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PBS's "PO.V" the only
ongoing independent nonfiction
film series on the air —
celebrates 10 years of showcasing
documentaryfilms on television.

J EWISH NEWS

JILL DAVIDSON SKLAR SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS

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assion is a word Marc Weiss
understands well. Very well.
As an independent film-
maker in the 1970s, passion
fueled his drive for making films.
.g‘ As a worker in a nonprofit organi-
zation for independent filmmakers,
passion motivated him to find new
venues, other sources of funding, differ-
ent ways of cataloging and distributing
films.
And as the creator of the PBS televi-
sion series "Point Of View (P.O.V.)," pas-
sion pushed him to start in 1987 what
would become a showcase for the work of
American documentary filmmakers.
"I wasn't sure we were going to have a
second season, so it is a little unreal for
me that we are celebrating our 10th," said
the Queens, N.Y., native. The secret to
the continuing success of the series is the
same as what helped to found it: passion.
The program has provided a format —
one-to-two hour documentaries shown
only during the summer months — for
individuals who have fashioned them-
selves into video storytellers: follow an
issue or a tale while providing a narra-
tive voice.
"The good [documentaries] share one
quality: They are driven by the energy of
the filmmaker," Weiss said. "These peo-
ple are not out there to make money.
They are a part of a community that the
outside media is not going to understand.
They stay with a story for months or
years at a time. They have a compelling
story to tell.
"I am just glad we can provide a format
for them," he said.
It wasn't always this way.
The idea for "P.O.V." came out of a Sun-
dance Film Festival seminar for inde-
pendent filmmakers. One panelist
mentioned how filmmakers would like to
see a format for documentaries on public
television.
Taken by the notion, Weiss approached
the speaker, and talked about their
shared ideas. The speaker didn't pursue
it any further, but Weiss began formu-
lating the plans that eventually launched
the show.
"What was happening in public televi-

sion at that point was that there were strong stories that are a little rough Interactive, which encourages discussion
many filmmakers making films and try- around the edges."
sparked by the documentaries.
ing to get [them] on public TV, but there
Conversely, those with some experi-
"This goes back to my own roots as an
was no [regular] forum for them," he said. ence and training have been putting out independent filmmaker in the 1970s,"
The "P.O.V." producers first had to more refined films with elaborate sound- Weiss recalled. "Then, we would take a
form relationships with the filmmakers tracks and backed by significant funding. film out and show it and get reaction from
and to get the word out about the show.
"Those filmmakers are producing a the audience. What happens after a film
They decided on a summer evening
is over is sometimes more impor-
time slot, a particularly unpopular
tant than when the film is on the
time for television viewing.
screen. You want to talk about it,
"We knew we would get more
talk about their reactions to the
press attention because the re-
film."
viewers see a lot of repeats [during
"With `P.O.V.,' we had a great
summer]. And that also could
opportunity to show the films, but
mean we would get more viewers
we lost the ability to talk about
who were skipping around stations,
them afterward," Weiss said. "This
looking for something they hadn't
is the remedy."
already seen," Weiss said.
More widespread recognition
"However, there was a gamble
has greeted the show in other
in that during the summertime
ways. Weiss recalled an incident
people aren't really paying atten-
that occurred after Deborah Hoff-
tion to television."
mann's Complaints of a Dutiful
But people did pay attention —
Daughter aired in 1995. After pro-
as did sponsors. Now, major fund-
ducing a story about her struggle
ing is provided by grants from the
with her mother's Alzheimer's dis-
John D. and Catherine T.
ease, Hoffmann was beckoned for
MacArthur Foundation, the Na-
an interview by NBC's "Dateline."
tional Endowment for the Arts and
As Jane Pauley interviewed the
the Corporation for Public Broad-
producer on a SoHo street, a
casting.
woman stopped the pair, stating,
And the show caught the atten-
"Hey, I know you from some-
tion of documentary filmmakers.
where."
Lisa Heller, executive producer of
Assuming the woman was
the show, said nearly 600 docu-
speaking to Jane Pauley, Ms. Hoff-
mentaries each year are shown to
mann deferred to the well-known
a panel of judges who slim the
media interviewer. But the woman
Marc Weiss: A passion for documentary filmmaking encouraged
number down to 10 or 12.
persisted.
him to create PBS's "P.O.V."
"I am inspired and amazed reg-
"You're the one who did that doc-
ularly by the number and the quality of much finer product than in the past, in umentary I saw two weeks ago on 'Point
the things that move through here," she part because there has been enough of a Of View,' " she continued, oblivious to
said, noting that the films shown on track record for them to craft a beautiful- Pauley's presence.
"P.O.V." have gone on to win seven Em- looking film," he noted.
Weiss, a Reform Jew who grew up
mys, three Oscars and six Peabody
The show itself has become more so- watching up to eight hours of television
Awards.
phisticated. Working with the idea that a day, said he hopes the show can con-
The documentary filmmakers' work documentaries provide a format for dis- tinue to provide a televised format for
has also changed in two ways since the cussion of the social issues raised, the storytellers who otherwise have no home.
show began airing. First, technology has show's producers developed two different
"The networks are missing an oppor-
become more affordable, making it pos- forums for audience members to respond. tunity. They could do it and probably get
sible for unskilled individuals with a
The first is Talking Back, a segment a pretty good-sized audience," he said,
home-video camera to produce a story.
airing after the documentaries that com- noting that the stories told provoke a
"The medium is more accessible to peo- bines several videotaped letters of reac- rather dedicated, passionate following.
ple who might not have been able to af- tion by viewers regarding the content of
"[Documentaries] are better than sit-
ford it when it was 16-millimeter film," the film shown. The second is a World corns or other reality-based programs.
Weiss said. "The result is that there are Wide Web bulletin board called P.O.V. You can't make this stuff up." [1]

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