4. Searching For Sugarman
Most documentary viewers I've talked to have seen this film because it is extremely well done and won an Academy Award in 2013. It tells the story of the search for an obscure American artist, Rodriguez, who happened to be a South African rock legend without knowing it. This story still baffles me- how did a talented musician who was discovered in Detroit in the Motown era remain completely inconspicuous in the United States, but become as famous as Mick Jagger in South Africa?!
If you have any documentary recommendations, connect with me on Instagram and let me know:)
@sydneyscotia
Thanks for reading guys!!
xoxo
Syd