Documentary Research: The Archive

When we were introduced to The Archive in seminar, it was one of my favourite out of them all as the main character, Paul, is a lovable character from the beginning. When I first saw him in the film I did not expect the theme to focus on his passion of music records. My first impression was that he was involved in the music industry yet as I watched the film I was made aware of the fact that not only is Paul a regular man who collects records as a hobby, but that he has the biggest collection of records in the world. Although I would have expected this to focus mainly on his achievement and pride, the main subject matter is the heartbreak that Paul has towards the fact that when he has to leave his records there will be no one to keep them in condition. This is a very personal and touching documentary and similarly to 'Skateistan' we are allowed to enter the world of a character who thrives on a particular passion.

The opening scene features Paul turning around in the chair to reveal the first flat record from 1881 and his opening statement questions the value of that record. From this we are only given the impression that Paul may have a hobby relating to money and music, yet as the film continues it focuses on his love for records. After this starting point, the audio is from a record being played and we are presented with one spinning on a vinyl to emphasise the change in technology from mere decades ago.

There are a variety of camera techniques that I instantly was drawn to, such as the tracking shots to show the many shelves/'aisles' of records that Paul owns. This is a particular favourite shot of mine in films as it can make a film look elegant and interesting to watch. There are also a number of clear, very beautiful shots of the records in their cases. I would love the documentary with my group to feature these camera styles as it is fascinating to watch, as well as including a voiceover from the main character. Although Paul comes across slightly eccentric at the beginning of the film, we become aware of the vast knowledge and passion he has for vinyl records as he provides the audience with statistics from the Library of Congress relating to the percentage of music that is only available on vinyl records now rather than modern technology.

The upbeat vinyl music in the background adds a sense of optimism to the film, as well as connoting the subject matter of the documentary; vinyl records. The documentary also features Paul's wife, which allows us to find out from another source the amount of passion that Paul has to his vinyl records. I think this is a very powerful piece as it draws the audience in instantly; at least with myself it did, as Paul is an eccentric yet lovable character in the narrative. He brings back a common problem that many people face; the modernisation of technology affecting their lives. Due to being brought up with the modernisation, my generation are more likely to forget about the clarity and beauty of vinyl records yet from this documentary we are given the chance to experience what a world is like without the constantly changing music industry.