What is real?

One of the objectives in clas is to dissucss what is a documentary. One could stress content or form. When you focus on content a subtopic arises; does it matter if the content is real and what is real? In Symbiopsychotaxiplasm, the viewers are taken into a film documenting the production of an experimental film. It seems as if the experimental film is in itself a documentary of actors. William Greaves takes screen tests of the same scene with different actors. Because there is no real plot development the viewer of that movie focuses in on the nature of a screen test, the role an actor plays in a film and the process of movie making. Outside of that, Greaves directs the production and puts on for the camera, an actor himself. The crew seems to be the only ones not acting which gives Symbiopsychotaxiplasm an authentic and documentary feel. Knowing, at least almost certain, that the crew is truthful and blunt infront of the camera, gives the audience referential truth. The rest that is played out by the actors and Greaves is the spirit of the film, asking when are you really yourself, by yourself, infront of a camera or interacting with others? Or can you never represent your true self because there will always be someone's memory which edits you into your next role.