Month: September 2015

Sky

Short and sweet but memorable. Dedicated camera work even with the high stakes involved.

As you watch this video consider the following questions:

Section 1 – First 15 minutes

01.00 – Why was the “falling man” both powerful and distasteful?

03.36 – Why, within a few minutes of the first plane crashing into the WTC, did the live-stream pictures travel around the world on television broadcasts? Is this informative for the audience or something less savoury?

04.02 – Why does the maker of this documentary use a still photo with a voice-over at this point? This is done again at 04.45. What meaning does this technique convey this time?

08.43 – This photographer is filmed slightly off-centre. He is not making direct eye contact with the viewer at home. Why is this technique used here?

09.00 – The photographer justifies why he took photographs of people leaping to their death from the WTC. What justification does he give? In your opinion is he right or wrong to have done this? Give reasons for your chosen position.

09.20 – Broadcasters were pulling back from the live coverage at this point, concentrating on the people observing the WTC rather than those inside. Why would this editorial decision have been taken?

10.00 – Pulling back did not save the audience at home from the horror. What happened next? Why would this “shock” the American audience? Give as many reasons as you can.

10.17 – We are given the same information from different perspectives/angles at this point in the documentary. How does this help to convey meaning for the audience?  What meaning do you think it conveys?

12.00 – We hear a husband talk about what he heard on the day. Why is this information used by the documentary maker? What would the audience understand after hearing this?

14.49 – Why do you think the man tells himself, and us, it must have felt like flying?