Tuesday, 17 December 2019
Cameraperson Extra Credit
Kirsten Johnson’s film Cameraperson is a film that connects different settings at different times. It is similar to a travelogue, which brings us to a plethora of locations. Such as a maternity hospital in Nigeria, Yemen’s Sana’a detention center, Afghanistan, a Muslim family’s farm in Bosnia, Darfur, a Texas courtroom, Guantánamo Bay and Manhattan’s Ground Zero.
At first, these numerous scenes seem connected by only the photographer, who’s occasionally heard in the background discussing her various camera setups, focal points, and movements with the directors. Although Johnson only appears on-screen during two late passages, her presence is felt throughout “Cameraperson,” thanks in large part to the way she cannily assembles her material to raise a number of thematic inquiries that — due to the fact that they repeat throughout her projects — resonate as highly personal.
One question that Kirsten Johnson explores is "I ask for trust, cooperation, and permission without knowing where the filming experience will lead the subject." For instance, during a scene, a Bosnian toddler is playing with, and then wrestling away from his older brother, an ax. As the child’s hands reach perilously close to the instrument’s blade, Johnson can be heard saying a concerned “Oh Jesus!” However, the fact that she doesn’t interfere with the actions that are happening — instead opting to simply record whatever transpires, good or bad — which results in an example of how filmmakers balance the thin line between compassionately recounting others’ tales, and actually doing something to improve their subjects' situations.
Wednesday, 11 December 2019
Extra Credit: Cameraperson
Kirsten Johnson’s film Cameraperson is a fascinating film that captures specific things at specific moments in time. Johnson captures certain subjects and certain settings that tell a story. Two questions that Johnson’s work explores are:
I ask for trust, cooperation and permission without knowing where the filming experience will lead the subject.
My work requires trust, demands intimacy and entails total attention. To both me and the people I film, our relationship often feels like a friendship or family connection, but it is something different.
Both of these are exhibited throughout the film.
For example, in one scene, she filmed Najibullah Afghan, a boy who has survived a plethora of trauma in his life. Earlier in the film, Afghan discussed his sight disability relatively easily. Then, Johnson asked more personal questions and Afghan struggled to recount the story of what happened to his brother. Johnson did not know how Afghan would react but she acted off of the trust that she built with him and the intimacy that was in the moment. Also, even though she did not understand the language, she worked with the translator and Afghan (she could have just asked him to speak in English but she wanted him to speak in his native language). In terms of forming a connection, she did not push Afghan too far to say more. She understood that his eye was hurting and that it was hurting just to tell his story of his brother’s death. In addition, she sympathized with him, stating that she “feels like crying even though I (she) did not understand the language.”
Another instance of these questions Johnson has is when she filmed Kathy Leichter, a woman from Westport, New York, who struggled to clean up her mother’s house after her mother’s suicide. At first, the scene was mainly calm although it was clear that Leichter was a little emotional and frustrated partly because her mother seemed to be a hoarder. However, things did not become intense until Johnson asked Leichter to share what else she was “sick of” or upset with. This resulted in Leichter becoming more emotional as she tossed objects across the room and shared what else she was sick of. Johnson did not expect this to happen. Regardless, it was a sort of mini-venting and therapeutic exercise for Leichter to release her anger and eventually get back to the work she planned to do (clean the house). In addition, even though Johnson did not know how Leichter would react; if she did not ask Leichter and listen to her, she (Johnson) probably would not have gotten the footage she got. If Johnson just kept talking or being inattentive, Leichter may not have acted in the way that she did. Moreover, in establishing a connection, she let Leichter have her space and reacted calmly. She also shared a smile and a laugh with her.
Overall, both of these questions Johnson poses are ones to consider in the film Cameraperson. Despite any fears, Johnson successfully encouraged people to be on camera and tell their story. Moreover, Johnson’s work clearly requires intimacy and total attention. If Johnson was not paying attention to her subjects, the film would not have compelling interviews or stories. She knew exactly what questions to ask and how to ask them to get satisfying answers. Additionally, Johnson also established a connection with her subjects. She was sympathetic; sharing in her subjects’ emotions or trying to be as encouraging as possible. The film has a perfect name. Of course, it is Johnson’s experiences as a camera person or a filmmaker. However, it goes deeper than that. It shows the challenges that camera people often must face if they want to produce the best content that viewers can react to and that they (camera people) can be proud of.
CameraPerson Xcredit
With Cameraperson, Kirsten Johnshon both raises and answers the question of: The people I film are in immediate and often desperate material need, but I offer little to nothing material. While Kirsten may not have anything of material value to offer the people she films, arguably this might be the better alternative. By not offering the people materials that they may need, she places herself in a position of omniscience, she exists and inhabits the space she’s in, but she does not influence it or impress herself upon it. Allowing for a true perspective into the lives and stories of those and what she shoots.
When Kirsten visited lecture she mentioned that she could have given the young boy with the balloons a toy that she had in her pocket but she chose not too. Her mission when documenting the lives of people is not to change their lives or to assist them, granted it would be a noble thing to do. She is instead ‘documenting’ them, she turns them and their lives into a piece of information or evidence of how these people live. In lieu of offering needed material Kirsten instead offers her viewer evidence that these people exist. A crude way to phrase it but true nonetheless. Kirsten offers these people who might otherwise live their whole lives unnoticed, a medium to be ‘seen’ in.
The same is true for the questions of Kirstens ability to leave the places she films, while the people she films cannot. For one, it would be pointless for her to stay, and in fact backwards to do so. By leaving the site she takes their memories, their stories, and them literally on film with her, and she is able to spread this film as if she is spreading their story. By staying on site she is only occupying their space and impressing herself into this world. Ultimately keeping their story hidden if she was the one who would otherwise share it.
Blog 4 KJ
By Kirsten moving around the auditorium she forced us to track her and follow her movements. Similar to how when on-site with a camera you’ll want to be focused and paying attention to what you’re shooting. Following not just to catch what you’re shooting on camera but to have a sense of relation to the space around you. By moving around Kirsten herself was also becoming more comfortable with the space, by not restricting herself to the front of the auditorium she is familiarizing herself with the room and the students to better develop a sense of entitlement to the area. When shooting on-site you wouldn’t want to be too nervous or ‘shy’ to move around, the more comfortable you are the better shots you’ll get.
Kirsten laid down on the floor similarly to how she had to lay down in Kabul to get the shots of the carrots. Perhaps she was trying to say that when shooting you’ll want to be comfortable moving and positioning your body in certain ways so you can get different angles. It’s also a comment on the patience that cinematography and photography itself require, you may need to spend hours in a certain position just to get one shot. Similarly to how KJ shot the balloons she physically placed herself inside the balloons, literally putting herself inside the space she is shooting.
In Cameraperson KJ can be heard behind the camera discussing shooting other people.she mentions always trying to have a relationship with whoever she is shooting, whether it’s a brief moment of eye contact or a nod that says “you see me shooting you don’t you?” Perhaps when she had us look into each others eyes it was an attempt for us to get over that awkward, uncomfortable, obstacle of being ‘seen’ by another person, especially one you are shooting. You may be nervous at first but at some point maybe you want this person to see you.
Tuesday, 3 December 2019
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)