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Point and Shoot
A Film by Marshall Curry
Community Engagement & Education
DISCUSSION GUIDE
www.pbs.org/pov
POV
Three years ago, I got an email out of the blue from a young guy
named Matt VanDyke. He introduced himself, said he had seen
my films and told me he had recently returned from Libya, where
he had been helping rebels overthrow dictator Muammar
Gaddafi. He said he had over 100 hours of footage from the ex-
perience and thought it would make a great documentary.
I was intrigued, but explained that I only worked on projects
where I had complete creative independence and control, and
he said he understood. A few weeks later he came to New York
and spent an afternoon telling his story to my producing partner,
Elizabeth Martin (who is also my wife), and me.
Matt was a fascinating person, provocative and hard to pin
down. His story was rich with questions about how we become
adults, about adventure and idealism and about the nature of
war in the “age of the selfie.” After he left, my wife and I talked
for hours about his story and the issues it had raised.
Generating those kinds of discussions is the reason I make doc-
umentaries. So we thought, “Let’s make a film that replicates the
experience we just had, where the audience sits down with a
stranger and hears an amazing, controversial story—and then
walks out of the theater to grapple with it.”
When I was younger I used to love hitchhiking because it
brought me in touch with people whom I would otherwise never
meet—people whose lives and world-views were completely dif-
ferent from mine. I loved asking questions and digging for the
stories that made them who they were. And I always found my-
self stretched by the experience—a tiny bit wiser about the com-
plexity of human experience.
We knew that different people would interpret their 85-minute
“car ride” with Matt VanDyke differently. Was he Lawrence of
Arabia? Don Quixote? Christopher McCandless from Into the Wild? Ernest Hemingway in the Spanish Civil War? Or some com-
bination who had changed and morphed over the course of his life?
The film would raise questions through the telling of the story, but it wouldn’t answer those questions for the audience. It was-
n’t going to be a 60 Minutes-style investigative report where I tried to win arguments with my interview subject. And it was-
n’t going to be a Hollywood movie, sewn up neatly at the end. In the spirit of The Kid Stays in the Picture or The Fog of War,
I would let the subject of the film offer his uniquely subjective take on his story and invite the audience to wrestle with it on
their own. This was going to be a film for people who liked to chew their own food.
So I took a cameraman to Baltimore and, over the course of a few months, recorded 20-something hours of interviews with
Matt.
As a filmmaker, one of the things that struck me about Matt’s story was the role that cameras played, not simply in docu-
menting his life, but in shaping it.
|2DISCUSSION GUIDE
Point and Shoot
LETTER FROM THE FILMMAKER
Filmmaker Marshall Curry.
LETTER FROM THE FILMMAKER
|3DISCUSSION GUIDE
Point and Shoot
Salman Rushdie has said that telling stories about our lives gives
us control over them—how people see us and how we see our-
selves. Today, more and more, we tell these stories with cell
phone cameras, Facebook and Twitter, and often the images
that we create affect who we actually become.
When Matt begins his journey—his “crash course in manhood”—
he tries to project a braver, more confident version of himself
for the camera, even taking on a tougher sounding name: Max
Hunter. But what begins as simply image-making turns into re-
ality, and Matt explains that he actually started to become the
character he was playing on film.The filming somehow made it
real.
We see American soldiers in Iraq performing for his camera dur-
ing a raid, self-consciously trying to come off as their idealized
image of soldiers. And we see Libyan soldiers doing the same.
Even as they engage in dangerous high-minded acts of self-sac-
rifice, they want to have footage of themselves looking like the
Hollywood action heroes they grew up watching. And at the end of the war, some rebels even pause as they kill a captured
Gaddafi to shoot gruesome “selfies” of themselves at the scene.
As I edited the hundreds of hours of footage, I began to notice the power of homemade images in almost every scene, from
the Australian adventure footage that inspired Matt’s initial journey, to the Arab Spring activists whose cell phones didn’t just
document their revolutions, but drove them. Matt even uses his camera to help control his obsessive-compulsive disorder:
putting a frame around an experience somehow turns it into something he can control. And toward the end, Matt explains
that even though he had been a part of the Libyan rebellion for months, it was seeing himself on national television that truly
validated his role as a rebel fighter. Television made it real.
To me, this movie is a provocative adventure story that flashes light on questions that interest me. How should we achieve
“manhood,” and how should we even define the term? Where should we place ourselves on the spectrum between a fearful
life trapped in a cubicle and ill-considered recklessness?
What is the difference between bravery and thoughtlessness? And what is the complex mixture of selflessness and narcis-
sism that drives us? What is the power of friendship, and what are the dangers of wading into foreign wars?
How does creating and maintaining our online personas affect who we really are? And how is modern war changed by a world
in which anyone can be a filmmaker, and anyone can be a movie star?
This has been a deeply engaging film to make. And my favorite part of each screening has been to sit back when the movie
is over and just listen to people argue about the questions it raises.
