When the topic of transparency came up this week in class I thought instantly of the film In This World I had recently seen to help with my understanding of the concept. Although discussed in class, I thought it was an interesting point raised and one that I shared similar feelings for. By merging fact and fiction, director, Michael Winterbottom’s television docudrama caused me to lose recognition of the medium at hand. In This World, which follows the journey of two refugees traveling to the United Kingdom in search of a better life, forces viewers to contemplate whether the story is indeed fact or fiction. Winterbottom’s dynamic stylistic approach and unconventional techniques such as location shooting, employment of non-professional actors, symbolic use of environmental space and incorporation of limitations of reality all make viewers question the authenticity of the film (Salmon 15 Jan. 2008). In using such techniques he creates a feeling of immediacy for the audience. Not until being told after seeing the film was I aware that actors appeared on screen.
After observing both the trailer for In This World and the film, I found Winterbottom’s methods of audience engagement to be conflicting. Winterbottom remained conventional in that his trailer created an emotional suspense using tactics of hypermediacy leaving audience members wanting to learn more. His trailer features gripping music, attention-grabbing phrases and magnified font to captivate viewers, yet re-enforcing the film experience. Contrarily, a different reaction is fostered when watching the film. A more immediate approach is seen, whereby viewers feel as though they are actually involved in the scene on screen. Such a sense of immediacy is achieved by actors failing to look at the camera, frequent close-up shots and the race against time perceived in the film. I question Winterbottom’s motives in departing from the immediate style of the film when putting together the trailer. I believe that by pursuing a more mainstream method of advertisement, in which Winterbottom neglected to portray the level of immediacy of In This World, he aimed to target a wider audience. This instance demonstrates the significance of advertising and the affect that it can have on the success of a film.
Salmon, W. Paul. Lecture Notes. THST*2500 Contemporary Cinema. University of Guelph. 15 Jan. 2008.
Click here for "In This World" trailer and clip:
http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/1808467731/video/2981310/20030912/68/2981310-56-wmv-s.5094198-114368,2981310-100-wmv-s.5094199-114368,2981310-300-wmv-s.5094201-114368,2981310-56-rnv-s.5094155-114368,2981310-100-rnv-s.5094156-114368,2981310-300-rnv-s.5094157-114368
Click here for a profile on Michael Winterbottom:
http://www.sensesofcinema.com/contents/directors/05/winterbottom.html
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1 comment:
i think you're right about winterbottom raising a number of problematic issues, but what's most interesting about this film (and winterbottom's other work) is that he is participating in an ongoing re-evaluation of film genre while also questioning the dominant logic of the hollywood establishment. it's important and significant that winterbottom can make a film like in this world on a limited budget and can simultaneously frustrate and flatter audience expectations. i'm more interested in how you can take a film like in this world and link it to other developments across the media landscape. do you see any other projects that employ similar strategies? if so, what might this mean?
keep writing,
i.
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