Evaluation of Specialists' Perspectives for the Issues of Sub-Groups as Reflected in Anthropological Documentary Production: A Qualitative Study

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Teaching Assistant, Radio & TV Department, Faculty of Mass Communication, Cairo University.

2   Professor, Radio & TV Department, Faculty of Mass Communication, Cairo University.

Abstract

 
This study aims to analyze specialists' perspectives on how to present an accurate and unbiased representation of sub-groups *in anthropological documentaries. It also explores the impact of production standards on documentaries and how they can either highlight or marginalize aspects of the cultural and social life of these groups. Additionally, the study discusses the challenges faced by documentary filmmakers in production and work conditions, as well as the ethical challenges related to bias and the privacy of these groups. In-depth interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of 16 experts, consisting of 9 specialists in documentary production (directors, editors, and cameramen), and 7 specialists in visual anthropology (academics and content creators on YouTube). This sample was carefully selected to ensure comprehensive representation of the disciplines related to the topic.
The study reached several conclusions, including the experts' agreement on the necessity of addressing the issues of sub-groups in greater depth, emphasizing the importance of balancing the positive and negative aspects of these groups. Many experts also pointed out that media and documentaries often distort the true image of sub-groups due to a lack of direct interaction with these groups and filmmakers' reliance on preconceived notions. On the other hand, the study highlighted the role of anthropological documentaries in raising cultural awareness, as these films are an effective tool for enabling communities to express themselves in an interactive and artistic manner. Despite the production and social challenges faced by documentary filmmaking, including distribution issues and the lack of institutional support, digital opportunities remain available for producing documentaries that contribute to deliver of these works to the public.
The study also showed that collaboration between the anthropological researcher and the documentary filmmaker is an essential part of the success of anthropological documentaries. This collaboration enhances the integration of the researcher’s scientific knowledge with the filmmaker’s technical expertise, contributing to the improvement of the final product. However, this collaboration remains limited and often lacks institutional support, which affects the outcomes of documentary works.
Finally, the study revealed that the future of visual anthropology in Egypt and the Arab world is linked to its ability to adapt to technological advancements, such as artificial intelligence and digitization. This requires training researchers and filmmakers to effectively use these tools.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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