Panelists emphasize the importance of story, audience

A panel held at Gutstein Gallery stressed the importance of considering a film’s audience.Photo by Emory Dunn

Can film really change the world? Panelists Lesley Chilcott, Lynn Hirshfield and James Cromwell sat down with Michael Chaney, a professor in the film and television department, to discuss just that.

The panel, held on Nov. 2 at Gutstein Gallery, opened with a collective laugh when Chaney posited the question.

Chilcott simply answered, “It can inspire a movement and that movement has the opportunity to change the world.” And Chilcott would know. She’s worked on films such as “Waiting for Superman” and “An Inconvenient Truth,” both of which have caused their own movements

“The primary point of a documentary is to tell a story,” Chilcott said. Hirshfield, of Participant Media, added that her job was “to get butts in the seats.”

One thing that could be agreed upon was that having a great story is what captures the audience, no matter what genre of film. It brings the audience to the theater and gets the story out to people, thereby accomplishing both of their primary focuses.

For both narrative and documentary films, audience is key. “As an audience we can connect with those characters and the decisions that they are making. It starts us asking questions to ourselves,” said Cromwell.