Brionowski’s construction of a complex, multi-layered and symbolically loaded soundscape in the selected sequence of ‘Forbidden Lie$’ is an integral factor in the establishment of the contention she presents in the film. In the early sections of the sequence, Brionowski layers a trite musical track with several prominent sound effects– various chimes, the billowing of fabric being thrown into the air and an exaggerated ‘splat’ as Dahlia’s hijab hits the ground. The factors combine to cheesy effect comparable to 1960s sitcom soundscapes, it becomes evident that Brionowski is here alluding to the artifice of Kouri’s account and the stylistic flourishes slathered over the author’s telling of events to conceal it’s factual inaccuracies. As the scene reaches a dramatic crescendo, Brionowski dismantles Kouri’s account in a matter of seconds through the use of instantly decodable tape wipe and wind sweep effects and the clear voice of Rana Housseini. Indeed, it is essential to note that the effects Brionowski chooses to employ prove narratively and stylistically effective in this instance because both their source and meaning is instantly recognisable to audience members, for example, she subtly discredits everything Kouri says by layering her clear, studio-shot interview footage with a series of ‘chime’ and ‘rattlesnake’ effects, instantly synonymous with deception. Later in the sequence, the introduction of a rambling musical track with notable Middle Eastern influences simultaneously contextualises Brionowski’s travels in Jordan and gives the impression of a  wild goose chase along the series of factual discrepancies Kouri has included in her account of her friend’s murder.

Perhaps most striking about Pawel Powlikowski’s piece on documentary cinema is the cynical accuracy with which he predicts the rise in popularity of reality television, it is bizare to note that documentary movements like cinema verité, once reverred as paragons of integrety in filmmaking, may now find their place in the lowest common denominator of popular television, being as they are, cost effective to produce and easy to engage with. Furthermore, is bares noting that Powlikowski firmly states that the purpose of documentary film as he sees it, is not to neatly catagorise or resolve subject matter but to disturb and intrigue audiences, displaying the paradoxes, ambiguities and conflicts which exist between situations and characters, it would indeed prove valuable to bear this in mind as the course progresses, as my natural tendency would be to attempt to shape the footage I have collected into a rigidly predetermined brief, ignoring all that which does not support the contention I had hoped to establish.

An aspect of the documentary medium which has proven persistently fascinating to me has been the scope which is created within the genre to pluck individual stories and their unique eccentrities from a broader issue or contention. For me, ‘End of the Line’ serves as particularly poignant and effective example of such a notion. Indeed while the film’s creators make it clear in their treatment that they are working to juxtapose the desolate, isolated landscape of the film’s setting and the lonely lifestyle of its residents with the percieved tranquility and conviviality of small town life, it is the small vignettes which are created by the film’s interviewees which prove most notable. Indeed, getting the impression from the film’s treatment that the group entered the project with a somewhat evolved vision of the film’s findings proved quite frustrating to me, as I was left to wonder what other quirks and anecdotes the film’s cast might have come up with had some kind of overarching contention not been imposed. From a pragmatic point of view, it makes sense to shoot footage with a clear idea of one’s goals and purposes in mind, however were the task to have been completed without any time constraints, it would be interesting to observe themes and connections emerging organically between the film’s subjects (certainly however, one might say the group had ‘achieved what they set out to do’). With regard to the technical aspects of the piece, I thought the film was beautifully shot and the soundscape it featured was complex and captivating without being overpowering or distracting.

‘In this clip screened in the lecture from the Coen brothers’ ‘Blood Simple‘ describe what is happening in terms of the edits specifically in terms of the audio and video. Also name the different kinds of audio you can hear.

