‘Finally! … Our Truth’
Written by duckrabbitGot a cool email this morning. Samira Hack, who was a prominent voice in the Open Eye documentary and photofilm I made with Joseph Rodriguez got in contact with Joseph with these words:
‘All that I can say is, Finally! I am very pleased with the results that you guys came up with. I know that people will criticise and say that this situation doesn’t exist in Sweden but you really kept it real and came forward with the truth, with our truth. And this is the only truth.’
As a programme maker you always worry about how the people featured in the programme will react. There is a unwritten contract that you will treat their words with respect. Once you break that contract you destroy trust.
I can see that in the work of a few photographers. They tell themselves their story is more important than the people in the pictures.
No doubt some great work is produced that way and in some circumstances they might be right.
I think radio producers, though their work tends to reach much larger audiences, are pretty philosophical about what their work can or can’t achieve.
Give someone a voice. For me that’s enough, anything else is a bonus.
You can see and hear Samira in the photofilm duckrabbit produced for the BBC below. You honor both us and her by taking the time out to watch:
Author — duckrabbit
duckrabbit is a production company formed by radio producer/journalist Benjamin Chesterton and photographer David White. We specialize in digital storytelling.
Discussion (2 Comments)
amazing, guys. for me this kind of affirmation from a subject means more than anything – especially when the subject matter is this delicate. high praise indeed.
as for any complaints, you know if you’re rattling cages you are doing your job as a journalist
Thanks Ciara … I agree … its really important to me.