Breaking Narrative Conventions: “Cameraperson” Kirsten Johnson’s “Cameraperson” is a groundbreaking documentary and an authentic portrayal of human behavior and emotion that is anything but conventional in terms of a traditional narrative. Through a montage of all her adventures from her past projects, Johnson presents intimate stories from real people – dealing with serious topics such as abortion, murder trials, Alzheimer’s, war, suicide, rape, and more. The film allows audiences to feel as though they are going on the journey with her and hear these stories face to face from these people. Although the film does not abide by traditional Hollywood conventions, viewers experience an emotional rollercoaster when watching “Cameraperson” as they connect to the vulnerability of real people through the lens of Johnson’s camera. Conventional narrative style is defined by a few …show more content…
(Astley) For The New Yorker, Richard Brody describes the film “as a feature-length teaser reel, an enticing collection of trailers that spark the desire to see the movies themselves.” (Brody) This description emphasizes that the non-linear structure of the film is a deliberate artistic choice that brings viewers in, rather than a narrative flaw that would turn audiences away. By putting together all these moments of joy, sorrow, pain, and love, Johnson’s work is a genuine example of the human experience. In addition, the lack of structure may urge audiences to look for one, as humans naturally do, but by the end, audiences find that the journey of emotions is so moving that structure is not necessary. Another significant quality in “Cameraperson” that breaks convention is how Johnson includes her own presence in her documentary. She breaks the fourth wall by including shots of herself and her interactions with various
The film starts off showing the only sincere moments that viewers will watch with cuts to beautiful fields and artistic shots of headlights coming down a road. Director Jack Riccobono is quick to come away from these scenes as he delves straight into the bitter world Rob and Kevin are divulged in. Their story is told through first person accounts of the films Rob and Kevin, showing viewers their life stories through their own words and actions. The director uses techniques commonly found in documentaries, such as having titles and narration, to fully engage viewers into the lives of the subjects.
Throughout the film, the filmmaker follows the three victims around in their everyday lives by using somber music and backgrounds of depressing colors. The documentary starts off with colorful images of the scenery
This report aims to make light of certain elements of documentary making that are perhaps more susceptible to influence on the director’s part, and once again explore the effect of these decisions on the audience’s reaction to the information presented.
Lussier, G 2013, /Film Interview: Sarah Polley Explains Secrets of her Brilliant Documentary ‘Stories We Tell’, Slash Film, accessed 2 May 2014,
In every movie the camera can be considered a narrative, it displays through its cameras lens the story of the movie. (Film, 2013, p. 123). Mise-en scene and camera work together to display to the audience the story of the movie, In Gun Crazy chaos is displayed before order, as young Bart breaks the window of hardware store a...
Being a silent third party to a father screaming at his seven-year-old daughter for putting the inner tube in the wrong place. People watching has for a long time been one of my favorite activities as a third party you are able to see people for what they are, unbiased by already having known the person. Eugene Richards’s book has made me look at my hobby from an artistic vantage point. He’s made me start to think that one day I would like to be one behind a telephoto lens, capturing those moments that people don’t think anyone else saw. Richards photographs have made me realise that photography is more than a point a shoot process.
The film Wendy and Lucy, directed by Kelly Reichardt, presents a sparse narrative. The film has been criticised for its lack of background story, and as a short film, much of the story is left to the viewer to infer from what is presented in the plot. However, Wendy and Lucy is able to depict the intimate relationship between Wendy and her dog as well as reflecting more broadly on the everyday, and commenting on the current economic state of the film’s setting in America. This essay will examine how film form contributes to the viewer’s awareness of the story in Wendy and Lucy and allows a deeper understanding of the themes presented. The aspects of mise-en-scene, shot and editing and sound in the film will be explored.
I realized that sometimes it is fine for things to just be, and I don’t know why. Much of the film has to do with how we think, and what we do in private. Collectively, through these moral and ethical acts (or lack thereof) we can impact the public. Also, by sharing these thoughts and concepts with the public in the documentary, it can affect our thoughts and actions in our private lives; I know it has, at least for myself. One of the earliest topics in the film that I took note of was the ethics of certain matters, in a way that I had never considered before.
"Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema" Laura Mulvey asserts the fact that in mainstream films, women are simultaneously looked at and displayed. That is to say, the woman is both an object of desire and a spectacle for the male voyeuristic gaze. The male's function is active; he advances the story and controls the gaze onto the women. Interestingly, the spectator identifies with the male through camera technique and style. In an effort to reproduce the so-called natural conditions of human perception, male point-of-view shots are often used along with deep focus. In addition, camera movements are usually determined by the actions of the male protagonist. Consequently, the gaze is dominated by the active male while the passive female exists to support desire within the film. In an attempt to change this structure, Mulvey stresses the importance of challenging the "look." One way this is accomplished, is in the film Reassemblage, where the look of the camera is free from male perspective and dominated more by passionate detachment. In doing this, the filmmaker, Trinh Minh-Ha attempts to destroy the satisfaction and pleasure derived from images of women in film, by highlighting the ways Hollywood depends on voyeuristic and fetishi...
This film addresses the real way you feel or think about yourself. It persuades the viewer to really take some time to analyze how they view themselves. People either picture
As a viewer, the documentary’s intention to inform is more completely fulfilled by research conducted beyond the scope of the camera lens. Had I never written this paper, for instance, the reason for all the violence embedded within the subject matter would remain as enigmatic as the documentary itself.
Director Doug Roland crafts visually captivating scenes that resonate with viewers through his innovative use of camera angles, framing, and editing methods. Close-up shots and point-of-view perspectives are utilized to express the characters' viewpoints and emotions, creating an intimate and empathetic atmosphere that draws viewers into the narrative. Moreover, the film's utilization of outdoor settings and natural lighting enhances the authenticity of the story by establishing the urban backdrop and highlighting the contrasts between the characters' lifestyles. This short film utilizes thematic elements to construct a cinematic experience that transcends the confines of the screen, prompting viewers to contemplate the overarching themes of empathy, communication, and human interaction. The film stands as a poignant testament to the profound impact of empathy and understanding.
The importance of ethics when making a film is paramount. They exist in the filmmaking world to “govern the conduct [because] no hard and fast rules suffice, (Nichols, 2001). As Bill Nichols has argued, the essential question to consider when making a documentary is “How Should We Treat the People We Film (Nichols, 2001)?” The welfare of the people who participate in the film is vital to recognise because they are “cultural players rather than theatrical performers, (Nichols, 2001)”, they are conveying is real life according to them. Each of their movements and words are not scripted, and are real. A filmmaker is documenting their actual lives because they believe that the value lies in presenting something of interest to themselves and to its audience. It is because of this reality that the issue is much more important because it “adds a level of ethical consideration to documentary that is much less prominent in fiction filmmaking, (Nichols, 2001).” People are portraying their real selves and are not masked by a personality that has been asked of them to depict by a director. What must also be considered is how attending to the ethics of filmmaking is the benefits that it holds for the filmmakers and the audience. “Ethica...
Watching the stories in motion make them even more alluring. It’s unexplainable the kind of emotional whirl you go through watching them. The way...
Das, Trisha. How to Write a Documentary Script: A Monograph. USA: Oxford University Press, 2007. Print.