Must film be fiction?

Abstract

Primarily, we historians write books - and academic articles,' Yale historian Dr Jay Gitlin said in a history documentary we made together in 2006 called A Frontier Conversation. On our 'Exchanging Histories' tour in the Northern Territory, the high-achieving American historian grew hostile to the camera. She said it made her uncomfortable; she could not see its purpose and vowed to have nothing to do with film again. Most academic historians are trained to research and deliver in text. Although many have been developing innovative websites, most teach students to critique and deliver only by writing. Film and history courses are popular, but they are more often taught in art history, communications and media studies than in history programs. Most historians have had nothing to do with film and television productions. Those who have are still licking their wounds - usually because their advice was unheeded. Film fictionalisations made them feel that their professional integrity had been cheaply compromised.