Film Craft > Film Craft
WAVE STUDIOS, New York / NEW YORK TIMES / 2019
Awards:
Overview
Credits
Write a short summary of what happens in the film
This film looks to shed light on the rigor behind journalism and why it's all worth it. It’s a piece of
work about pursuing the truth wherever it may lead and bringing that truth back in word form for
the world to read. This film depicts the risk, guts and nerve shown by Rukmini Callimachi, the
lead New York Times reporter covering the Islamic State. The film takes us on a journey through
leads, sources and contacts across the world as Rukmini looks to understand the intricate details
of how ISIS functions as an organization. After years of developing trusted contacts and collecting
evidence on the ground in Iraq, Callimachi imbeds with Iraqi Army forces just as they liberate
Mosul. Her instinct leads to a groundbreaking discovery among the rubble: a treasure trove of
files that reveals the workings one of the world’s most deadly terrorist organizations.
Cultural/Context information for the jury
The film launched at a time of renewed discussion on ISIS, Syria and terrorism. The script had to
bring to life this incendiary subject matter while balancing the journalistic integrity of The New
York Times . The script puts us in the reporter’s stream of consciousness, adopting her tone of
voice and while also maintaining The Times ’s inimitable house style . The script, a connected
thread of words that appear on screen creating the effect of a continuously rewritten headline,
was central to putting to putting the viewer in the Callimachi’s psyche as she forged deeper
behind the lines of the world’s most feared terror organization.
Tell the jury about the elements of sound design.
This film looks to shed light on the rigor behind journalism and why it's all worth it. It’s a piece of work
about pursuing the truth wherever it may lead and bringing that truth back in word form for the world to
read. At the core of the film is a single, connected thread of animated words that appear on-screen as
though viewers are seeing a continuous writing and rewriting of headlines. The film lived in its own distinct
sonic world, designed to reflect the rough, arid, insufferable Iraqi landscape. At times, deliberately harsh
and somewhat unpredictable, the design should not be totally pleasing to the ear, but should put the
viewer on edge and create a sense of unease, leaving viewers feeling like they’ve been through even a
fraction of what the journalist experienced.
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