Pockets by James Lees
This was one of my favourite documentaries out of the ones shown. I really liked it's simple nature and the use of subtle music in the background.
The description of the linked video states: "Every object tells a story, revealing more than expected about its owner. From tiny treasures to the downright bizarre, the contents of Pockets provide quick and charming social insight."
Throughout, the question is asked to the public of London, 'what's in your pockets?' (though we do not hear the interviewer. There is a routine throughout the piece where we see two hands 'cupped' together, enclosing what was in their pockets. The use of short depth of field instantly draws the viewers attention to the contents of the subject's hands. I love this shot as it is simple yet effective with Lees' use of camera techniques, such as taking it from above.
There are numerous shots in which it is the interviewee just looking into the camera lens. These often close-ups (sometimes extreme) present us with looking directly at the subject as we learn about one story/piece of their life.
When speaking of what is in their pockets, a voice-over is usually layered on top of the image of hands, and this demonstrates a clear narrative as we view their talking point.
I would like to use the technique of viewing the person once they have already spoken in my own documentary as i feel that it adds a feeling of curiosity by the audience.
Skateistan - To Live and Skate Kabul
This Documentary is also short and simple and introduces a unique angle on which is to many people, and unknown environment. We get to know two people in particular as we view their every-day surroundings in Kabul and learn their thoughts and feelings on subjects such as war, family, home and the neighbourhood. The issue of war is put into greater context as we see see the boys sitting on its ruins as they sit on an abandoned tank.
There are numerous shots that are static and structured as we see the action come into the frame as apposed to the camera following the action. An example of this would be as a skateboard would roll into shot.
The sound in this piece is overly constructed as I feel that it would tend to target a specific audience.
The dynamic range of lighting in this short documentary is beautiful as much of it must have been shot in early morning or evening in order to capture that 'magic hour' of light. The clothing that the 'characters' wear demonstrates their cultural differences.
Erics Secrets by Lucia Ashmore
Erics Secrets demonstrates a series of simple compositions with a unique style that offers quite a laid- back approach. The film begins quite funny as we hear Eric state "I must always have gin". As the film evolves, we hear more and more of his life as he speaks to the viewer and looks directly into the camera's lens. We see the humorous and elderly man as he pours tea and sits in his arm chair.
A light and high pitched track is used quite discreetly in the background that adds to the simplicity of the piece. I like the use of archive photos throughout - some in which are displayed upon his mantlepiece. This makes the film more personal and drew me in as a viewer into Eric's life. The compositions of the subject are not typical of a documentary (usually known for the interviewee to be in mid close up off centre), yet are quite the opposite, some with him in the bottom third of the shot. I think that Ashmore chose this structure to allow the audience to view the homely atmospheric qualities of Eric's house and understand how he lives. We also begin to understand as the film progresses, that Eric's wife has passed away, through the connotations of the empty house.
Towards the end of the piece, despite the subject 'holding it together' it remains to become emotional. This is enforced as Eric states "she died in my arms".
I like the constant themes of family values that run throughout the film, depicted through the use of original photos, panning shots of his house and him looking comfortable. I also like the way in which Ashmore has achieved a unique style in this documentary, as despite only using few different varieties of shots, it flows well and displays the intended message, of what I think is reflection, to the audience and makes them wonder how their life will be as they grow to his age.
Lift by Marc Isaacs
The film begins with establishing shots of a lift as we see it from a variety of interesting angles, such as within the actual mechanics as well as the buildings outside exterior.
This piece is relatively comedic as it demonstrates different people as they make their way in and out of a simple lift. We see what is almost 'behind the scenes' footage as the people acknowledge to camera man. This becomes more and more prominent throughout the film as they get to know him and talk to him a lot more.
A shot of a fly on the wall is used. This could have been applied as a juxtaposition between what the directors take on the piece could have been, to the chosen style of incorporating the camera man into the piece. One woman even states "What motivates you to want to stand in a lift for 10 hours a day?". The camera man doesn't reply.
We see people smoking in the lift, drunk after a night out, with their child or simply stood in silence. It represents the varying society we have today.
The enclosed space is highlighted through also having the camera close to the 'action'. Dull tones are used to highlight the uninspiring location of a lift, yet the film's quirky style is accentuated with the camera man's witty dialogue. For example, he begins to ask the people completely irrelevant questions such as "what did you dream about last night" and "what's the best memory from your childhood". These often provide us with comedic answers that made me laugh.
I think that this documentary has been created with quite a raw approach, this being due to it being no secret that there is a man in the residents' lift. This is demonstrated through a single shot of the camera looking directly into the camera with nothing else surrounding it, reinforcing the idea to the viewer that it is in fact just a film. I like an element in the piece where we see a shot of a chair stood in the corner of the lift, then we see a woman say to the camera man "I see they gave you a chair". This adds to my previous point and adds to the films witty nature.
We see the same 'characters' returning throughout the film, piecing together their individual stories. The only sound used is diegetic and I like this simple aspect of the piece.
I would like to take away some aspects of each of these films. I like the compositions used within 'Skateistan - To Live and Skate Kabul', the humour in 'Lift', the story concept of 'Erics Secrets' and the simplistic idea behind 'Pockets'.
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