Opening in limited cinemas around the country tomorrow is Errol Morris’s new documentary called “Standard Operating Procedure”, winner of the Silver Bear Award at the 2008 Berlin Film Festival.

In the film Morris investigates the power and limitations of documentary photography by means of the horrific images taken by young soldiers at Abu Ghraib in 2003. Not only did the pictures’ impact change the war in Iraq but also America’s collective self image. Morris believes that the images function both as exposé and cover-up. “An exposé, because the photographs offer us a glimpse of the horror of Abu Gharib; and a cover-up because they convince journalists and readers they had seen everything that there was, no need to look further.”

By interviewing five of the seven soldiers directly involved, Morris seeks to further understand who these people are, what they were thinking, and why these pictures were taken? “My last film, ‘The Fog of War,’ was about a person that was at the apex of power, Robert McNamara. With this new one, I wanted to make a film about the people at the bottom of the pyramid, ‘the little guys.’ A story that I think the world needs to see and hear.”

As many crucial questions are asked throughout the film, many remain unanswered. The explicit and horrendous images of torture and sadism shown in cinema-screen size also call for viewer discretion. To see some of the film’s interviews and read a Q&A with the director, check out the SOP’s website.

Brian Boyko did a short-subject documentary (27 minutes) exploring the DIY/Maker movement via last Fall’s Maker Fair Austin.

The third annual Bay Area Maker Faire will be held May 3-4 at the San Mateo Fairgrounds. If it’s anything like last year’s, it should be a spectacular event. I’ll be there. Here’s what I had to say about last year’s Faire: Makers vs. The Blob.

Here to watch the documentary.
Here to find out more about Maker Faire.