Crafting Truth: Documentary Form and Meaning is a film studies book authored by Louise Spence and Vinicius Navarro. The authors contend that, rather than merely questioning whether a documentary film is “true” or “untrue,” we should delve into what the work is actively crafting. This approach entails posing inquiries such as:
“How is actuality treated in order to sanction the documentary’s claims to be telling the truth?”
“How does the need to tell an effective story or make an argument encourage one kind of treatment over another?”
The inquiry into whether a work is authentic is rudimentary level analysis. Documentaries, while indeed guiding us toward understanding the world, craft a construction of reality based upon those steering the film.
The film’s closing credits and Viola Lasmana’s piece, "Love and Amateurism in Kelly Loves Tony," introduce the concept of the diarist. My interest in Kelly and Tony's story led me to discover a 2003 video of Spencer Nakasako explaining that Kelly had a diary and when Nakasako compared the filming to a video diary, she immediately understood what he wanted her to capture.
The Reality of Kelly Loves Tony
My initial impression of watching Kelly Loves Tony (1998) was that the title suggests a power dynamic, as do one of the opening clips of Tony driving Kelly. Upon further reflection, it becomes possible that instead the title is indicative of the audience watching Kelly’s reality, or at least what the film presents to us as her reality.
While literature, such has Margaret Meade’s “Introduction: Visual Anthropology in a Discipline of Words,” finds it crucial for the ethnographer and filmmaker to be a singular person, Kelly and Tony are actively engaged in their story but are not the ultimate editors or producers of the film. Viola Lasmana, in “Love and Amateurism in Kelly Loves Tony,” observes the differing filming styles Kelly and Tony employ. Tony captures the majority of scenes behind the camera while Kelly engages in monologues in front of the camera. Her intimate scenes resemble confessionals often seen in reality television, which, given her circumstances, may have provided therapeutic relief as she articulated her lived experiences as they were unfolding.
In my approach for both my Video Essay and Ethnography, I maintained a position behind the camera. My films are characterized by a formal dialogue directed toward the viewer, a style influenced by my training in art history.
At minute 8 of Kelly Loves Tony, Kelly refuses to drink ginger tea. She smiles and laughs with her family in this scene as she warmly speaks to the audience in the voiceover. Kelly’s voiceover emerges as personable and relatable. Tony’s method of filming consists of walking and conversing directly with the camera. Instead of a voiceover post-filming, he speaks while recording. Overall, the editing, practices, and techniques of the film offer a fresh perspective. A particular sentiment, style, and experience is crafted, prompting reflection on my own work which leans towards a more “academic” narration style. Thinking about the craft and crafting of the film inspired me to recognize the rigid vision I have of “ethnographic work.” By being informed by examples such as this film, I can make more intentional decisions regarding speech and presentation. Perhaps it is the case that I prefer the style, tone, and presentation I implemented in my work, but that intention can now be more conscious by being informed of other ways to craft a film.
Through Kelly’s interaction with her baby, I recognize a wall I had in my work. I did not film my conversations with people. We spoke briefly in class about how I have formal interviews, but aside from those, I did not have informal interactions with a single person. I am missing so many angles in my work, which is invigorating because it means new things to seek and see what comes of them!
The scene at minute 5:15, featuring the nurse, offers a unique observation. Unlike current practices, where many medical facilities prohibit filming, this nurse’s receptiveness encourages reflection on how my work will serve as a testament of the time it captures outside of my focus.
Kelly Loves Tony demonstrates that witnessing is not simply a matter of recording reality, but involves choices about who holds the camera, whose perspective is presented, and how lived experiences are constructed through film. Reflecting on my own ethnographic work, I recognize that witnessing extends beyond formal interviews and carefully composed narration to include spontaneous interactions, informal conversations, and moments of everyday life. Ultimately, this week challenges me to reconsider how my methodological choices shape not only what I document, but also what remains unseen.