Robert Pulcini and Shari Springer Berman began their careers making documentaries before moving into narrative films and winning an Oscar nomination for the screenplay to "American Spendor." That film was itself based on autobiographical comics by Harvey Pekar, and the couple's experience in exploring the lines between fiction and non-fiction led HBO to them when the channel was looking for directors for "Cinema Verite," its exploration of the groundbreaking and controversial 1973 PBS series "An American Family."
The series, widely credited as being the first example of reality television, was created by producer Craig Gilbert (played by James Gandolfini), who persuaded Southern California couple Bill and Pat Loud (Tim Robbins and Diane Lane) to let him film their daily lives. Gilbert's cameras rolled while the marriage broke up and the Louds' son Lance became perhaps primetime television's first openly gay presence. The result found the Louds facing nationwide scorn, while Gilbert was charged with sensationalism and manipulation by his camera crew of Alan and Susan Raymond.
Also Read: Diane Lane on Playing Reality TV's First Real Star, Pat Loud
Why do you think this material was a good fit for you?
PULCINI The story was close to our hearts. We were young married documentary filmmakers at one point, and we had heard so much about the series "An American Family," but we were unable to see it because it just wasn't available. And the themes that were in the script were things that we encountered as documentary filmmakers, and things that we discussed when we were working in that arena.
What things were those?
PULCINI When we were making documentaries, there were a lot of scandalous films that people said had too much re-creation, or weren't accurate, or people were coached to say things onscreen. Now, I think there's more of an acceptance that all documentaries are an individual's or a team's perspective.
BERMAN We faced a lot of our own moral questions when we were making documentaries, which is why we felt some connection to Craig Gilbert and the Raymonds, and understood their issues. We faced the issue of getting close to your subjects, where the big questions become, 'How is that impacting the way you're making your film?' 'Are you using your friendship to get more out of them, or are you protecting them when you shouldn’t be?' So we certainly understand those moral questions.
Most of the people depicted in your film did not participate in the process with you, did they?
PULCINI The Raymonds were consultants on the film, and they had been prior to us getting involved. HBO had approached the Louds and Craig Gilbert about being involved, but they had both declined.
BERMAN That was before we were involved in the project. But we had so much footage to watch, which was incredibly exciting. Even though it was very time-consuming, it was amazing.