Marshall Curry
Director/Producer/Editor, Point and Shoot
Filmmaker Marshall Curry.
|4DISCUSSION GUIDE
Point and Shoot
2 Letter from the Filmmaker
5 Introduction
6 Potential Partners
6 Key Issues
6 Using This Guide
7 Background Information
7 Matt VanDyke
8 Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
8 Fighting in Foreign Wars
9 Traditional Journalism,
Citizen Journalism
and Documentary Filmmaking
12 Selected People Featured
in Point and Shoot
13 General Discussion Questions
14 Discussion Prompts
19 Taking Action
20 Resources
22 How to Buy the Film
Writer
Faith Rogow, PhDInsighters Educational Consulting
Background Research and Reporting
Margaret Brown
Guide Producers and Background Research, POV
Eliza LichtVice President, Content Strategy and Engagement , POV
Aubrey GallegosManager, Community Engagement and Education, POV
Alice QuinlanAssistant, Community Engagement and Education, POV
Design:
Rafael Jiménez
Copy Editor:
Natalie Danford
Thanks to those who reviewed this guide:
Marshall CurryDirector/Producer/Editor, Point and Shoot
Elizabeth MartinProducer, Point and Shoot
TABLE OF CONTENTS CREDITS
In 2006, Matt VanDyke, a timid 27-year-old with obsessive-
compulsive disorder, left home in Baltimore and set off on a
self-described “crash course in manhood.” He bought a mo-
torcycle and a video camera and began a three-year,
35,000-mile motorcycle trip through North Africa and the
Middle East.
While traveling, he struck up an unlikely friendship with a
Libyan hippie named Nuri, and when the revolution broke
out in Libya, Matt joined his friend in the fight to oust Muam-
mar Gaddafi. With a gun in one hand and a camera in the
other, Matt fought in—and filmed—the 2011 war until he was
captured by Gaddafi forces and held in solitary confinement
for nearly six months.
The feature length (82 min.) film Point and Shoot tells
VanDyke’s harrowing and revealing story of personal trans-
formation. Filmmaker Marshall Curry uses his subject’s
footage and after-the-fact interviews to explore how the
presence of cameras influences everything that VanDyke ex-
periences, from helping him control his obsessive-compul-
sive disorder to documenting the intensity of war. As an
outreach tool, Point and Shoot invites viewers to probe the
increasing role of phones, cameras and online networks in
revolutions, the shaping of self-identity and the way we tell
and interpret the stories at the center of our culture and our
lives.
INTRODUCTION
|5DISCUSSION GUIDE
Point and Shoot
Matt VanDyke in a Libyan prison cell.
Photo courtesy of Matt VanDyke
Point and Shoot is well suited for use in a variety of set-
tings and is especially recommended for use with:
• Your local PBS station
• Groups that have discussed previous Marshall
Curry films (Street Fight, Racing Dreams, If a Tree
Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front) or
POV films relating to documenting war or the
Arab Spring, including War Feels Like War,
5 Broken Cameras, Armadillo, The Act of Killing
and Return to Homs.
• Groups focused on any of the issues listed in the
Key Issues section
• High school students, youth groups and clubs
• Faith-based organizations and institutions
• Cultural, art and historical organizations,
institutions and museums
• Civic, fraternal and community groups
• Academic departments and student groups at
colleges, universities and high schools
• Community organizations with a mission to
promote education and learning, such as local
libraries.
Point and Shoot is an excellent tool for outreach and
will be of special interest to people looking to explore
the following topics:
• action/adventure movies
• alter ego
• Arab Spring
• autobiography
• citizen journalism
• digital media
• documentary filmmaking
• embedded journalism
• identity
• journalism
• Libya
• manhood
• media effects
• media literacy
• Middle East
• North Africa
• obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
• psychology
• travel
• violence
• war
• war reporting
|6DISCUSSION GUIDE
Point and Shoot
USING THIS GUIDE
This guide is an invitation to dialogue. It is based on a belief in the power of human connection, designed for people who
want to use Point and Shoot to engage family, friends, classmates, colleagues and communities. In contrast to initiatives
that foster debates in which participants try to convince others that they are right, this document envisions conversa-
tions undertaken in a spirit of openness in which people try to understand one another and expand their thinking by shar-
ing viewpoints and listening actively.
The discussion prompts are intentionally crafted to help a wide range of audiences think more deeply about the issues
in the film. Rather than attempting to address them all, choose one or two that best meet your needs and interests. And
be sure to leave time to consider taking action. Planning next steps can help people leave the room feeling energized and
optimistic, even in instances when conversations have been difficult.
For more detailed event planning and facilitation tips, visit www.pov.org/engage
POTENTIAL PARTNERS KEY ISSUES
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
|7DISCUSSION GUIDE
Point and Shoot
Matt VanDyke
Matt VanDyke was born in Baltimore, Maryland in 1979 to a
single mother, Sharon, an elementary school principal. He
holds a B.A. in political science from the University of Mary-
land, Baltimore County and a master’s degree in security
studies with a regional concentration in the Middle East from
Georgetown University. He met Lauren Fischer, his girlfriend
during the period depicted in the film, in 2006 in Madrid,
Spain, where she was teaching English. The couple split in
2014.
VanDyke has worked as a documentary filmmaker, war cor-
respondent, political columnist, blogger, talk radio host, Eng-
lish teacher, international businessman and soldier. His
motorcycle journey began in 2007 and lasted until 2010. As
part of that journey, he served as an embedded journalist in
Iraq and in Afghanistan. In 2011 he was a combatant and pris-
oner-of-war in Libya. Most recently, he spent time in Syria
making the documentary Not Anymore: A Story of Revolu-
tion.
