Happy New Year, Losers: The Dangerous Rise of the Sympathy Doc

if I had my way I would tear this building down

Before their project begins, a documentarian reckons with at least as many ethical considerations as technical ones. For example: How much of a presence should the filmmakers have in the movie? What is the proper balance between respecting a subject and making sure the truth of it is shown? Will a deliberate narrative structure enhance the clarity of the film or inhibit it? A…