Full Frame: Documentary Shorts, Vol. 2: Crowfilm / Miss Alabama Nursing Home / Nutria / Wood Island / ... (DVD)

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"Have You Seen This Man?" documents performance artist Geoff Lupo´s attempts to engage an audience in New York City by posting outrageous fliers advertising such odd and miniscule items as toothpicks, pen caps, and crackers. Okay, you say, so how does this differ from performance artists who stand motionless or iron onstage or engage in some mundane activity, trying to be "edgy" for an audience that´s getting even edgier in their seats? Filmmakers Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck seem to think it´s a commentary on the basic need of urbanites to communicate, no matter what the pretense. But, of course, anyone watching this 18-minute documentary and watching the expressions on the faces of those who try to play along ("Is the cracker fresh? Has it been in a plastic bag the whole time?") will be reminded of the old "Candid Camera" show. Does this mean that Allen Funt was ahead of his time—a postmodern commentator on the state of disconnectedness in American society?

The most predictable and standard of the lot is "Iwo Jima: Memories in Sand," in which filmmakers Beret E. Strong and John Tweedy weave together archival footage with traditional History Channel-style interviews with survivors of one of World War II´s most devastating battles. It´s sobering, but we´ve seen it all before in so many "Good War" documentaries that compared to some of the other documentaries in this collection it makes less of an impression.

Video:
In keeping with the title of the festival, video presentation is full frame (1.33:1 aspect ratio) in both color and black and white. Bear in mind that many of these are shot on a limited budget using simple equipment and film. Often it´s a single hand-held camera in action. That said, the transfer is excellent, even with "Crowfilm," a documentary with highly complex visual effects, or "Album," which uses 8mm footage. No complaints here.

Audio:
Again, the "Full Frame" collection features independent filmmakers using basic equipment, and some of the videos are shot with the only microphone being the one atop the camcorder. That disclaimer also aside, the overall Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo sound quality on this DVD is excellent. It´s all front-speaker action, of course, but there are no soundtracks on these short films that demand more.

Extras:
Each of the seven films is accompanied by a bio on the filmmaker(s) and film credits, which certainly enhance our appreciation of the films. But that´s it for the extras. It would be nice if the inevitable third volume of "Full Frame Documentary Shorts" were to include a short feature on the festival itself, showing the settings and screenings and crowds that come to the Carolina Theater in Durham, North Carolina every April. As it is, the only option viewers have to learn more about the festival is to access the website: www.fullframefest.org.

Bottom Line:
After watching nearly three hours of these short documentaries, you might be tempted to dust off your camcorder and take a few classes at the community college that would enable you to shoot and edit a film. There are so many stories waiting to be made into movies, and "Full Frame Documentary Shorts: Vol. 2" may well inspire you to see the potential celluloid sagas in your own families, neighborhoods, workplaces, and communities.