In an article by Van Smith published in Baltimore’s City Paper
in February 2015, VanDyke is quoted as saying that he is cur-
rently "working to help raise and train a Christian army of
2,000 men to fight ISIS in Iraq.” VanDyke is also quoted as
saying that his company, Sons of Liberty International, “pro-
vides free military consulting and training to populations fac-
ing threats from terrorists, insurgent groups and oppressive
regimes.”
Sources
The Official Website of Matthew VanDyke. “About Matthew VanDyke.”
http://www.matthewvandyke.com/about.html#family.
Smith, Van. “Baltimore's Matthew Van Dyke is taking up arms against
ISIS.” City Paper, February 24, 2015.
http://www.citypaper.com/blogs/the-news-hole/bcp-baltimores-
matthew-van-dyke-is-taking-up-arms-against-isis-20150224-story.html
Matt VanDyke in Sirte, Libya.
Photo courtesy of Matt VanDyke
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
|8DISCUSSION GUIDE
Point and Shoot
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
In Point and Shoot, one of the first things we learn about
Matt VanDyke is that he has obsessive-compulsive disorder
(OCD). VanDyke frequently washes his hands, and he re-
ports anxiety in relation to squat toilets, germs and sugar.
As VanDyke journeys across the Middle East, he struggles
with his OCD, especially in stressful environments, such as
prison and the battlefield.
According to the International OCD Foundation, obsessive-
compulsive disorder is “a disorder of the brain and behav-
ior.” According to the Mayo Clinic, OCD “is characterized by
unreasonable thoughts and fears,” otherwise known as ob-
sessions. In the context of OCD, “obsessions” are thoughts,
impulses and rituals that an individual feels the need to per-
form over and over again to a degree that they interfere with
daily life. People with OCD find these impulses distressing,
and sometimes the obsessions can become debilitating.
Sources
International OCD Foundation. “About OCD.” http://iocdf.org/about-ocd/
Mayo Clinic. “Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD).”
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-
conditions/ocd/basics/definition/con-20027827
Fighting in Foreign Wars
Matt VanDyke is not alone in his desire to fight alongside
rebels in foreign wars. Famous writers from John Reed—who
got involved in the Bolshevik Revolution—to Ernest Hem-
ingway—who wrote about his time fighting in the Spanish
Civil War—have fought in wars between other countries.
In recent years, a small number of Americans have taken up
arms in civil wars in the Middle East. In August 2011, UCLA
student Chris Jeon reportedly joined rebel forces in Libya as
a part of his summer vacation, saying “It is the end of my
summer vacation, so I thought it would be cool to join the
rebels.” Jeon spent two weeks with Libyan rebels before re-
turning to UCLA for the fall 2011 semester.
There have been scattered reports of other Americans fight-
ing abroad, including an estimated 15 U.S. Army veterans
who have traveled to Syria or Iraq to fight ISIS. Reporting on
these individuals indicates that they have been moved to join
rebel groups abroad because they feel the United States is
doing too little.
Matt reviews his footage at home in Baltimore.
Photo courtesy of Point and Shoot
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
|9DISCUSSION GUIDE
Point and Shoot
Sources
American National Biography Online. “John Reed.”
http://www.anb.org/articles/16/16-01357.html
Collard, Rebecca. “Meet the Americans on the Front Lines in the Fight
Against ISIS.” Time, January 20, 2015. http://time.com/3674281/isis-us-
kurds-iraq/
History.com. “Biographies: Ernest Hemingway.”
http://www.history.co.uk/biographies/ernest-hemingway
Hope, Bradley. “Road Trip! American Student Joins Rebels in Fight for
Qaddafi Stronghold.” The National, September 1, 2011.
http://www.thenational.ae/world/middle-east/road-trip-american-
student-joins-rebels-in-fight-for-qaddafi-stronghold
Traditional Journalism, Citizen Journalismand Documentary Filmmaking
Matt VanDyke asks in Point and Shoot, “What am I? A film-
maker or a fighter?” This is a prevailing question for VanDyke
throughout the film, and he is not alone in vacillating be-
tween these identities. As he points out in Libya, the war
there “was the most filmed war in history…There were
guys with cell phone cameras in the middle of gun-
fights. Cell phone camera in one hand, AK-47 in the other.”
In today’s age of smart phones and social media, 1.5 billion
more people have access to cell phones than have access to
toilets. Although self-portraits predate the Internet by a wide
margin—the first shutters with self-timers were popularized
at the turn of the 20th century, and the photo booth was in-
vented around 1880—new technologies, from the camera
phone to the selfie-stick, have transformed both how people
represent themselves and how news is disseminated.
Today, news updates are expected in real-time, and citizen
reports on social media are often the first to surface. No
longer does the public have to wait for a major news outlet
to receive, process, fact-check and release a news story. In
response, journalists on the ground often share what they
see and experience on Twitter and other social media plat-
forms before checking in with headquarters. As reporting
what one witnesses becomes more democratized among
citizens and journalists, it’s helpful to understand the defini-
tions of traditional journalism, citizen journalism and docu-
mentary filmmaking.
Matt VanDyke and Nuri Funas in Ra's Lanuf, Libya.
Photo courtesy of Matt VanDyke
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
|10DISCUSSION GUIDE
Point and Shoot
Traditional Journalism: There are many forms of journalism,
including photojournalism, print journalism and broadcast
journalism. There has been some debate over whether or not
certain fields that utilize journalist methods—such as docu-
mentary filmmaking—should be referred to as journalism,
but broadly speaking, according to the American Press In-
stitute, journalism refers to the act of “gathering, assessing,
creating and presenting news and information.”
