ABSTRACT
Filmmaking used to be something that cost a fortune and required technical as well as artistic skill. Today, thanks to modern technology, anybody can do it. Kodak’s Super 8 movie format created a mini-boom in home movies in the 1970’s, and since then cameras have become smaller and more affordable as they have transitioned from bulky VHS camcorders, MiniDV cameras, and DVD-RAM camcorders, to compact video cameras that record high-definition digital video onto memory cards. Some video cameras also have functions that can be useful in specific situations. The “night vision” setting on my video cameras proved unexpectedly useful, and several video diary entries were recorded at night using this feature, adding a 24/7 dimension to the project. The visible and audible presence of participants on screen strongly conflicts with the presumption that good ethical practice requires automatic anonymity for participants.