The comprehensive combination of audio and video editing is the source of all suspense within this particular scene. The scene hinges on the use of both diagetic and non-diagetic sound to propel narrative event and heirachises the volume of sound effects and pieces of dialogue  as they relate to the action unfolding in the visual aspects of the scene. In many ways, the scene is structured so that sound is significantly more descriptive than vision, as it relates to event or development within the scene. Indeed, it could be said that vision serves largely to depict character reaction to event which is established through sound. This is most evident when considering the gunshot sequence, while many movies would linger on, almost fetishising the action of shooting  a character, or the gory wound which ensues, the shooting itself is communicated entirely through sound, the visual elements of the scene concerning itself with quick cuts of the sweaty faces and shellshocked expressions of the characters. This is such that audiences are initially unsure which character has been shot. A similar effect is achieved as non-diagetic vomiting is heard when a character exits a scene having seen a photo of the person he has put a hit on, a dramatic contrast to the onscreen visual of his bemused partner. Visual metaphor features heavily within the scene as it frequently cuts to a bundle of dead fish on the table, oftentimes replacing or bookending sections which would traditionally feature images of graphic violence. A complex soundscape similarly contributes to a sense of tension in the scene, with sound effects: the rustling of papers, scraping of furniture and urgent footsteps being woven between character dialogue, each gaining dominance through volume control as they become pertinent to narrative event.

‘Consider Sandra’s lecture “Directing Actors” and describe at least a couple of points that you took away from it (even if you’re not the director).’

As the director of my group’s project, Sandra’s lecture was particularly useful to me, largely as she directly answered a number of significant questions I had with regard to preparing for and running a shoot in order to best accomodate the film’s actors. Sandra stressed the importance of rehearsing actors prior to shoot day and specifically detailed the manner in which this should be undertaken with an action based script. As our film contained minimal dialogue, I had not considered rehearsal a priority prior to the lecture, upon Sandra’s suggestion that movement should be discussed, mapped out and practiced, the film’s cinematographer and I went on to meet with actors in the area we planned to shoot the film, detailing the route that would be taken in the film’s running sequences and the physical dynamic which would exist between the characters. Furthermore, at various points on shoot day, when we were short on time, our group found ourselves considering the method Sandra discussed in which shot lists are modified so that large sections of action may be covered in as few shots as possible. Lastly, I was able to speak with Sandra directly with regard to maintaining continuity in scenes, which had been a concern of mine, while she stressed the process was a challenge, she clarified the notion of ‘crossing the line’ and how important it is that cinematographers and directors be alert to this.

Select from one of the readings from week 5, 6 or 7 and describe two points that you have taken from it. Points that excite you, something that was completely new to you.

Malkiewicz, K. Film lighting : talks with Hollywood’s cinematographers and gaffers, (p. 99-115, 128-135). New York: Pretence Hall, 1986.

While Malkiewicz largely concerns himself with lighting an indoor scene or soundstage, many of the notions established in the reading prove both interesting and valuable with consideration for my group’s own film. Only some small portion of the film’s events occur indoors, however time of day is of considerable significance with regard to the narrative events of our project. As such I found it particularly exciting to read the section he had written on establishing temporal significance and accuracy through the selection and positioning of key lighting. As Malkiewicz writes, early morning and late afternoon light enters a room at a low angle, the glow of sunrise or sunset can be simulated by the placement of an orange gel over the light source. furthermore, when lighting a daylight interior scene, where possible it proves most realistic to light through windows, these being the primary light source in a regular room, this proves particularly convenient to bear in mind as the setting we have selected to shoot our project contains several interior windows.

Completely separate from the work my group and I have been considering, are the notions regarding character lighting Malkiewicz discusses in a later point of the reading. While I was familiar with this in the most melodramatic sense, initially being reminded of film noir, I was surprised to learn the technique was still actively and subtly employed to the present day to infuse characters with certain traits and motivations. Naturally as Malkiewicz outlines, this comes with its own set of challenges, character lighting must accomodate the moving subject as well as taking into account the contraints which accompany the specifications of setting.

First and foremost, shooting a Lenny reminded me of the importance of establishing clear boundries between  the roles within our film group. This of course proves challenging as no single position exists in a vacuum, while for example it is predominantly the director’s job to coach actors, cinematographers and sound designers must be consulted on their performances  in order to achieve optimal results. Similarly, effective scheduling will be essential in order shoot a scene with as little tension or confusion as possible, this proves particularly evident as both the lenny exersise and the final project are shot to time constraints. Furthermore, while the excersize allowed us to explore to some extent the variety of shots available to us using the ‘shooting to edit’ method, it highlighted the importance of ensuring continuity throughout, a task I must admit I am dreading.