Traditional journalists are expected to follow a code of ethics
and prioritize fair, accurate reporting over speed or format-
ting. The code of ethics of the Society of Professional Jour-
nalists includes the following dictates for journalists:
• Take responsibility for the accuracy of their work.
Verify information before releasing it. Use original
sources whenever possible.
• Avoid undercover or other surreptitious methods of
getting information unless traditional, open methods
will not yield information vital to the public.
• Avoid conflicts of interest, real or perceived. Disclose
unavoidable conflicts.
• Refuse gifts, favors, fees, free travel and special
treatment, and avoid political and other outside
activities that may compromise integrity or impartiality,
or may damage credibility.
Citizen Journalism: Also sometimes called bottom up jour-
nalism, grassroots journalism, open source journalism or par-
ticipatory journalism, citizen journalism can range from
blogging about local events to tweeting pictures of natural
disasters. In an era when anyone with access to a computer
and the Internet can create a blog and report on what has
been seen, citizen journalism is booming around the world.
While citizen journalists are not credentialed (a fact profes-
sional journalists sometimes bemoan), their work can fill
holes in mainstream media coverage. Some online newspa-
pers have even created blogs where citizens can post their
stories. However, citizen journalism often does not go be-
yond first-person observation (and citizens are not in a po-
sition to verify sources in the same manner as journalists)
and is therefore distinct from traditional journalism.
Matt edits at his home studio in Baltimore.
Photo courtesy of Point and Shoot
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
|11DISCUSSION GUIDE
Point and Shoot
Documentary Filmmaking: There are many commonalities
between documentary filmmakers and journalists. Both pri-
oritize seeking and sharing the truth in ways that feature ac-
tual events and people rather than fictional characters,
places or happenings. They all use diverse reporting/story-
telling techniques and have a responsibility to protect their
sources and present accurate information. Journalists are
bound by a code that requires them to employ a compre-
hensive approach, taking into account multiple, and even
conflicting perspectives. No such code binds documentary
filmmakers; they present truth as they see it.
Sources
American Press Institute. “What Is Journalism?” http://www.american-
pressinstitute.org/journalism-essentials/what-is-journalism/
BBC. “Self-Portraits and Social Media: The Rise of the ‘Selfie.’”
http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-22511650
Carr, David. “At Front Lines, Bearing Witness in Real Time.” New York
Times, July 27, 2014.
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/28/business/media/at-front-lines-
bearing-witness-in-real-time.html?_r=0
Das, Angelica. “Sundance: Is It Documentary or Journalism?”
IndieWire, February 4, 2015.
http://www.indiewire.com/article/sundance-is-it-
documentary-or-journalism-20150204
PBS MediaShift: Your Guide to Citizen Journalism, September 2006
http://www.pbs.org/mediashift/2006/09/your-guide-to-citizen-journal-
ism270.html
POV Community Engagement & Education. “Discussion Guide: High
Tech, Low Life.” http://pov-tc.pbs.org/pov/downloads/2013/pov-
hightechlowlife-discussion-guide-color.pdf
Silverman, Jacob. “‘Pics or it Didn’t Happen’—The Mantra of the
Instagram Era.” The Guardian, February 26, 2015.
http://www.theguardian.com/news/2015/feb/26/pics-or-it-didnt-
happen-mantra-instagram-era-facebook-twitter
Silvestri, Lisa Ellen. Friended at the Front: Social Media in the American
War Zone. Lawrence: University Press of Kansas, 2015.
“They shoot citizen journalists, don’t they?”
The International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions
http://www.ifla.org/publications/they-shoot-citizen-journalists-dont-
they-curating-or-outsourcing-opportunities-and-thre
Nuri Funas at Ouagadougou Conference Center
in Sirte, Libya.
Photo courtesy of Matt VanDyke
SELECT PEOPLE
|12DISCUSSION GUIDE
Point and Shoot
Matt VanDyke – From Baltimore, MD Lauren Fischer – Matt’s girlfriend
Nuri – Matt’s Libyan friend Ali – The Libyan rebel who was killed in the attack
where Matt was captured
Selected People Featured in Point and Shoot
Immediately after the film, you may want to give people a
few quiet moments to reflect on what they have seen or
pose a general question (examples below) and give people
some time to themselves to jot down or think about their
answers before opening the discussion:
• What did you learn from this film? What new
insights did it provide?
• Describe a moment or scene in the film that you
found particularly disturbing or moving. What was it
about that scene that was especially compelling for
you?
• If a friend asked you what this film was about or if
you were going to write a tweet summarizing the
main message of the film, what would you say?
• If you could ask Matt VanDyke (or his Libyan friends,
his girlfriend or his mother) a single question, what
would you ask? Why is that question interesting or
important to you?
GENERAL DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
|13DISCUSSION GUIDE
Point and Shoot
Matt VanDyke motorcycling in Afghanistan.
Photo courtesy of Matt VanDyke
DISCUSSION PROMPTS
|14DISCUSSION GUIDE
Point and Shoot
Manhood
Matt VanDyke describes his quest as “a crash course in man-
hood.” What do you think he learned about what it means to
be a “man”? If you were grading his performance in this
crash course, what grade would you give him (and why)?
