I had no idea the emotional impact that a documentary could have on me until I watched Newtown. I was blown away by the specific decisions that Kim Snyder made, most especially by never referring to the shooter by name and by having no violent scenes shown on screen. I think that being able to see the expressions on the faces of the family members was so powerful and I really value her decision to not introduce voyeurism into the film. In other words, it was important not to show the violence or photos of the children’s bodies because it calls into question the ethics behind receiving entertainment (including fear or disgust) at the expense of this real tragedy involving real families.

I really appreciated her choice to use black screens following individual interviews with parents because it provided this dramatic context in which the pain and anguish and confusion of the family members was aptly symbolized. A good piece of art is one that makes you think about it long after, and this documentary made me start to research and have more conversation surrounding the gun laws of America. I engaged in conversation with some peers who have opposing views (I am very anti-guns and for stricter gun control) and I am thankful that this documentary influenced me to do this. I think watching this documentary this past week, especially right after Texas shooting helped to re-introduce the realness of a mass shooting. We hear so much about shootings in the news, that as a human, we start to sensationalize it as this phenomenon that happens often. We hear about a shooting but we do not emotionally feel the impact of it because we are becoming desensitized to it. I wish that everyone could have the opportunity to watch this documentary to really get a first hand look at the after-effects of a mass shooting and how it truly affects everyone.

This past weekend I went out on my own and into the beautiful world of the B-roll shoot! I tend to think of myself as a pretty creative person, and I am most excited about B-roll to be able to try and evoke human feelings and emotions through using visual scenery. I headed out to the Delaware Tow Path and tried to put myself in the shoes of someone who was an opioid addict. Feelings of desolation, loneliness, and numbness circled around me, and so I looked to try to capture those images. The weather was perfect–it was brisk, windy, and leaves were slowly floating off branches. I decided to go under the big metal bridge, to get into the mindset of feeling “trapped”. I really focused on the framing of my shots; making sure that the frame felt crammed and closed-in on. I decided to just drive around the streets, following an ambulance that was going off. I felt a bit creepy (and I’m not sure if this is legal?!?) but I videotaped the ambulance unloading into the hospital, and left the camera filming the empty and abandoned ambulance in the drop-off spot. I feel like by using empathetic measures and putting myself into the shoes of the subject of the film, I was able to look at the world with different eyes and create a “documentary-specific” lens for filming.

“Memory of the past is positively combined with responsibility for the future (that is,
human agency, the sense of self that makes us capable of compassion and
understanding). with Night and Fog one survives the desperation of the night,
sees through the confusion of the fog, and emerges as a social being with a
commitment to that human connection fundamental to life-a sense of shared
responsibility to (and for) oneself and others.” (Flitterman-Lewis 208)

This passage really stuck out to me from the reading, especially in conjunction with the final words on the screen of the documentary, that “music/film and website have no commercial intentions, only a warning that it can happen again”.  This documentary was difficult to watch. In all honesty,  I had to turn away from several scenes, especially towards the end when it really did seem like concentration camps were from “another planet”. Humans were absolutely emaciated; bodies dead and alive treated and tossed around like they were literally trash. It was absolutely disgusting and painful, yet there was a sense of beauty in that pain and in that realization that this was history, and this is able to happen again. I like how the reading really focused on the title of the documentary, “Night and Fog” and connecting it to memory and human responsibility. It is our responsibility to be able to not turn away from these stunning and repulsive images and footage because as humans, we are responsible for making this tragedy happen in the first place.

I think one of the most striking parts of the documentary was the impressive story-telling using music to really strike at the hearts of viewers. Some of the most powerful images were contrasts between bodies piled on top of other bodies cut straight to an image of a wealthy Nazi family hanging out in their living room. Both are humans. Both implicated/involved during the Holocaust at the same time, but living completely different types of life. I think this documentary did a really good job of making the Holocaust transparent, and showing EVERYTHING.

Title: Mitch Mandel: Man vs. Wild or Wild vs. Man? OR The Cliff Climber.

“Ain’t no mountain high enough”, definitely rings true for Mitchel Mandel. If there’s a mountain with an intimidating looking cliff, he will climb up it and across it! This film will document the transformative identity of Mitchel, from reserved piano-playing always-studying freshmen to rugged cliff-climbing always exploring senior and uncover if the wild was always in him, or if it somehow developed slowly over the years.

Shots to get:

• Delaware Water Gap
  • Perspective; from his point of view looking down and looking up
  • From the ground looking at him climbing up
  • From the top of the mountain looking down at him climbing up
• Lafayette Indoor Gym
  • Shots hooking up other people; teaching other people to gym?
• Fade in/fade out on LOST sticker
• Fade in/ fade out on pictures of his past climbs on his walls
• Interview out in nature @DWG or on Arts Trail with water swooshing
• B roll of nature/mountains/ challenging terrains
• B-roll of chemical lab
  • If possible, have test tubes, science things, and then knock them down in slow motion
    • Inspiration: Errol Morris, Thin Blue Line with the milkshake falling down
• Long shots of Mitch just looking out, off the mountain; kind of cliché, but powerful
• Go Pro him on the climb

Sounds

• Silence
• Birds chirping
• More silence, with just wind rustling

Interview Questions

• Why do you climb?
• Where have you gone?
• What would you tell previous Mitch? How are you different from freshmen year?
• You just decided to not apply to medical school. Why?
• You met your girlfriend climbing, do you think that anyone who is going to stay in your life for quite some time needs to also want to climb?
• What is a climbing gym?
• Are you ever afraid?
• So your abroad experience involved meeting a lot of strangers along the way. Tell me about some of those interactions. What was it like trusting people? Language barriers?

