revising the unit - exam requirements, spectatorship & documentary

Interview with Albert Maysles Discussing Grey Gardens

Youtube Video analysing some of the creative choices in The Imposter and how it manipulates the spectator

Bart Layton discussing The Imposter

Wednesday 11 March - HOMEWORK

Please ensure you complete the following by next Wednesday 18th March. You will need to bring all your worksheets and materials to lesson with you. 

1. Look through the blog and pick 2 articles, critiques or responses from message boards and fill out the spectator response grids for both articles (you can do more if you wish!)

2. Look through your notes for task 1 above and complete the 'responses summary' worksheet where you need to list all the negative responses and all the positive responses to the film. Then answer the questions on the 2nd page.

3. Analyse 3 key sequences. You must analyse:

1. the first 10 minutes (00.00-10.08mins)
2. the last sequence from 1.21.20 - the end
3. any sequence of your choice no longer than 2 minutes

For each of these sequences you must complete the micro-analysis grid and then the more detailed response analysis grid.

All materials required are posted to the blog and were handed out in today's lesson

TO BE HANDED IN 

WEDNESDAY 18TH MARCH

Notice the homework completion date is noted twice in this post - PLEASE DO NOT FORGET

Grey Gardens - Albert Maysles discussing his approach as a documentary film maker

Grey Gardens - Fan based material

Grey Gardens is hugely popular and has created a cult following. 

It has also lead to a TV series (the Beales of Grey Gardens) a new HBO series and a film with Drew Barrymore and Jessica Lange.

There are many homages and fan based material with a dedicated facebook page, tumblr accounts, fan websites, surveys, a wikipedia page and youtube mash ups.

have a look through some of the fan created material below - what does it tell us about the appeal and popularity of the film for spectators...


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grey_Gardens

http://greygardensonline.com

https://www.tumblr.com/tagged/grey-gardens

http://www.fanpop.com/clubs/grey-gardens

http://www.mygreygardens.com/links.html

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Grey-Gardens-Online/129498377137195

Grey Gardens - Spectator Responses - Exploration or Exploitation

One of the key debates surrounding the documentary Grey Gardens is whether or not it exploits the characters Big and Little Edie.  

You will have your own opinion on the matter (I hope) but read through the response below to see how their views compare with your own. 

Grey Gardens - Exploration or Exploitation

Grey Gardens - Spectator Responses - Different Spectator Groups

Grey Gardens is considered to have created such debate and response among groups of people because it's content and characters engage the spectator with issues around social class, feminism and patriarchy and questions around conformity - what is normal and what isn't?

The critiques and reviews below considers how and why different social groups might respond differently to the film. Read them through and then think about your own spectator reaction - does your personal response to the film compare or contrast and if so, why might this be?

From the book American Film Directors - Albert Maysles

read this article by clicking on the link below...

Click on this link to read a review about the appeal of the film to the Gay Community by Slate Magazine 

Grey Gardens - analysing spectator responses - worksheets

grey gardens - personal response.docx by candifilmstudies

grey gardens - spectator responses reading frame.docx by candifilmstudies

grey gardens - spectator response feedback grid.docx by candifilmstudies

Grey Gardens - Spectator Response - Film Critics Reviews

Click on the links below to read two reviews by New York film critics. 

Do you think their response will be negative or positive...will they focus on the characters, the topics covered or the documentary film making style...?

Roger Ebert Review

New York Times Review

case study film 2 - Grey Gardens - Spectatorship Issues & Documentary styles - Direct Cinema

Extract below from 

Jeffrey Geiger "Uncontrolled" Situations: Direct Cinema, American Documentary Film pp179-180

Extract below from: 

Joe McElhaney: Contemporary Film Directors - Albert Maysles

Case Study Film 2 - Grey Gardens - Spectator Responses - Public responses on Message Boards

Find some of the responses to Grey Gardens from reviews posted on messages boards from www.rottentomatoes.com

audience responses - click on this link

Case Study Film 2 - Grey Gardens (David & Albert Maysles 1975)

Case Study Film 1 - The Imposter Interviews with Director - positioning the spectator and constructing ' truth'

Case Study Film 1 - The Imposter - Spectator Responses

Case Study film 1 - The Imposter

Click on Link to View The Imposter on Youtube

Analysis of Documentaries

Nightmail - Grierson 1936

 



 Man with a Movie Camera - Vertov 1929




Hospital - Wiseman 1969

Bill Nichols' - 6 Modes of Documentary

TASK:

1. Watch each of the clips below and identify which of Nichols' documentary 'modes' they belong to.

2. As you watch each one, fill out the grid

3. Complete the 'personal response' section at the end




Supersize Me, Morgan Spurlock 2004

click on the link below: Supersize Me Extract

The Leader, His Driver and the Driver's Wife - Nick Broomfield 1991



Koyaanisqatsi, Reggio 1982


Coal Face, Cavalcanti 1935



Man with a Movie Camera, Vertov 1929

 Salesman, Maysles 1969

 

Introduction to Unit

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