How was VanDyke’s concept of “manhood” influenced by
the fictional books he read, action/adventure films and TV
programs he watched and computer games he played? In
your view, how well did these fictionalized portrayals serve
him in real life?
VanDyke describes his youth as an only child, saying, “In re-
ality I was sort of sheltered and spoiled growing up…I was
just the center of my family’s universe…When I graduated
from Georgetown, I really did not know much about the real
world. I still wanted to do something that was extraordinary.
But here I was in my mid-twenties: my mother and grand-
mother would do my grocery shopping and do my laundry
and bring it to me; never really paid my own bills; no job.”
How do you think this upbringing influenced his choices
when it came to proving his manhood?
Looking back, VanDyke says that he knows some of the risks
he took were “crazy” and things he wouldn’t do now. Yet, he
says, “The more I did the more I wanted to do. And the more
I survived, the farther I thought I could push it.” In your view,
is VanDyke’s risk-taking admirable? Why or why not?
After his initial motorcycle journey, and return home to Bal-
timore, VanDyke shares his reaction to news footage of the
Arab Spring erupting: “Four years earlier I had set off on this
crash course in manhood. And now here was the Arab
Spring challenging my very image of what manhood was. I
was nothing compared to people that were going out in the
streets of Tripoli, their protests being returned with gunfire.”
What was it about that footage that provoked him to rethink
his previous view of manhood? How do you think his new
view influenced the decisions he made about what to do
next?
Did you share VanDyke’s surprise that Nuri wasn’t interested
in killing Gaddafi and just wanted the dictator “to leave and
Matt VanDyke aims at sniper.
Photo courtesy of Ahmed AlBatrookh
DISCUSSION PROMPTS
|15DISCUSSION GUIDE
Point and Shoot
go live in his tent and just go away”? Do you think VanDyke's
concept of manhood influenced his to reaction to his friend's
rejection of revenge? If so, how?
VanDyke’s girlfriend, Lauren Fischer, is angry at his decision
to go suddenly to Libya to fight. Do you think his under-
standing of how to “be a man” influences the way he treats
Fischer?
How different would VanDyke’s experience have been if he
had been a woman? Do his adventures exemplify male priv-
ilege? If so, how?
Asked if he ever killed anyone, VanDyke tells a story about
being ordered to shoot, but missing his target: “I didn’t miss
him on purpose, and that’s part of what’s disturbing…I had
this image of who I always wanted to be. And for years I had
struggled to find that in myself and to become that person.
But I had just had myself filmed trying to take another
human life. And what did that say about me?” What do you
think it said about him?
What do you think VanDyke learned about himself
from his experiences in prison?
Media Effects
VanDyke recalls reading adventure books as a child and
spending hours playing computer games with “virtual ad-
ventures. He also notes that he “was raised on action
movies.” He concludes, “Movies shaped a lot of who I was.”
In what ways was VanDyke’s worldview shaped by the
media he watched, read and played? In what ways did media
inspire him?
What does it tell you about VanDyke that one of his favorite
films was Lawrence of Arabia?
What role do you think media played in leading VanDyke to
see war as an adventure?
VanDyke frequently compares his real-life experiences to
movies. For example, at Gibraltar: “It was very picturesque.
And very, you know, just like I would have, you know, writ-
ten it into a script.” Or in Libya: “We were constantly under
fire, where the sound, it’s like pew, pew. Just like that. Just
like you would hear in a movie.” In what ways does life
Matt VanDyke with Libyan Rebels.
Photo courtesy of Nuri Funas
DISCUSSION PROMPTS
|16DISCUSSION GUIDE
Point and Shoot
change when you use media as a touchstone to evaluate
your life experiences?
In Libya, VanDyke says, “We were preparing for the war and
at the same time we were watching the war on television.”
How has 24-hour video news coverage changed war for
combatants and for their loved ones? How did it affect Fis-
cher to see pictures of Brega knowing that her boyfriend
was there?
Cameras
What is the significance of the film’s title?
VanDyke doesn’t simply record his adventures. He explains,
“I suppose I was crafting myself, using the camera to write
my own life story.” What’s the difference between the way
VanDyke uses his camera and the way a journalist would ap-
proach the task? How do you use cameras and social media
to craft your public identity? Does it matter whether or not
that public identity mirrors your authentic self?
VanDyke says, “Having a camera to film my OCD helped
me control it.” Why do you think that was true? How
did the camera provide a sense of control?
In the film we see American soldiers in Iraq trying to shape
their images for the camera. VanDyke says, “They wanted to
be filmed acting like soldiers, even though that’s what they
actually were. They wanted to define their image on cam-
era.” He goes on to say, “This was the most filmed war in his-
tory, with cameras everywhere. There were guys with cell
phone cameras in the middle of gunfights—cell phone cam-
era in one hand, AK-47 in the other. And these guys—their
concept of war is what they saw on television and movies:
Guys standing up with machine guns by themselves in the
middle of the battle and just spraying ammunition at the
enemy. They wanted their picture taken with the big gun.
Things that they can show their friends, the family, to women
they like to impress…Everybody wants something they can
share on Facebook. Everybody tries to create their idealized
image of how they want to be seen and who they want to
be.”
Nuri practices with artillery.
