Weekly Journey - March of the Penguins

Introduction

I had learned about the documentary film in this week. The documentary film that I watched is “March of the Penguins”. This film is directed by Luc Jacquet and released in the year 2005. I will discuss the documentary film theory as the following.

Theory Discussion

There are 3 assumptions for the audience to think of what is documentaries. First and foremost, films events are not staged, thus providing an authentic look. Mise-en-scene is particularly put together like fiction films. Next, documentaries are not a fiction film, thus they depict not imaginary but real events. Film fiction provides imaginative impression while documentaries are very truthful. Furthermore, documentaries filmmakers are assumed to observe the events and make the objective record of the events. However, the above-mentioned assumptions are criticized heavily in recent times. Due to the selection of techniques, equipment, footage, angles, and other technical decisions are of the filmmaker’s, thus making the documentary loses its objective appeal. However, being objective is too harsh a standard to look at the documentary. Hence, the way to approach documentary is being better to have documentary “shape” events, instead of “manipulate” the events. For instance, the fiction filmmakers manipulate film techniques for narrative films. As proposed by Bill Nichols, we should look at the documentaries via the particular techniques selected by filmmakers when they record or shape the events as the way they represent the documentary. To represent the documentary, Nichols suggested 6 modes of representation which are poetic, expository, observational, interactive, reflexive, performative.

Poetic: It began in modernism era, it is a way of representing reality via series of fragmented visuals and subjective impressions, incoherent acts, and loose association. This mode breaks up time and space into multi perspectives, denying the coherence and accepting the unconscious, this mode stresses on fragmentation and choose ambiguity as the prominent features.

Expository: Films of this mode address audience directly, providing visible information in the imagery and unseen information in the voiceover. A classic mode and is now common in TV documentaries. The overall effect of this mode is objectivity, a direct and transparent representation.

Observational: Films of this mode observe and record as the events unfold in real time, resulting in long takes and sound is recorded directly, establishing an intimate relationship with and a sense of the environment without manipulating and distorting the event, thus they're no dramatic or unusual moments; making films of this mode significantly known as direct cinema. The overall effect is a neutral and non-judgmental appeal.

Interactive: Films of this mode allow the filmmaker’s presence to be felt by the audience via interviews, posing questions on/off screen as a mediator for interviewees and audience. His power over the documentary is clearly shown, via questions posed as well as editing. The overall effect of this mode exposes the process by which the documentary is made, instead of hiding it like the previous modes. Objectivity is very much restrained.

Reflexive: Films of this mode focuses on film properties and filmmaking process, reminding and informing the audience, besides the represented issue, that they are also watching a film that is attempting to represent reality. The overall effect of this mode is lack of objectivity which does not necessarily compromise the impact of the documentary but instead, provides more valuable views of the issue at hand.

Performative: Films of this mode evoke mood/atmosphere found in fiction films, representing of subject matter stylistically, evocative and expressively. The overall effect of this mode is lack of objectivity, aimed at encouraging the audience to experience and feel the events while making the audience question the integrity and accuracy of the filmed events.

Synopsis

This week, I had watched “March of the Penguin” as my documentary film. This documentary is talking about the emperor penguin overcome the hardship of its life. This documentary tells the story of one year in the life of penguins In Antarctic. The emperor penguins will have the mating ritual at the traditional breeding ground when South Pole journey. The documentary talks about the Penguins from birth to death, from dating to mating and from love to fighting for survival for their whole life.

Analysis

Expository is one of the six modes of representation. “March of Penguins” has presented Expository mode. In this film, it addresses the audience directly and provides visible information in the imagery. This mode has provided objectivity, a direct and transparent in this film. In the beginning of the film, the voice can be heard the imagery of the film. Voice-of-god has adopted in the beginning. The voice described the imagery of the film.

Besides, the film also recorded the reality of the penguins’ life. For example, the predator flew over and hunted the small penguin. Furthermore, the Penguin's mother goes to find food for its baby under water, a leopard seal came out and hunt it. This scene has been shot. In addition, the scene has been shot is the Penguins should survive in a cold blast. The father should protect the small penguin to prevent getting cold and dead. The scenes that I discussed above can make the film look more authentic to the audience.

Conclusion

To me, I like this kind of film. The reason is this documentary film can make the audience to see something that is real. Besides, this film directly gives the information about the life cycle of the penguins. The audience can learn the general knowledge in documentary film.