Andrew Goldberg Talks About Political Documentary, "White With Fear"

White Fear Movie Poster Photo Credit: So Much FilmPhoto bySo Much Film

You seem to have a pattern of selecting controversial topics for your films. What do you hope to accomplish with them and why?

As a filmmaker my goal is always to make people think. I try to bring awareness to subjects we talk about in daily discourse, but that warrants more attention and nuance than a 90-second news segment can accomplish. So, by nature, that usually leads me towards topics that have some twists and turns and bring up emotions and strong opinions for viewers.

Andrew Goldberg White With FearPhoto bySo Much Film

How do you select collaborators on each film? What are your requirements?

Since so many of our films deal with public affairs, I try very hard to find people who are open minded and do not walk in with predetermined conclusions. Our last three films covered racism, Republican politics, and antisemitism. So, you can imagine the number of opinions these subjects bring out. I approach each of this with an open mind, and a willingness to hear all sides (there are always more than two!) and hope that people who join our team do the same.

Steve Bannon White With FearPhoto bySo Much Film

Have you ever faced backlash or criticism for the content of your film? How did you respond to it?

Documentary is the intersection of journalism and art, which means there will always be backlash and criticism. There’s an old phrase someone said about journalists – that if no one is mad at you, you aren’t doing your job. That said, I generally try to make my point in my films. I avoid public arguments and debates on social media and hope the films inspire discussion among the larger public.

Tell me about a time when you had to make a difficult creative decision that ultimately improved the final product of the film.

For this film in particular, we had 20 additional minutes at the top that ultimately did not make the final cut. It was fascinating history about Richard Nixon and Barry Goldwater, but the strength of this film really came from the first-person perspectives of folks in the modern era who told us their stories from inside the “rooms where it happened,” – so we re-cut the film to focus more on the present day and I think the final product is much stronger and packs more emotional punch because of it.

Brian Selter White With FearPhoto bySo Much Film

How do you manage a large cast and crew to ensure that everyone is working towards the same vision?

It comes down to clear and consistent communication. Diana, the film’s producer, and I check in with everyone regularly throughout the day to day to make sure we are all on the same page about what is happening and where we are headed.

Can you describe your approach to directing actors and bringing out authentic performances?

We don’t work with actors on documentaries, except for the occasional narration. With interview subjects we try hard to make interviews as natural and conversational as possible to let the subject’s personality and passion shine through.

How do you work with an editor to shape the final version of your film?

I have been working with the same editor, Diana Robinson, who is also this film’s lead producer, for almost a decade. We have never had an argument, ever! Just kidding. She pushes me for what she believes is best for the overall story, and we hash it out through many rounds of edits to come to a cut we can both get behind. Her early background was as a political journalist, so we both come to the table with that newsroom training and respect for ethics and integrity in our storytelling. I think our collaboration really leads to a stronger final product and I am grateful for her.