Critical Reading Reviews
The Ying Yang Theory
The Ying and Yang theory. This describes having juxtaposed elements next to each other in the same image creating a contrasting meaningful or shocking photo. This incorporates the four point rule, leading the viewers eyes around the frame. An example of this is a photo we took of a grown man playing with his little pony toy.
Charles Forceville: Source-Path-Goal
This theory allows us to get a better understanding of the concept and structure of a journey. Charles Forcewille basis this on how people interact with their own journeys in real life. For example if they are moving to a specific finish point this becomes their ‘goal’ and the most important part of their journey. However sometimes the Journey is the most important and therefore it becomes a ‘quest’. By doing this it allows us to determine where the most important points are and creates the most reality as it is not scripted or story boarded which I feel is the best guideline in which way to deliver a documentary.
The best example I would be able to give would be of us as we went to go film ‘Bronies’. We began very stereotypically, however as we progressed through we learnt more about them and respected their ways. I think it all brought us back down to earth and gave us a knock of morality as we realised how nice a bunch of people they were. In this sense it would be following us along a journey and learning what we have.
How real is the Reality in Documentary Film?
The theory states that it is possible to manipulate the truth to create whatever the filmmaker wants. This can be achieved in several way, through the questions that are asked, actors rather than true primaries and even in post-production edit. This leads to the documentary film’s reality being brought into question.
I feel that when looking at documentary the mode in which it is filmed can also have an effect. For example a ‘fly on the wall’ documentary cannot be changed through questions as there are none but in edit or hiring actors is very possible.
Blockbuster films can also film a drama in this way as well giving it a documentary feel but it is all stages, such one would be ‘Troll Hunters’. This is a misleading style of film that people could accidently mistake for documentary adding to the negative perspective of truthful docs.