Jen&Jen's Fencing Short Documentary Treatment

In class we watched the documentary "Baraka"and student-made short documentaries. This led Mr. Bigue to have us do our own short documentaries as a final project. Being a fencer, I really wanted to do one on fencing because it's something not a lot of people really understand. It also seemed like a lot of work, so I teamed up with the fabulous Jenevieve Rantisi to come up with the following pre-production.

Purpose: The purpose of this documentary is to inform people about the true life of a fencer and what fencing really is.

Contacts: Peninsula Fencing Academy: Jay Choi (fencing coach) and John Stayner (fencer)

Interview Questions:

1. What is fencing really?
   
2. What kind of protective gear do you have?
3. What does it take to mentally and physically prepare for a tournament?
4. How has fencing become such a major part of your life? How big of a part does it play?
   
5. Does it stress you out?
   
6. If so, why do you continue?
   
7. How do you cope with that stress?
8. How does your coach influence you and what do the coaches try to do for the students?
   
9. What goes through your head as you're fencing a bout? After a bout?
   
10. How does victory mean to you?
11. How does it feel to win? To lose?

General Flow:
We are introduced to the head coach talking about what fencing really is. He is at the fencing club on a break from coaching. As they talk, there is a typical class in session. Then there is a private lesson going on. As the coaches talk about protective gear, all of the gear is shown laid out, and then there is fast-motion of a fencer putting it all on.

Now John is introduced introduced. As we learn about the major role fencing plays in his life, we see him enter the club one evening. He is warming up for class by jogging and stretching. We see the clock. Then there is a graphic match of the clock at the time he leaves a couple hours later. Any appropriate broll will be added.

We hear Jay's perspective of what he tries to do for his students, and from John about Jay's influence on him. During this time we see him having a private lesson on the fencing strip while the coach is explaining how to do something. The fencer then does the action.

Next, John talks about how they deal with stress (insert b-roll). He answers talks about why he continues to do what he does (insert b-roll). John tells about his particular case where he got injured, but will continue to fence in the upcoming tournament anyway (insert b-roll).

Now we catch a plane all the way to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where a national tournament is going to be held. We are introduced to the rather huge venue, where all of the fencers are preparing. At this time, we hear about how John mentally and physically prepares, as we see him warm up before his event.

At last, the fencers are ready to fence, and we see them all dressed up before their bouts begin. We hear from John what it's like to be on the strip, what's going through his head, and what it feels like after a bout. Through the mask, we see his expression on the fencing strip. The two opponents are fencing in slow-motion, but as one of the fencers hits, it cuts back to regular motion. We see a couple of more touches in regular motion.

After the fencing, we see John dressing down as we hear what it means to win or lose to him and how it feels. We zoom out from the fencer and pan to see the entire venue, while the coach says, "And that's what fencing really is." Fin.

"The Victory Over Illiteracy" Short Documentary Review

First of all, the topic of this documentary is really great. A man who couldn't read until he was 26 is now a public figure. This shows that the character they are talking about is important because he can be an inspiration for people who are having hard times in school, which viewers can really appreciate and look up to. His voice is also very strong and he seems to have a very powerful presence.

The titles were also a very clever addition, but they were unnecessary sometimes, such as when it said "author", because I already know what an author is.

vs.

However, I did like the break in the interview to add the text about how at 26 he attempted to achieve the "seemingly impossible" because it reminds me of some of the good reality shows I watch. Essentially, it just looked very polished to me.


I also like the split screens because it's just a neat little effect to spice up the b-roll. In reference to cinematography, the shots were very nice because there was variety. The were the typical medium shots using the rule of thirds,

as well as some panning wide shots of his workplace that made the scenes interesting. The little news clipping was a good because it shows his effect on the community.

What I didn't understand was the significance or relevance of being a barber. I first saw this in the title sequence when there were a bunch of different haircuts, and I got really confused.

If it's just another aspect of his life that is important to him, it can be mentioned, but I don't think it's important enough to be spend so much time on. The title says "The Victory Over Illiteracy", so it's important not to stray from that focus. Also, I wish there was a more detailed account of that victory over illiteracy.

The different interviews of people were good because we can see how other people see him and their opinions of his books. One thing that can be improved is Anthony's interview because we see a lot of him just talking to the camera. In other words, more b-roll would be interesting.

The choice of music was very nice, especially in the title sequence, because it can be interpreted as the type of songs Anthony grew up with. It also adds a refreshing and catchy beat throughout the film. I repeatedly heard the interviewer making sounds of approval or understanding, which became distracting. Otherwise, the audio from the interviews was very good.

Overall, the I had no trouble losing interest because of the good b-roll, even though it was lacking sometimes, and I really enjoyed learning about someone with such a hopeless situation who turned it upside down completely. I'd give it 3.8/5 stars.

