Response Paper - My Kid Could Paint That

My Kid Could Paint That

The film My Kid Could Paint That by Amir Bar-Lev fascinated me because of its approach and subject matter.

As someone interested, and relatively inexperienced, in film, I currently am very interested in the different approaches filmmakers use to present stories in documentary as I’m trying to find one of my own. Bar-Lev took an unusual approach that in turn allowed the film to tell a bigger, maybe more important story. At first, just like the Bar-Lev, I was interested in the story of the film’s subject Marla and her art. While this story is very compelling because of the controversy behind it, I found after a while thinking more about the filmmaker’s experience than about the subject. Bar-Lev places himself in the story and comments on how this story is affecting him. Due to this approach the film made me think and continue to think about what will be my role in the future as a nonfiction storyteller. Usually the most successful films deal with tough subject matters where something dramatic has happened. As a filmmaker I could become greatly involved in those matters and that frightens me because I do not want to use other people’s difficulties to make money. For example my friend recently told me this horrifying story about her experience with Teach for America and one of my first thoughts was, “whoa this would make a really interesting documentary.” However I thought if I made this film how would my friends react who have had a positive experience with TFA? Also what if as I researched this story I discover that my friend was not telling me that entire truth? I then would find myself in a spot much like Bar-Lev where I would have to confront my friend and call her a liar. Then I’m not sure what would be most important to me, film or friend.

Thus for me, at first the film was very intriguing because of the subject matter however the greater value from the viewing comes from how it has made me take a deeper look at my experience as a future filmmaker. As I reflected about Bar-Lev’s experience it has helped me see that I need to be very careful about the stories I choose to tell because of the affect it will have on both the subject and I.