Photo courtesy of Matt VanDyke
DISCUSSION PROMPTS
|17DISCUSSION GUIDE
Point and Shoot
How does the presence of a camera change reality? Why do
you suppose the soldiers felt the need to manipulate their
images instead of letting their actual experiences speak for
themselves? What are the costs (or potential costs) to the
soldiers? What are the implications of this self-conscious
construction of image for journalists? Who else can you
think of who uses camera phones and social media to shape
and project an idealized image of themselves?
VanDyke’s footage includes graphic images of war. What are
the ethical issues that arise from filming violence and shar-
ing those scenes online with the general public? If you were
a news director, what guidelines would you use in deciding
what to post or broadcast? How should a news director bal-
ance the desire to show the realities of war against the de-
sire not to exploit/sensationalize violence and suffering?
In the process of “using the camera to write his own life
story,” VanDyke crafts an alter ego that he strives to be-
come:
I felt I had sort of grown out of Matthew VanDyke. I
was over there without my family. I was on my own
and doing things that Matthew VanDyke would never
have been able to do. So I felt it warranted a new
name. My name is Max Hunter. I’m 29 years old, and I’m
driving to Afghanistan…Max Hunter was a swaggering
egotistical, ridiculously fearless, reckless guy that
wanted to show off and get famous and these sorts of
things. Very much informed by films and Hollywood.
And at the beginning I was struggling to project that
on camera. But, you know, over time I think I sort of
grew into the “me” on camera.
Why would VanDyke want to construct an identity as a TV
or movie character? Is it common for people to “grow into”
the images that they create for themselves/the roles that
they project? Does this need affect the reliability of
VanDyke’s “selfies” or his footage of the conflicts he covers?
VanDyke explains, “It’s very, very difficult to shoot a motor-
cycle film by yourself. Sometimes I would drive up a moun-
tain, set up the camera on a tripod and then drive back down
the mountain filming myself driving. The whole process
would take 30 minutes, an hour for one shot I probably
wouldn’t even use.” Does this mean his film is staged or
somehow less than real, or is that simply what’s necessary to
capture the essence of the events on video? Is this ethical
for a documentary? What about for a “reality” TV show? Do
we/should we have different standards for supposedly
nonfiction videos that are essentially entertainment (for
example a reality TV show on redecorating a house)
than for videos that are categorized as news (for example,
scenes of a war)?
The Baltimore Examiner was happy to credential VanDyke
as an embedded reporter because, as Matt recalls them say-
ing, they couldn’t they couldn’t even afford to send their re-
porters to cover away sports games What do the financial
constraints of news outlets say about the health of American
democracy (and about the well-informed public on which
democracy depends)?
VanDyke admits, “There were times when I was in Iraq that
I felt like I was on the wrong side of the camera. Not neces-
sarily that I wanted to be a soldier, but I didn’t want to be just
a documentarian. I wanted to be shaping events around me
and having an impact, not just watching.” Why might some
journalists have a problem with this attitude? What are the
implications for “citizen journalists” who record events in
which they also participate? During the Arab Spring most of
the footage of protests that was shown on television was
shot by activists who were trying to “shape events.” What
are the similarities and differences between this and what
VanDyke was doing?
In places like Libya, foreign journalists were banned, so most
images of the rebellion came from Libyans who used cell
phone cameras to record events and then found ways to
share them illegally via underground social media. How does
the ability to record and disseminate images of events illic-
itly challenge government power? What are the limitations
of such publicity in terms of bringing about social or politi-
cal change?
In prison, VanDyke posed beneath his cell’s skylight because
he “thought America had satellites that would see down
through the skylight and see me, and I would sit up there
and sometimes I’d make looks on my face of real terror, you
know, try to make it look like I am not doing well. So these
guys would know looking down [from] the satellite, ‘Man,
that American looks like he’s really in rough shape. We’ve
got to get him out.’” How have digital technologies and cam-
eras contributed to the sense that someone is always watch-
ing? What are the benefits and drawbacks of the acceptance
of constant surveillance?
Though VanDyke is ambivalent, Nuri encourages him to keep
filming: “We need to have some video about how these guys
[are] fighting…This is history, man. And a favor for the fam-
ilies [of soldiers].” Do you think Nuri understood something
that VanDyke did not? If so, what?
VanDyke speculates that his captors never interrogated him
because, “they had enough on the video camera, they didn’t
need to ask me any questions. It was all there…I was really
worried that Gaddafi had sent people after Nuri and his fam-
ily because of my video footage.” If you knew that video you
recorded might endanger your friends, would you still record
it? How would you assess whether or not the risk was worth
the return?
Conflict
What did you learn about armed conflict from VanDyke’s
footage? How did it compare to what you have learned from
mainstream news reports? What do you think VanDyke
learned about war?
VanDyke mentions that he “went to Georgetown University
and earned a master’s degree with a Middle East concentra-
tion. But it was all just academic and intellectual. I had never
actually even been to the Arab world.” What stereotypes or
misconceptions does he have of the region because his stud-
ies never required him to spend time outside the United
States?
VanDyke says that Nuri, a hippie of sorts, “was a very cool
Libyan to meet for the first time because this wasn’t my im-
pression of Libyans.” What are the possible sources of
VanDyke’s impressions of Libyans, and why didn’t they in-
clude people like Nuri?
