Voice-Over script

Here Is the original Voice-over script I used in recording

[OPENING SCENE INDIA MONTAGE]

V.O - What is freedom? (PAUSE for audience reflection) Love? Independence? Power? The connotation of this word is so vast. It has many meanings throughout the lives of each individual. It cannot be expressed through a single word.

I travelled to India to find out for myself what this concept of freedom meant to some of the people living in poverty and slavery in Pune, India. I met some incredible people with incredible stories, some of which I am able to share with you.

This is Jos, he lives and works in Hydrabad, India and is Director of Mercy Community development foundation, they provide skilled training and financial service to empower and free the Dalits.

[MAIN INTERVIEW SECTION]

[CLOSING SCENE] FREEDOM IMAGERY

Freedom comes in many different forms whether its being released from restriction, the rein to do as we please or simply dancing around and enjoying yourself. (PAUSE) Ill leave you to figure out what it is for you.

Documentary Feedback

I posted my final documentary piece on a number of different social media sites which allowed feedback to be given and for a wide audience of people to view it. As you can see from the screen shot above I received some great feedback from my peers and many people have said in addition to this that they had enjoyed it and that I had done a good job. I also had great feedback from my teachers and people who I know within the industry regarding the shot selection and editing which is really helpful to recognise for future productions I do. Here is a screenshot from one of my school teachers.

Documentary magazine research

As an ancillary task for my documentary project I had to produce a magazine article/extract on my final product. In the run up to this I did some online research to find out about some of the existing documentary magazines out there.

DOX - European Documentary Magazine

DOX is the leading European magazine focusing on documentary film.

DOX gives you insight into the latest developments in the international documentary scene and includes:

• Critiques of the latest interesting documentaries
• Features on new developments in the genre
• Interviews with leading documentary professionals
• Reports and updates from important events
• Personal essays & POV articles

In the spring 2013 issue there were a number of different articles including:

Extracts taken from http://dox.mono.net/9305/Current%20issue

WHY POVERTY?: THE DOCS

In whose interest is it to maintain poverty? DOX looks at three films from the new Why Poverty? series that are meant to make us question and discuss poverty.

CPH:DOX - ART:FILM
A new international platform for art and film. Works of this nature must be careful not to develop into a metaphysical morass, a soupy incomprehensible mess, to the point of total disengagement.

THE BEST OF 2012
Tue Steen Müller shares his list of 11 docs.

DOK LEIPZIG: THE HUMAN CONDITION

Creative documentaries that push the envelope, which feel like movies and could easily "pass for fiction films". Strong political content with a distinct artistic vision and creative storytelling.

ANIMADOCS: A NEW GENERATION
At DOK Leipzig: Today more creative techniques like comics, drawings, puppet animation, photographs, graphic novels and paintings, indicate the growing recognition of animation as an art form.

ESSAY-FILM: CRAIG BALDWIN
The high priest of found footage free association has made a three decade career of imploding the very notion of the documentary form. We get the California-born iconoclast to reveal the imaginative method behind his chaotic collage creation. 

http://dox.mono.net/9305/Current%20issue

From looking at these articles I found inspiration on how to address my project and the concept behind it. Modern documentaries tackle very hard hitting and difficult subjects so you have to make sure the write up and products surrounding it match the content for the film to have its desired effect.

Magazine extract

Narrative theory research

Here is my Prezi presentation introducing the narrative theories and how they relate to my documentary film.

Textual Analysis - Freeling

As a passionate skateboarder and filmmaker when I came across this documentary I was amazed by the concept behind the video, the imagery and story that was portrayed through the documentary. The director Andrew Lovgren takes a very artistic approach to the filming using a lot of slow motion and natural lighting which results in a greater viewing pleasure. The documentary cuts between interview footage and images of the skateboarders cruising through the city. I wanted to use this technique in my documentary film as I was using a lot of dialogue from interview footage. The concept of this video is similar to that of what I had wanted to do, however had taken a different approach to what "freedom" meant to them. The atmospheric music adds to the epic nature of the film and the emotions that the skateboarders are displaying about their sport. It has a big positive effect on the way the audience views the film and the emotions they feel towards the topic and the people within the film.

The use of the soundtrack also has a big impact on the overall feel to the documentary it gives the film an almost dreamlike atmosphere and focuses the audiences full attention on the skateboarders moving through the city. The use of slow motion throughout also adds to the slow paced relaxed atmosphere, giving the audience time to reflect on the words of the voice over and the interview sections.

Textual analysis - "Portrait of my Father"

I found this short documentary when browsing through the web at various video sites and began watching it and sat completely engrossed throughout the whole video. This may not be a high budget, big name type of documentary but the techniques and camera work that are used are done so in a very artistic and precise way so that audience become entirely involved into the story and emotions of the main actor. 

The opening scene introduces photographer Brendan Klems, the film's narrator, telling his account of his life and story. The black and white slow motion imagery straight away sets the scene to be an emotional and intimate relationship between the audience and the character. The soft ambient background music also has a big impact on the audience and creates a 'feel good' atmosphere for the rest of the film. Throughout the majority of the first section the voiceover of Brendan is the only audio present. This focuses the audience's attention onto that and that only, which is used extremely effectively in this film. You, as the viewer, can relate directly to it and be involved with the character. As the story of Brendan's dad enters the narrative the imagery of his old photos and the soft mournful music in the background causes an emotional response from the audience. The use of the old print photos and seeing the emotion on the faces of Brendan and his mother and hearing it in their voices brings out the reality of the film and this is portrayed in an artistic and gripping away which further draws the audience into the story. The shots during this reminiscent section are very elongated to give time for the audience to think and reflect on the images they have seen. The use of the voiceover continues throughout the whole film and tells his story and as he begins to tell the audience of his current photography work, the music changes and becomes more upbeat and the overall mood to the film becomes more positive and uplifting. The ending of the film displays a number of black and white images much like during the intro which concludes the story and gives time for the audience to reflect on what they have seen and the emotions they are feeling. 

Although the film involves a very emotional and difficult topic of loss and grief, the cinematography and use of the monologue makes it stand out from many documentaries I have watched. It creates an intimate relationship between the audience and the characters which is very difficult to do but in this case is used extremely well.