Amy critical debates

Critical Debate:

The significance of digital technology in film
- the impact the digital has had on film since the 1990s is a developing debate
- some commentators argue that so far films have changed very little from pre-digital times

- digital film- unlimited- lack of meaning?

Representation:
Amy
-who shot the footage of her and why?
-would she behave the same way if the camera were not on her?

Captain fantastic deer stalking scene

Deer stalking scene:

-         - Questioning unfamiliar way of life- first scene that spectator sees of family- can’t align with family so much at the beginning- they are so alien to us- differences are shown before similarities- surprise and intrigues spectator

-       -   Challenging spectators view on morality and hypocrisy living western society- we try to ignore brutalities in capitalist world however they still go on.
-        -  Extreme/Close ups of deer before it is killed/ close up of knife with blood on/lack of non-diegetic music- possibly done to persuade alignment with animal- the fact that we aren’t aligned with the family in the first scene makes us more distanced from them

Amy filmmakers theory

Amy

-critical debates
-filmmakers theories

Key Terminology:
-objectivity
-construction
-truth/fiction
-reality
-manipulation
-cinema vérité (cinema of truth)
-spectator positioning

Bill Nichols:
documentary can be subdivided into 6 sub-genres:
- poetic (modernist style)
- expository (speaks directly to viewer with VO)
- participatory (filmmaker interacts with participants)
- observational (as though camera is not present when filming subject. 'neutral stance')
- reflexive (focus on the documentary process)
- performance (actively engages- may be a documentary about filmmakers own life)

Captain Fantastic church service

Ben and family disrupt church service:

- disruption of present conveys the sacrilegious ideology of the film
- long wide angle shot of ben opening doors with bright natural sun light from behind him- connotations of God/Jesus/religion/saviour
- track back shot as the family walks towards camera- alignment
- family in colourful clothing compared with the typical white and black formal attire of everyone else- contrasting lifestyles/ideals
- long shot of Ben's family on one end of the service and Leslie's family on the other end- conflict of sides
- long low angle shot of ben/camera placed in position of someone in audience- spectator supposed to look up to and listen to what he is saying/respect him as- alignment
- extreme long/wide angle shot of the church with the cross centre frame while Ben condemns organised religion for being oppressive and installing fear- sacrilegious element
- tracking shot of men forcing Ben out of church- hint at the role of religion in suppressing voices which speak out against it
- low angle shot of Ben standing in-between two crosses outside church- restrictions that religion places on people- religious oppression

It is evident through the church funeral scene that the spectator is being persuaded to become an active viewer by questioning religious doctrine as Ben does. At the same time, Ben is seemingly placed in the position of a saviour or spiritual leader, as reflected through certain elements of cinematography. At the beginning of the scene, a wide angle tracking shot shows ben, who is positioned centre frame, and his family disrupting the funeral church service, and this choice of camera framing and movement persuades spectators to align and empathise with them. This along with the bright natural lighting which reflects through the door as they enter, positions Ben as an almost holy figure, who has come to save Leslie from the hands of the Church. furthermore, an extreme long shot is presented while Ben is declaring Leslie's disdain and disillusionment of religious ideology, and this this long shot positions the large cross on the wall centre frame. This enables the diegetic speech of Ben to directly juxtapose and undermine the cross symbol which embodies the christian faith, conveying the sacrilegious messages of the film. The spectator is also placed as a viewer watching Ben talking from the perspective of other mourners, with a low angle shot of Ben. This again places him in the position of a spiritual leader or saviour, who the spectator is persuaded to idealise and respect, in the same way that his children do. When standing outside the church, ben is positioned in-between who crosses and is framed from a low angle. This symbolic placement of Ben subtly hints at the films condemnation of religion restricting individual thought and voices which may oppose it. The spectator is therefore urged to question the power that the church imposes on people, and the inability for organised religions to tolerate or engage with challenging ideals and beliefs.

Captain Fantastic table scene

table scene analysis:

- already aligned with ben (anti-US ideology- film anti-dominant ideology)- affects viewing of scene
- setting- traditional American family- perfection- idealised
- Ben represents the opposite of this
- us against them feeling- Ben's family sitting directly opposite harpers family
- sound from Jackson's phone enhanced
- handheld camera- underlying tension/discomfort for spectator
- ben presented as isolated from the rest- at head of table
- over shoulder shot of Ben- alignment- in control of situation
- close up shots of Harper and Dave reaction- comparing 2 lifestyles
- men more direct
- pan to show Harpers reaction when Ben calls out Dave
- over the shoulder shots from Ben's perspective (argument outside)- spectator aligned with is perspective
- focus shifts to ben in pan right to him after showing other parents reaction- his triumph
/control

NCFOM first Moss meeting

NCFOM first meeting Moss:

- first shot POV of Moss through gun lens of deer- predator- becomes pray later
- long shot of desert from Moss point of view
- extreme close up of Moss- character alignmet
- same dialogue of 'can you hold still' from Moss and Chiguhr- similarities between them- no clear hero or villain
- wears typical outfit of a cowboy- stetson hat/check shirt
- enigma around who he is
- POV of Moss following blood trail
- audience deliberately alienated/excluded from Moss conversation with Spanish man

NCFOM dog chase

Dog chase scene:

- fast pace editing heightens tension
- hand held tracking shot as he runs- sutured into narrative- alignment with Moss
- we see what is behind him/slightly off centre framing- trope of horror film
- slow tracking in shot when he is under car- spectator brought closer to him
- long shot low angle of the killers- increases alienation- alignment with Moss point of view