VanDyke, a self-described loner in high school, says, “The
friends I made in Libya were better friends to me than al-
most all my friends in America…It just felt like I had sort of ar-
rived home in a way. And the good friendships that I made
really made me fall in love with Libya.” How might VanDyke’s
connection with these particular men have been influenced
by his particular personality, gender, culture, nationality or
race? VanDyke chooses to fight in Libya because of his at-
tachments to these friends. What are the limitations of mak-
ing decisions about an entire nation (or that nation’s
conflicts) from the experiences of one small group of peo-
ple?
The United States and other developed nations have some-
times been accused of interference and imposing Western
values on non-Western cultures. How do VanDyke’s actions
differ from this characterization of American interference?
As a foreigner, how would you distinguish between support
and interference? When do ethics require us to get involved
in foreign conflicts, and when do they require us to stay out?
VanDyke tells his girlfriend, “This is the most important thing
I’ll ever do in my life—helping in this war.” Given all the
causes in the world, why do you think VanDyke sees this par-
ticular battle as being so important? What causes or battles
do you see as important? If you had to predict, what do you
think the most important thing you will ever do in your life
will be (or what’s the most important thing you have done)?
Are there causes for which you would risk your life? How
does what you named compare to or contrast with what
VanDyke thought of as his most important contribution?
Do you imagine that VanDyke would have become a fighter
in Libya had he not happened to find a group of friends
there?
Had you seen VanDyke’s footage in 2011, would you have
supported arming the Libyan rebels? Why or why not?
At one point, we see VanDyke eat out of a shared bowl,
something that his OCD would have prevented at home. He
explains, “Given that I had just been through prison and was
in a war, putting my mouth on a bowl didn’t seem like such
a big deal anymore.” Why do you think he is able to cope
with his OCD better during his “adventures” than he had
been at home?
After prison, VanDyke’s Libyan friends welcome him back.
His imprisonment even adds to his “street cred” with them.
What is the power of feeling like you belong to something
and you are valued?
VanDyke observes, “The problem with adrenaline is that
every time you reach a new level you need more. You know,
adventure’s a little bit like a drug. And you build a tolerance
to it, and then you have to take it to the next level.” What
are the implications of that adrenaline “addiction” for sol-
diers?
DISCUSSION PROMPTS
|18DISCUSSION GUIDE
Point and Shoot
Additional media literacy questions are available at:
www.pbs.org/pov/educators/media-literacy.php
Taking Action
• Convene an event for teens (especially teens targeted by military recruiters) to talk about the myths
and facts contained in movie (or other media) portrayals of armed conflict. Discuss the effects of
these portrayals on individual decisions to become soldiers and on political decisions to go to war.
• Invite journalists and non-journalists to engage in a series of conversations about the ways in which
cell phone cameras becoming ubiquitous and the opportunity to share images via social media have
challenged and changed news reporting; the ethics of covering violent events, showing graphic
images and embedding with soldiers during war; and the distinctions between being a professional
journalist, a citizen journalist and simply a person on the street taking pictures with a cell phone.
• Study recent events in Libya and communicate to your elected representatives the positions or
actions you think the United States should take.
• VanDyke talks about using the camera to write his life story. Use multimedia tools to create your
own autobiographical piece. What are the major themes, and what do you learn about yourself from
thinking about that question?
|19DISCUSSION GUIDE
Point and Shoot
Nuri at the Mediterranean Sea.
Photo courtesy of Matt VanDyke
Libya’s Revolution
THE GUARDIAN:
“WAR IN LIBYA—THE GUARDIAN BRIEFING”
www.theguardian.com/world/2014/aug/29/-sp-briefing-war-in-libya
This overview covers events in Libya since the 2011
revolution.
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS: LIBYA
http://countrystudies.us/libya/
The Library of Congress offers an overview of Libya’s
modern history and the rise of Muammar Gaddafi.
LIBYA NEWS AGENCY
www.lana-news.ly/eng
The state-run news agency for Libya provides reporting
on this website, also available in Arabic and French.
THE NEW YORK TIMES:
“MAP OF THE REBELLION IN LIBYA, DAY BY DAY”
www.nytimes.com/interactive/2011/02/25/world/middleeast/map-of-how-the-protests-unfolded-in-libya.html?ref=africa
This day-by-day map of the 2011 rebellion in Libya
includes links to corresponding news reports.
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE:
U.S. RELATIONS WITH LIBYA
www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/5425.htm
This overview of U.S. relations with Libya includes a set of
links to U.S. government information about Libya.
Journalism in the Digital Age
PEW RESEARCH CENTER
www.journalism.org
Search for “publications” or “war” for relevant articles.
POV: WAR FEELS LIKE WAR
www.pbs.org/pov/warfeelslikewar
The website for this POV film includes an excerpt from
“The Myth of War,” an important piece by Chris Hedges on
the appeal of war to young men like Matt VanDyke, as well
as links related to the ethics of embedded war reporting.
POYNTER INSTITUTE
www.poynter.org/uncategorized/80445/online-journalism-ethics-guidelines-from-the-conference
The Poynter Institute supplies ethics for journalists using
digital and online media.
RESOURCES
|20DISCUSSION GUIDE
Point and Shoot
FILM-RELATED WEB SITES
FILMMAKER WEBSITE
www.PointAndShootFilm.com
The official film website offers more information
about the film and filmmakers.
