Primary

Technologically speaking, “primary” claims to be the first documentary shot with synchronized sound. Previous to this development, the separation between picture and audio created a notable divide, allowing for wasted rolls in which the sound operation and the camera operator focused on different things. Drew, obviously aware of this features, uses background noise to tie together otherwise innocuous non-cinematic moments. The newfound surplus of sound-to-picture material serves as a bridge, tying Humphrey to Kennedy, the past to the present, and illustrating how stumping has evolved and yet remains the same. If “primary” proves anything by the end of the film, it is that “voiceovers” do not have to be diegetic. They do not need to be performed by an A-list actor, or even be the main focus of the scene. The background audio can be woven into a tool that supports the message rather than serving as a distraction from an otherwise “dull” clip.

The question remaining at the end of the analysis is whether this pioneering and original technique, employed by countless following filmmakers, was intentional or accidental. Did the camera decide that Humphrey’s shoe soles were a metaphor for his approach to politics after noticing that they had become worn down as a result of his endless street visits, or was it left rolling after the camera operator’s arm grew fatigued? Did Drew shoot more because he thought that the newly synchronized audio might reveal things in post that had been invisible during production? It is unquestionable that whatever the answer, the eccentric mix created shockwaves in the film community as a whole. This style of filmmaking can be found in today’s modern television, short films, and of course, documentaries. By straying outside of the lines and presenting the innocuous, Drew painted a picture more complete than any other (political) documentary before it.