Welcome II the 'hood: A Collaborative Documentary

The best way I would imagine a film about my home community would be a collective effort. Historical contextualization is important. I imagine old images of the neighbourhood juxtaposed against current footage. The moving image would reflect the present-day context of the neighbourhood, and the stills would show the historical context from which it is built. The present must be contextualized as it is shaped by the past. Interviews with citizens, while personal, would add an emotive dynamic to the representation. In its inclusion of personal memory, the documentary would gain sensory elements to its audio-visual medium. Perhaps citizens could create and contribute imagery such as home videos, personal photos or art pieces.

Anyone who contributes their texts must be involved or in charge of editing the segments which include those pieces. Unfortunately this may create a class-divide to those in the community who have, or have had, access to recording technology. I imagine citizens of the community on both ends of the lens: as the creators and subjects of the film. Community members would interview one another all within the frame (no unseen voice-overs). I would avoid unseen voice-overs and invisible creators in order to destabilize the power dynamic of representation. The film would use only diegetic sound. This would be difficult to put together so collectively, however those who contribute will be reflexive in their participation on both ends of the lens.