Also see:
facebook.com/pointandshootfilm
twitter.com/pointshootfilm
www.marshallcurry.com
www.matthewvandyke.com
Original Online Content on POV To further enhance the broadcast, POV has produced an interactive website to enable viewers to explore the film in
greater depth. The Point and Shoot website—www.pbs.org/pov/pointandshoot—offers a streaming video trailer for
the film; an interview with Marshall Curry; a list of related websites, articles and books; a downloadable discussion
guide; a standards-aligned lesson plan with streaming clips; a downloadable lesson plan; and special features.
Media Effects and the Construction ofOnline Identities
DANAH BOYD APOPHENIA
www.zephoria.org/thoughts
One of the leading thinkers in the United States about the
impact of social and digital media, especially on teens,
publishes essays on this blog.
THE GOOD PROJECT: DIGITAL MEDIA
http://www.thegoodproject.org/publications/research-papers/#Digital%20Media/Good%20Play/DM2
This series of papers covers the influence of new media on
identity formation, including the preliminary research for
The App Generation: How Today’s Youth Navigate Identity,
Intimacy and Imagination in a Digital World, a book on the
subject by Howard Gardner and Katie Davis.
LSE RESEARCH ONLINE: “ON THE RELATION
BETWEEN AUDIENCES AND PUBLICS”
http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/437/1/__libfile_REPOSITORY_Content_Livingstone%2C%20S_On%20the%20relation%20between%20audiences_Livingstone_Relation_between_audiences_2012.pdf
A book chapter from leading British communications
scholar Sonia Livingstone looks at media impact.
FILMSITE: WAR AND ANTI-WAR FILMS
www.filmsite.org/warfilms.html
This page provides a general introduction to the ways that
war has been treated in popular films.
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION ASSOCIATION
OF AMERICA
http://www.adaa.org
This group disseminates information about anxiety and
depression.
INTERNATIONAL OCD FOUNDATION
http://iocdf.org
This organization raises awareness about OCD and related
disorders.
NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF MENTAL HEALTH
http://www.nimh.nih.gov/index.shtml
This organization aims to transform the understanding and
treatment of mental health.
RESOURCES
|21DISCUSSION GUIDE
Point and Shoot
HOW TO BUY THE FILM
For information on how to purchase Point and Shoot, visit http://pointandshootfilm.com
The See it On PBS logo is a trademark of the Public Broadcasting Service and is used with permission. All rights reserved.
Produced by American Documentary, Inc.,POV is public television’s premier showcasefor nonfiction films. The series airs Mondays at
10 p.m. on PBS from June to September, with primetime specialsduring the year. Since 1988, POV has been the home for theworld’s boldest contemporary filmmakers, celebrating intriguingpersonal stories that spark conversation and inspire action. Alwaysan innovator, POV discovers fresh new voices and creates inter-active experiences that shine a light on social issues and elevatethe art of storytelling. With our documentary broadcasts, originalonline programming and dynamic community engagement cam-paigns, we are committed to supporting films that capture theimagination and present diverse perspectives.
POV films have won 32 Emmy® Awards, 18 George FosterPeabody Awards, 12 Alfred I. duPont-Columbia University Awards,three Academy Awards®, the first-ever George Polk Documen-tary Film Award and the Prix Italia. The POV series has been honored with a Special News & Documentary Emmy Award forExcellence in Television Documentary Filmmaking, two IDAAwards for Best Continuing Series and the National Associationof Latino Independent Producers (NALIP) Award for CorporateCommitment to Diversity. More information is available atwww.pbs.org/pov.
POV Digital www.pbs.org/pov
Since 1994, POV Digital has driven new storytelling initiativesand interactive production for POV. The department createdPBS's first program website and its first web-based documen-tary (POV's Borders) and has won major awards, including aWebby Award (and six nominations) and an Online News Asso-ciation Award. POV Digital continues to explore the future of in-dependent nonfiction media through its digital productions andthe POV Hackathon lab, where media makers and technologistscollaborate to reinvent storytelling forms. @povdocs on Twitter.
POV Community Engagement and Education
POV's Community Engagement and Education team works witheducators, community organizations and PBS stations to pres-ent more than 650 free screenings every year. In addition, wedistribute free discussion guides and standards-aligned lessonplans for each of our films. With our community partners, we in-spire dialogue around the most important social issues of ourtime.
American Documentary, Inc. www.amdoc.org
American Documentary, Inc. (AmDoc) is a multimedia companydedicated to creating, identifying and presenting contemporarystories that express opinions and perspectives rarely featured inmainstream media outlets. AmDoc is a catalyst for public cul-ture, developing collaborative strategic engagement activitiesaround socially relevant content on television, online and in com-munity settings. These activities are designed to trigger action,from dialogue and feedback to educational opportunities andcommunity participation.
Major funding for POV is provided by PBS, The John D. andCatherine T. MacArthur Foundation, the John S. and James L.Knight Foundation, Corporation for Public Broadcasting, andNational Endowment for the Arts. Additional funding comesfrom Nancy Blachman and David desJardins, Bertha Foundation,The Fledgling Fund, Marguerite Casey Foundation, EttingerFoundation, New York State Council on the Arts, New York CityDepartment of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Coun-cil, Ann Tenenbaum and Thomas H. Lee, and public televisionviewers. POV is presented by a consortium of public televisionstations, including KQED San Francisco, WGBH Boston andTHIRTEEN in association with WNET.ORG.
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Front cover: Selfie of Matt, camels in background. Photo courtesy of Matt VanDyke
