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Narrative structure exercise for PB3 – Documentary.

1. What is the ‘controlling idea’ (Robert McKee) of your portrait?

   Olivia is a transgender woman, steering away from the expectation of hyper-femininity.

2.  How is your portrait film structured?  

   The documentary will be structured around an interview with the subject, however will carry into the film as a fully subject driven exploration of femininity and transgender identity. Based on personal experiences, it is fitting that the only voice heard throughout is the subject’s.

   Beginning with archival footage of a 1950s instructional video, the film’s current (loose) structure is:

   1. Current expectations of femininity what it means to be a ‘woman’ conventionally/stereotypically.

   2. How that definition of femininity impacts you as a trans woman, that already has body dysphoria and issues with body image.

   3. The expectation for trans women to ‘pass’ even though that passing definition of femininity may not suit everyone, just like it doesn’t fit cis women – talk about clothes, makeup etc aspects

   4. Changing femininity, embracing diverse definitions, what the future looks like etc

3. What do you want your audience to make of your interviewee? 

   Illustrating the complex nature of human reality the film will be personal to one individual, allowing a more personal connection to be developed between the subject and the viewer. By shooting mundane/everyday objects and scenery, the normality of trans individuals will be conveyed to the viewer. The main goal of this documentary is to create empathy within the viewer so that a deeper level of understanding of transgender people and issues is gleaned from the film.

4. How is your portrait being narrated? 

   I hope to make a relatively intimate film, as it goes into a revealing and vulnerable area for the subject. Consequently, I want the film to be entirely narrated by the subject, from their perspective.

5. What role will the ‘found footage’ play in your portrait?

   The found footage used will be done so in order to contrast the modern day with the 1950s; changing attitudes towards and perceptions of gender, with older, strictly delimited definitions of gender that were so succinctly expressed in 1950s culture.

6. Does your portrait have a dramatic turning point?

7. When does this turning point happen in your portrait and why?
   
   It is difficult to determine as I am yet to film the interview. However, as it is based around someone’s lived experience, as opposed to a retelling of a specific story, I doubt it will have a dramatic turning point in the traditional sense. It will be structured in a way that moves between highs and lows, explanatory and poignant moments, in order to retain viewer engagement and allow for the film’s main messages to bear adequate weight within the film and sufficiently impact the viewer.

8. How does your portrait gather and maintain momentum?
   
   By structuring the film to begin with explanation of concepts and then move through to how these concepts impact the subject’s personal experience of life. Editing will be key in creating momentum in this piece, as, as I’ve stated, it’s not simply someone retelling one specific experience.

9. Where will your portrait’s dramatic tension come from?
   
   Dramatic tension will be built gradually throughout as the subject’s personal experiences, thoughts and feelings are related to the audience. Music may also be used to enhance this.

10. Does the portrait have a climax and/or resolution? 
    
    Again, it’s hard to say prior to interviewing the subject. However, the resolution is likely to speak to the current perception of transgender people or the subject’s current state, and how life may be improved for them moving forward.