Title: The documentary art of filmmaker Michael Rubbo /
Authors: Jones, D. B. 1940-
Year: 2017
Subjects: Rubbo, Michael Criticism and interpretation.; Rubbo, Michael Critique et interprétation.; Rubbo, Michael
Abstract: "Michael Rubbo's groundbreaking work has had a deep and enduring impact on documentary filmmaking worldwide, though his name has remained relatively unknown. In The Documentary Art of Michael Rubbo, author D.B. Jones traces Rubbo's filmmaking from his days as a film student at Stanford, through his twenty years at the National Film Board of Canada, where Rubbo developed his distinct documentary style. Jones then describes Rubbo's post-NFB venture into feature film directing, followed by Rubbo's return to his native Australia, first as an executive with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, and later as a director of feature-length documentaries and maker of short, personal films for YouTube. Exploring locales from Montreal to Vietnam, topics as diverse as plastic surgery and French Marxism, and from interviewing Margaret Atwood to documenting a failed attempt to interview Fidel Castro, Rubbo's wide-ranging work establishes his innovative, personal, lyric, and spontaneous documentary style. In The Documentary Art of Michael Rubbo D.B. Jones reveals not only the depth of meaning in Rubbo's films, but also the depth of their influence on filmmaking itself."--
Contents: Learning the craft. The true source of knowledge these days; early films at the NFB -- Making it personal. Sad song of yellow skin -- Nudging things along. Persistent and finagling -- Filmmaker front and center. Wet earth and warm people -- Family matters. OK ... camera; The streets of Saigon; Jalan, jalan; The man who can't stop -- How it works. Waiting for Fidel; I am an old tree -- Where the action isn't. Log house; The walls come tumbling down; I hate to lose; Tigers and teddy bears -- Something's happening. Solzenitsyn's children ... are making a lot of noise in Paris -- Facial expressions. Yes or no, Jean-Guy Moreau; Daisy : the story of a facelift; Not far from Bolgatanga -- Long shots. Margaret Atwood : once in august; Atwood and family -- A break from "reality". The peanut butter solution; Tommy Tricker and the stamp traveller; Vincent and me; The return of Tommy Tricker -- New tools of the trade. ABC; The little box that sings; Much ado about something; all about Olive -- Plein air documentary. YouTube films; bicycle art; painting with film.