How Spotlight Dramatizes Good Journalism

SOURCES

The Image of the Journalist in Silent Film, 1890 to 1929

David Simon on Spotlight

Hoard Good, "Outcasts : the image of journalists in contemporary film"

Richard Brody, "Newspaper Movies"

Bill Kovach, Tom Rosenstiel, "The Elements Of Journalism"

Jordan Orlando, "William Goldman Turned Reporters into Heroes in “All the President’s Men”

MUSIC

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

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The Nerdwriter is a series of video essays about art, culture, politics, philosophy and more.

[mokonamadoki]

I am a journalist, and most everyone i know in the profession agrees that spotlight is a pretty accurate portrayal of the reality of journalism. The work is slow sometimes, but it builds on itself.

[AcolytesOfHorror]

The big thing that always astounded me in that movie is how everybody works together so seamlessly. There's no interpersonal conflict designed to artificially raise the stakes. The work itself is enough.

[skenzyme]

Spotlight isn’t just a film, it’s a memorial. Investigative journalism was a luxury that could only be paid for by the local advertising monopolies newspapers used to have.

[Pranav-rpwi]

this is one of the few oscar winners that i enjoy rewatching. all the characters seem so real. the way all the pieces of the story fall into place. how mark ruffallo's anger slowly buidls up. the way micheal keaton realises his only flaws. calm and composite demeanor of the new editor throughout the movie.... it's all so captivating.. it feels like the best episode of some actual reality TV show

[davidfryer]

How do you tell a story about telling a story about telling a story?

[averylazyowl]

I think the reason this film works is because it doesn't shy away from showing the hard work, but rather makes that the main focus. The obstable for the main characters isn't any singular evil antagonist (although there certainly is opposition). One of their main obstacles is the requirement of a high standard of work that is carried out ethically.

This film like motivated me into studying harder for my exams. And since boring revision was my greatest challenge at the time, the fact that thier biggest challenge was disciplined research was actually quite relatable. Very human and real.

[StreetHierarchy]

Spotlight was outstanding, and even though it got awards, I still feel like it's underrated.

[TwistVisuals]

A movie that's also about investigative journalism is the underrated David Fincher film Zodiac. That also has Mark Ruffallo.

[danielwareking]

My favorite movie of the decade. I love that you went into the understated nature of Spotlight; there are no big cinematic flourishes (what I *usually* love), just pure storytelling. The one truly remarkable visual motif is the use of churches in basically every outdoor shot in the whole movie. It gives the church an ominous, omnipresent feel as looms in the background of whatever scene is playing out.

[andrewbovey]

"This isn't a knock on the people who work on these things..." Cut to Rachel McAdams knocking. Brilliant!

[elenachapella]

I am a journalist. You really hit the nail on the head about this -- journalism is wonderful, but it can be slow, full of data, full of papers on top of papers to sort through and a million phone calls. You said it perfectly, the work is sober, the workers meticulous, and I truly love this video for how you combed through us just as I love Spotlight for being real about us. Thanks for spotlighting us :)

[CalvinJourno]

As a reporter of more than a decade now, I have to say...dude, you get it. You nailed it. Spotlight captures the tedium, frustration, and overall purpose in spite of all of that to do high quality, meaningful reporting. Keep spreading the good word!

[ajellis]

I relate to this as an architect. The work is dull most days, so much minutia and details to constantly check on and correct. But it tells a story too, the momentum builds and so much is learned through the unique process in any project. Every architect is committed to it for life and experience is the only teacher and understand the continuity of a places, people, and issues.

[SweetasSugar]

I've seen Spotlight more than ten times since I saw it in 2016. What makes it my favourite is because of two things: 1. I grew up in Catholic Ireland. Never had I ever heard of the Church abuse scandal. That's how hush hush the community still is here. Especially if you grow up in a small town. Priest's being anything other than untouchable beings? didn't exist. It changed my thinking and perspective on life for good. 2. I finished the film with a newfound respect for investigative journalism. I had never really learned much of the career, despite being a reader of many articles and Spotlight showed me how the day-in-day-out efforts of many journalists go unnoticed.

[peterfrank]

Besides the muted colors and set design, the film has an essemble cast and their respective star-powers just dissolve.

I guess what 'The Post' lacked was the sense of sincerity.

[blissclair]

Spotlight is one of my favorite movies. it's such an understated movie but everything about it was so important.

[h.n.r_funi]

The soundtrack on the film contributed soo much to it being unforgivably exceptional than other investigative/reporting movies, . This movie is one of my favorite movies ever

[reyesbiencarlo]

Please make a video about the korean movie "Parasite". I'm eager to know your take on that

[earthbenderjfjdj]

That last line!! 😭😭 "But journalists do that all the time..." ahhh!! My writer heart is full!! Being a journalist requires a lot of patience, hardwork and the ability to send your message in the briefest but most concise way possible (depending on the field, but still...).

[sidharthwarrier]

This is one of my favourite Oscar winning films .