Joe Berlinger Quotations

We didn't want to burden the series with the 10 most important events. We wanted days that offered interesting storytelling or days where the outcome was unexpected.

We felt every director should bring their own personal stamp and that every show does not have to feel like one another. A lot of these people had not done historical films, and I thought that was important.

We wanted each filmmaker to create a little gem that stands on its own instead of trying to make each show look and feel the same, which is the traditional route of a series.

Each film stands on its own. But we have a series that hangs together and is visually arresting.

Some people got their first choice and some got their last choice, but everyone ran with the assignment with a lot of enthusiasm.

One of the great ironies of my career is that people imagine me as some sort of hardcore metal guy because of the Metallica film.

I'm a filmmaker who is known for these ambiguous portraits that tell multiple sides of the story without really telling the audience what to think.

I felt like the universe was tapping me on the shoulder saying, "You're the guy who has to tell this story because nobody else is."

My attitude is, I am not a lawyer; I am not a doctor; I am not a scientist. I am a filmmaker and I want to present what each side is saying and let the viewer come to their own conclusion.

Chevron has wrapped itself in some pretty good arguments that make you scratch your head. The moral responsibility is certainly at its door. I leave it to other people to figure out whether there's legal responsibility.

I never believe I'm presenting objective reality; I also don't want to delude people into thinking that my subject is talking directly to them.

The Metallica film was like this incredible life experience where I learned the most through guys that stereotypically you would think couldn't offer much to you. That's what I love about the film: It explodes your stereotype of them - they're not just a bunch of lugheads banging on the guitar.

I don`t know the facts surrounding Andrew Jarecki`s work. I think it`s a triumph of television. But it does raise troubling issues that I think we as a documentary community, you know, need to address.

I mean, "The Jinx" is an amazing piece of cinema and amazing television moment, it`s rare documentarians can feel the direct impact of their work.

There`s a fine line between balanced journalism and trial by television.

The world is watching, and you better be fair.

Life is much more complex than the black-and-white sound bites that you get on television. There are nuances and shades of gray.

You have to remain open to the situation that you're filming otherwise you might miss the story.