ABSTRACT
The great photographic inventions of the 19th century facilitated the access of both science and art to new forms and means of cross-cultural research and communication. The filmmaking scholar may be described as someone inhabiting a theoretical landscape in the interface between anthropology and film studies. Dialogue between filmmaker/fieldworker and informants is a prerequisite for the making of an ethnographic film, although the concept of 'dialogue' remains contested within anthropology. Ethnographic films are often described as a cultural encounter. Film offers the opportunity to visually communicate one's position and status. It is about showing your 'face' and identity to the general public; a visual image of oneself in a context of meaning that transcends the image itself. The reflexivity concept seems useful when considering the academic production of knowledge and communication, i.e. male or female representations of the world, and ethical and aesthetic concerns. This chapter also presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in this book.
