Asch and Chagnon 10.18.11

How interesting to considering the impact of a collaboration between an established photographer with an Anthropology "minor" (Asch) and an establshed Anthropologist (Chagnon) with a "minor" in film. There seems to have been some real innovation in ethnographic film that came about as a result of their partnered work in documenting the Yanomani people. Their collaboration resulted in the documentation of a culture during a period other than 'at peace'. Until their work in the early 1970s anthropologists had mainly reported their field work when tribes were in a peaceful state. Their partnership seems to have added an entire other dimension of depth into the understanding of a people and their culture. Chagnon drew criticism for publishing these accouts of raiding, but I beleive it acknowledg0es that human behaviors/traditions do vary based upon the state of affairs in our tribe, colony or modern government. The new tools in filming equipment, synchronized sound and technique also added to the impact of the film on viewers. The ability to record social interactions at length with less interruption and the sense of immediacy in watching action unfold is significant for the audience. I imagine the combination of both of their professional backgrounds melded together provides quite an opportunity for the film and the associated study guides to offer an educational tool. The context of education seems to fit well with the development to the approach of sequence filming only to be enhanced with further supplements in a classroom or coursework setting.