Abstract
Having produced documentary programs for NHK over ten years, a former director gripped with a question of what constitutes documentary expression that strongly resonates with the viewers today. This paper chronicles his earnest pursuit of new forms of expression.
The main focus is on the technique that leverages the autonomy of sound in relation to the visual. A technique that utilized the autonomy of sound is commonly found in programs that could be called classics of television documentary and works in the genre known as “animated documentary,” which has become increasingly popular overseas in recent years.
KUDO Toshiki, an NHK legendary director who was active in the 1960s and 1970s, was deeply interested in the reality that cannot be filmed. His documentaries present multi-layered realities that harness the discrepancy between image and sound, rather than unequivocal “decisive moments.”
For animated documentaries, it is assumed that the deliberate avoidance of live-action footage combined with the active recording of the subjects’ voices allows filmmakers to visualize the subjects’ memories, mental landscapes, and other “alternative realities” beyond the reach of the camera. This approach could help refocus attention on the inner worlds of those living precariously on the margins of society—individuals who tend to slip through the cracks of structures designed to communicate visible realities in an easily comprehensible manner.
