THA 2304 Week 11 Nonfiction and Realist Aesthetics

“People used to think that the truth should be shot badly. The truth is not guaranteed by natural lighting or handheld camera.” — Errol Morris “The media does dictate our actions and our thoughts.” — Tyra Banks, 2/08/06 1. The Dominance of Narrative Cinema 2. Nonfiction film A. origins – “actualities” B. John Grierson and “the creative treatment of actuality” C. truth claim D. The Aesthetics of Realism / The Aesthetics of Truth i. omniscient voiceover (“voice of God”) ii. direct address to camera iii. on-camera interview iv. textual information on screen (display of facts) v. available (real) mise-en-scene vi. handheld camera vii. deep focus viii. available (natural) lighting ix. limited editing / long take x. existing footage (stock / old footage) xi. real people (non actors) xii. diegetic sound only (or limited nondiegetic)

Assignment

With at least 1200 words of analysis, compare the realist aesthetics of THIS IS SPINAL TAP to those of SHUT UP & SING. Using at least 4 elements from the list provided last week, explore precisely how the films use aesthetics to offer a truth about the world. Why does each film use these specific aesthetics? What truths are offered?