This essay will explore how far the documentary filmmaker theories of Michael Moore, has increased the understanding of Amy. The genre of documentaries has become increasingly popular, through the growing culture of documentary film in cinemas and other media outlets.
Moore approaches documentary filmmaking in a biased polemical way, inciting responses through his laid 'everyman' persona which catches his subjects off-guard. Moore acts as the spokesperson representing the 'little' and silenced people, pushing against the mainstream media and government and the injustices brought about by these. For example, this is seen in Moore's documentary film - Bowling for Columbine, whereby he explicitly displays his polemical view about gun laws in America, taking on a negative perspective to the state government. Moore through this doesn't express a balanced argument in this documentary but rather only portrays his own viewpoint. Again, in another Moore documentary film, Sicko, Moore represents himself as this 'spokesperson' when examining the healthcare crises in America, to which uses 'Voxpop' ( voice of the people ) as a way to reflects the silenced people and those who are suffering as a result of the capitalistic society, in which is the healthcare system is only beneficial to those who can afford it. Therefore Moore implements his 'everyman' persona in representing these oppressed people. The realism which Moore achieves in his documentary films are seen through the lack of scripts, the use of Voxpops and through the interviews with the main protagonists of the issue he is portraying. This reflects his stlye of filmmaking to which he presents himself as 'laid back' and ingenious or 'faux naïf'. This style allows him to achieve to catch his subjects off-guard, and also allows him to use humour and emotion.
in comparison, Kapadia's approach in Amy, has some similarities such as dealing with controversial topics, Kapadia's Amy can be viewed as controversial as it portrays the life of Amy Winehouse and her downfall caused by alcoholism and drug use. Similarly, Moore's approach also explores controversial topics, to which he presses against mainstream media and government to express the biased views he has although supporting those 'silenced' people in society. Kapadia's approach to Amy, although does have similarities, mainly contrasts to Moore's approach. Kapadia's use of real home footage which is coupled with recorded voiceovers, allows him to shape his narrative around the use of this which ultimately allows Kapadia to be more open-minded about the narrative of the film of documentary. However, Moore contrastingly has shaped the narrative himself, through knowing the story and subject he wants to tell this has created bias from the beginning as Moore sets out to capture footage rather than already having it. Also as Kapadia in Amy uses real home footage, this means that the documentary is unscripted and unplanned through the use of these. Whereas Moore, explicitly uses scripts and planned scenes in order to portray the bias he wants to show.
More subjective, explicitly representing their own opinions - Moore, Broomfield
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