Errol Morris: A Lightning Sketch (2014)

Errol Morris: A Lightning Sketch is a back-door documentary. Filmmakers Charles Musser and Carina Tautu travel to Fourth Floor Productions to interview Errol Morris in lieu of a personal appearance. They find Errol and his staff struggling with depression, in part from the senseless and unexpected death of Karen Schmeer, who cut many of Morris's films. Errol is also depressed over the harsh critical reception of his documentary Standard Operating Procedure (2008). The melancholic mood is sublimated by a whirlwind of activity. Morris is in the midst of publishing a multi-part series for the New York Times and is just finishing a new film--Tabloid. Besides interviewing Errol as he reflects on his career and current work, the visitors shoot a variety of activities. For the first time, Morris is filmed conducting an interview-an over-the-phone conversation with V.S. Ramachandran for his Times series on Anosognosia. We also meet Errol's staff: editor/webmaster Steven Hathaway, producer/office manager Ann Petrone, and researcher/assistant Sophie Gill. When Errol expresses a desire to be filmed playing the cello, the filmmakers try to oblige. But their efforts take an unexpected twist as the mood of despair finally lifts.