https://drive.google.com/open?id=1_oEKoWsZftnBNCCWBnOIFxiYl03ez2GX

After watching the intro to Triumph of The Will, more than having the urge to keep watching it, I wanted to learn more about Leni Riefnestahl. She seems like an extremely driven personality. I did some research and read that she was debating between becoming a dancer or a filmmaker and actress. She also says she wrote no text when making Triumph of the Will, “The moment I had a clear picture of the film in my head, the film was born. The structure of the whole imposed itself. It was purely intuitive. Starting from that idea, I sent the technical crew out on different tasks, but the true establishment of the form began with the editing.”

It is a German propaganda film that has such a compelling intro. The calmness of the clouds contrasts so evenly with the tense hierarchy of Hitler and his fans. At first sight, it’s difficult to determine that this piece is a documentary since the intro is extremely dramatic. After being exposed to many different docs in this class, I realize that there is no particular formula on how to structure the content. It’s mostly focused on the directors intent with the piece and how they choose to work around it. We see how creatively Riefenstahl has filmed, directed, and edited this piece of work. The power of the videos along with the soundtrack says enough, there is no need for narration. I don’t only think that this is a propaganda film, but also a piece of art in the way its put together, especially from the standpoint of Riefenstahl. Her usage of moving the cameras as the Nazis march and following Hitler as he walks is bold. How can this art form be both morally sinful yet beautiful at the same time? We can see the unity and loyalty of all Hitler’s followers through the intro. The high angle shots of Hitler and the soldiers show us how perfect their formations were.

Here are some fun, and not so fun facts about the american shad, the subject of “SOS: Saving Our Shad”

• Shad’s historic, cultural, and economic significance earned it the nickname the “Founding Fish.”
• between 1990 and present, shad returning to the delaware to spawn has declined from 500,000 to 300,000
• the primary cause of shad decline is dams, pollution and overfishing
• there are roughly 3000 dams in PA
• Shad stocks were in such poor condition that in 1980 Maryland imposed a moratorium on shad fishing except in the Potomac River and coastal waters.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/144P7YC_Z5KRaO1UXxx0hDHsh8DOUfNbN/view?usp=sharing

This class has greatly affected me in the way that it has allowed me to develop a much greater love and appreciation for documentary films. This class has exposed me to premiere documentaries, but this was by far the best. I am starting to realize that there is a certain style that appeals to me and that is when a documentary specifically focuses on one person and one person’s life, but also representing a much bigger problem or picture. This documentary was groundbreaking. At many times it conveyed important information through comedy which was a unique stylistic approach and effective. It was appealing to a mass audience, but specifically, in my opinion younger generations. Bassem Youssef was a comedic character in general and has an interesting story about leaving his original career path of being a heart surgeon and pursuing his risky passion of being a comedian and specifically focusing on political and human rights issues. He is most famously known for being the Egyptian John Stewart. I felt touched when Bessam met John Stewart and every time John Stewart went to bat for Bessam and supported him, it made me feel hope that this world can be unified by something. It was frustrating watching what Bessam had to go through. It’s really infuriating to see simple rights that should not be messed with being completely controlled by authority. I thought Bessam would win, but he didn’t. He had to escape with his family for a better life, and many of the people involved in his mission and show had to do the same. The ending was one of my favorite parts. It showed Bessam talking to mass audiences and he spoke about comedy and laughter being a better weapon than a sword. I thought that was a great ending specifically because he encouraged people to keep laughing and to be fearless, have hope, and continuing doing what you care about. He also emphasized the point that a revolution is a process not just an event, which resonated with me. Overall, I obviously loved this film and I really hope it starts reaching the masses and ignites change.

Since last week, we were able to get two interviews from Sarah Edmonds (farm manager at LaFarm) and Jen Giovanniello (president of LafCo). Sarah’s interview is only audio but it will be a great addition with the b-roll we already have and for Jen we were able to get an interview on camera.

Sarah’s interview:

Jen’s interview (video is better quality when it’s not on youtube):