I just watched the first episode of the F word, and after the first 3 minutes, I can definitely say that I am hooked! I love the overall aesthetic and editing of the film and how it varies from Nouvelle-Vauge-esque “obvious editing” with crayon-drawn circles and words scrawled across the screen to more normal “smooth” editing. The plot line is engaging and the close-up camera shots make it seem very intimate but in a welcoming way. Sometimes documentaries can seem voyeuristic, but with this one, the directing and editing do a great job of making the audience feel valuable and un-intrusive into this personal situation/life.

I am super excited to continuing watching the rest of the episodes and to be able to Skype in!

This is a documentary about families who are affected by their loved ones unwillingly putting their lives on the line as they grapple with addiction to opioids.

Opioid addiction is far more encompassing than one might imagine. It is incredible for someone struggling to even ask for help. “I need help” is an ethical plea, but what if the help is not there? Rehab is not enough.  Willingness to go through a rehabilitation program is an act of strength. An individual is willing to put their life, on the line, to make the change to live. A disease is a disease. So why aren’t the voices being heard of those affected by opioid disease? Why do people fail to see the humanity in addiction? Why are addicts seen as degenerates, rather than victims?  This documentary will examine how addiction affects families of opioid users in Allentown, Pennsylvania. Everyday families experience the roller coaster of addiction; anxieties, frustrations, and triumphs mark the journey of an opioid user fighting for their life.  We will take you firsthand into the heart of opioid support groups to experience what addiction truly is.

Kenzie Corbin, Laura Pezzulich, Luke Madronal

It was not until reading various people’s comments on the blog that I realized that there was a great deal of connection between what Brooke Gladstone said during our class last week, and what was driving the murder mystery in Thin Blue Line. That connection is the whole “he said/she said” argument and relates to how Brooke talked about the inaccuracy of media and reporting. A story can change, and there is always the issue of the reporter/observer’s bias or preconceived set of notions that cloud the “objective” report of what’s happening. This was evident in the Thin Blue Line, especially with how the female police officer’s story kept changing drastically about what went down the night that her partner was shot. I loved when Brooke read a bunch of news articles and showed tweets with pictures that were completely falsified information, because just like she said in class, a lot of the information and news I get is from my friends sharing articles or posts on social media. The fact that a lot of the articles and “news” we see is because of a computer program that knows what we might be interested in is just completely terrifying! Brooke was right when she said to put down our phones and our computers sometimes and after doing so in just one week, I already could feel more of a mental relief from a constant bombardment of notifications and news (mostly negative).

The first thing I noticed during this short video was the usage of sound in the first minute. The opening scene was quiet, and tranquil with the white balloon as an omnipresent blob in the background as the children gazed up at is. Almost immediately after the title sequence, the loud metal clanking began, and I appreciated the overlay of the sound while the camera filmed only landscape because e it offered the message that this was not a friendly blimp but rather a menace to society and posed a potential threat to the civilians of Kabul. The sound throughout this film was by far the most stand-out portion of the video, and I really liked the transition between the loud and abrasive presence of the United States soldiers on their tanks to the loud, playfulness of the boy on the Ferris Wheel. The boy on the ride says, “I’m so high, I can see the whole of Kabul” which was a bit eerie because in reality, he cannot, but the blimp can. Even more terrifying is that the blimp is “classified information” so the citizens of Kabul have no idea what is happening when it goes by them, they simply continue on living their lives, always under the eye of this unknown presence.

I like that the story is constructed with different scenes of people of all ages doing different everyday life with the main connecting theme that the white blimp is ALWAYS there, and always watching them. It made me feel like the blimp was watching me!
The words of the bearded man were powerful. He believes God is an omnipresent and all powerful god who knows everything at all times. In his mind, it doesn’t matter who created the balloon because God created the man who is in charge of the balloon, and thus it is God watching everyone in Kabul.

I absolutely LOVED the transition between the balloon just laying in the dirt in Kabul to the scene of Abderdeen, Maryland that looked like quintessential Americana. The transition between the blimp in Kabul and the blimp in Maryland is unreal, and it was important that the scenes from Maryland showed no citizens watching/fearing the balloon, but rather images of “the home of the free”, i.e. the flag blowing in the wind, and other red, white, and blue streamers blowing.  This juxtaposition really solidified the idea of fear in Afghanistan and power/tranquility in the US. The final image with the blimp right near the church and the cross was chilling, especially next to the words that said that the blimp would still be flown even if the cameras were down. This means that the US is choosing to constantly survey Kabul, giving them a God-like power. I was left with more evidence that our country is imposing on the innocent lives of others, and I am terrified.