Codes and Modes Conference (in place of MOMI visit) A reflection on the keynote as presented by Brian Winston

Larissa M Rosa

Codes and Modes Conference (in place of MOMI visit)

A reflection on the keynote as presented by Brian Winston

                As a film student with an interest in making documentaries I was very excited to attend these discussions.  This presentation with Brian Winston did not disappoint!  I feel like I walked away with a lot to think about.  One important thing is the ethical relationship between both filmmaker and subject, as well as the filmmaker and the audience.  I learned you must use tact in both cases.  One must keep in mind the audience is jaded and may not need all of the information you have to share.  But also you must develop a relationship with the subject, so they feel comfortable and are able to trust you the filmmaker to present their story to an audience.  However the ethics of filmmaking is always effected by the process of mainstream funding.  In that whoever has the money can effect the filmmaking process.  What may be important to the filmmaker, whatever it is you may want to portray to the audience could be altered - or shut down all together - by the people you need to produce your film.  So the filmmaker must use tact not only working with subject, or creating for audience, but must also fight and let go of some vision in order to get the funds they need to make the film happen.  That is a lot to keep in mind!

                I am kind of iffy on reenactments.  From what I gathered they are okay at times; when done well.  This leads to another  point, what can you trust on film??  NOTHING apparently!!  This point really blew my mind!  You cannot trust the image! You cannot trust what you hear or anything else for that matter.  It is all an illusion put together by the filmmaker.  For example continuity is an illusion!  We already know the two shots of a man walking to a door, then coming through a door were filmed separately and put together to show a man walking through space.  We already know scenes are shot out of order, and often times shots are shot in size order.  For example a conversation can be filmed as one medium shot, then each character in turn can say their lines as close ups that are then cut and put together.  This really opened my mind to other possibilities within film making.  Because the filmmaker can gather all of the information they want, but at the end of the day they are the wizard that will create (or recreate) - in their own way - the place and actions or events surrounding their subject.  This gives the filmmaker infinite power to create anything at all.  This illustrates the freedom held by filmmaker within the oppression.  The filmmaker is stuck in a box of ethically dealing with subject and audience, and must be ready to sacrifice some vision in order for the work to be funded and seen by a larger audience.  However while working within these constraints the filmmaker is free to explore and portray the events and people as he/she sees fit; there is great power in this notion.