Baraka Film Review

Today I watched the film "Baraka" in film class. I love the title, meaning "breath" or "essence" in Persian Sufi, because the audience can immediately realize that this film will, in many cases, be about a different culture. The meaning of "Baraka" is especially important in summing up the film in one word because it is breath is an everyday thing for living creatures, much like what we see in the film are things happening everyday. The term "essence" is also a good summing word because it is the essence of life on Earth. We can't actually be in all of these places. For the viewer it isn't currently a tangible thing, but we can get a taste of what it's like.

This is also done by the lack of narration or text. Anyone, anywhere in the world, can watch this and understand it. It can open up the otherwise hidden or unacknowledged cultures of the world to others so that it creates an outstanding unity among the viewers. It is a universal film.

The best way I can explain what I think of this film by saying it is absolutely stunning. The shots are all "a day in the life of..." kinds of things, at least glimpses of their lives, or just views of nature in action. What makes it so great is foremost the cinematography. It is shown from all types of angles, from a close-up of a monkey to an aerial view of a giant flock of birds. I like the time lapse shots because it isn't as though I am seeing the same shot over and over again. Each one is different and from a different view, so it is much more captivating. I like the lighting especially in these shots because it isn't one moment in time, it is different views as the earth rotates around the sun, which creates a really cool effect of the sun on the landscape. This is seen when the sun creates the orange glow under the archway, which looks really interesting against the blue sky.

Also, it isn't shot in the same place. It is evident that much effort was made in the filming process because not only were there some extremely professional shots, but they were shot in so many locations at all times of day. In addition, just the plain medium shots or close-ups of the people from those countries can tell a lot about that kind of culture or just those specific people because of the dress and makeup.

The lack of narrative structure is also what makes it so great. With a story, there is a limit of locations that the actor goes to. It can't just be about someone going all over the world and seeing these sights because the actor would be insignificant, but not having a plot gives endless possibilities of the locations and types of shots. If there had to be a story in this film, however, I think it is a story of the world.

What is really great about the editing is that the audience is constantly being moved around the world. Showing the Jews and then the worshippers in Turkey makes the audience think and compare so that it isn't just a stack of meaningless movie clips. It shows very contrasting images so the audience can understand the extreme diversity in lifestyles that some people may not be aware of.

The music really stands out to me because it cultural music outside of what Americans tend to listen to. It's a refreshing change that, for the most part, contributes to a peacefulness of the cinematography. In the scenes representing poverty, the music is very sad, but I still enjoy the cultural aspect it brings. And how can anyone dislike those bagpipes? I just love the authenticity.

I interpret "Baraka" as informative as well as inspiring. In some areas we get a modern look at the world, but, because a lot of it includes nature, the vision may also be that if we, the world's people, don't do something to protect this wildlife and culture, it will all be lost. It also gives an important look at how some people are living in the world. It really opened my eyes to a lot of and financial and economic issues people everywhere struggle with, as well as some of the practices going on behind closed doors that I never knew existed or never really witnessed. This is in reference to the chicks and caged chickens as well as cutting down the trees. The main reaction this film triggers is how I feel as though if the world continues the way the modern world is, without any real attention to concerns about nature and its creatures, all we will have left of the world outside cities and my own life is this film. It encourages me to want to go see all of these places and people, but I don't want to be within the last generation to see it.

When we see the city-like areas, we see that it is crowded and dirty. There are homeless people, prostitutes, and inhumane practices. Some people just try to ignore these problems, but they are always there for a lot of people. It creates less colorful,and more dismal scenes, but at least it is honest.

When looking at nature and the cultures living in it, on the other hand, it all looks very clean and vibrant. All of the problems of a modern city life seem to drift away because of the natural beauty that has yet to be polluted by the toxic air of the future. These are the shots that I think make people want to strive to preserve it.

Also, when looking at the time-lapse of the synchronized traffic, it looks very routine and organized, which differs from the serenity and explorative potential of nature. This definitely adds a lot of contrast to the film.

In addition, many of the city shots are really depressing to look at because of the amount of those in poverty. This is scene especially when the (I believe they are) Indians are looking for food and anything useful in the dump, which really adds to the concept that there are lot of people out there whose lives are centered around just surviving.

Another contrasting part of the film is in Asia when the man with the beige hat is walking down the street. The passerby look at him as though it is a rare or strange sight. We also see what looks like hundreds of women working in a cigarette factory. This especially caught my attention because even within the same place there is diversity in culture. They are both in big cities in Asia, but one man is in traditional, perhaps religious dress, while the women are busy at their jobs. Two completely different lifestyles can be found among the same ethnic group of people.

The reason we watched "Baraka", for the sake of film, is because of it's amazing camera angles, it's interesting choice in music, and its ability to create irony with a purpose through images. On a more "audience" level, we watched it because it shows the type of world we're living in. A lot of the scenes in that movie were parts of the world or happenings in the world that I was completely unaware of, so it is really astonishing.

One way I can imagine someone would be drawn to creating a film like this is by traveling a lot, seeing the sights, and wanting to capture them forever. Also, it may have arisen from someone who has never been anywhere special, but they feel the need to break their cycle by seeing the world.

Overall, "Baraka" is a cultural and global masterpiece.