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Quote by Frederick Wiseman

“Even if I know I'm going to go to a church, I don't know what the minister's going to say.”

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Frederick Wiseman, born on January 1, 1930, is an American documentary filmmaker known for his in-depth exploration of public institutions and social issues through his distinctive narrative style. more

“I think I've learned a lot about how to make movies, and particularly about how to edit movies by thinking about how similar problems are resolved in other forms. The issues in all forms are the same in an abstract sense, aren't they? Characterization, abstraction, metaphor, passage of time... Whether it's a movie, a novel, a play, or a poem, those issues exist. And each person resolves them differently.”

Thinking Persons Play Problem Form Novel Issues Metaphor Abstract I've Learned Resolve Passages Abstraction Edits Passage Of Time Characterization

Author:Frederick Wiseman

“My job as a film editor is to construct a dramatic narrative because otherwise it's just a chaotic arrangement of sequences.”

Jobs Film Narrative Dramatic Editors Arrangements Constructs Sequence Chaotic

Author:Frederick Wiseman

“I'm in no way suggesting that I succeed, but it's inspiring to read somebody who does succeed and from whom, in a general way, you can draw examples and nourishment and sustenance.”

Way Doe Example Succeed Draws Nourishment Suggesting Sustenance

Author:Frederick Wiseman

“There's the internal rhythm within a sequence, and then there's the rhythm between the sequences, and that's extremely important in constructing the narrative. For example, you don't put two big dramatic scenes right next to each other. But you can use the rhythm of the transition shots; they can often serve a double purpose.”

Two Important Use Bigs Purpose Next Example Scene Shots Rhythm Narrative Dramatic Internals Transition Sequence

Author:Frederick Wiseman

“There's a literal track: who says what to whom, what are people wearing, etcetera. And there's the abstract track: what ideas are suggested by the literal. And the real movie takes place in the relationship between the literal and the abstract.”

People Ideas Real Track Abstract Literal Etcetera

Author:Frederick Wiseman

“This whole business of documentary being a second-class citizen is bullshit. A documentary can be as interesting, as dramatic, as sad, as funny, blah, blah, blah, as a fiction movie. Or it can be as awful as a fiction movie!”

Whole Interesting Fiction Class Citizens Awful Dramatic Bullshit Documentaries Blah Second Class Citizens

Author:Frederick Wiseman

“One fan sent me one tooth, so I made a necklace out of it. But then I found a bunch of my baby teeth, and started realizing I would love to wear a piece of my fans' bodies on me.”

Made Body Found Realizing Pieces Fans Baby Bunch Teeth My Baby Necklaces Baby Teeth

Author:Kesha

“It's rare in a documentary film that you have a repetitive act. So when you do, you can shoot it in different ways so that you have more choices when you're sitting down to edit that sequence six months later.”

Way Different Film Choices Months Six Sitting Different Ways Documentaries Six Months Sequence Edits Sitting Down Repetitive Documentary Films

Author:Frederick Wiseman

“A lot of the issues of rhythm in film are found in the editing because it's very rare that any sequence is the sequence that is shot.”

Film Found Issues Shots Rhythm Editing Sequence

Author:Frederick Wiseman

Quote by Frederick Wiseman

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