Presentation 3: Language and Style

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Presentation 3 Language and Style
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Technical/cultural codes

• What are the principal elements of documentary
• discourse? (Corner, 1996)
• Image modes observation (minimal intervention
  with profilmic event) interaction (coding
  through mise-en-scène, composition, shot type,
  framing, editing ) illustration (supporting
  verbal discourse) association (juxtaposition of
  images)
• Speech modes overheard exchange testimony
  voiceover to-camera address.
• plus
• Sound modes expressive/commentative/illustrative
  use of sound/music

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Anchorage

• How do images and sound interact?
• Expressive is the sound and/or mise-en-scene
  expressive of the action? e.g. reflecting the
  inner states of the characters
• Commentative does the sound and/or mise-en-scene
  comment on the action? e.g. ironic
  comments/music, distanciation
• Illustrative images may be used to illustrate
  the argument in the voiceover

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Language features (1)

• Maps and graphics identify the fattest cities and
  states in the US.
• Statistics tell the audience that two thirds of
  American adults are either overweight or obese
  and almost forty percent of teenagers have too
  much fat in their bodies.
• Interviews with health officials, doctors and
  school administrators reveal alarming trends and
  also function as a dynamic counterpoint to the
  rapid deterioration in Spurlocks physical
  condition.
• Jump cuts help speed up interviews and maintain
  the documentarys fast pace.
• There is a funny and informative animated
  sequence about chicken nuggets.

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Language features (2)

• Music complements the images (eg. Fat Bottomed
  Girls by Queen is played over images of fat
  Americans), or is used to counterpoint them (eg.
  the Blue Danube Waltz is played over footage of
  surgeons performing a gastric bypass).
• Super Size Me, the song, was cowritten by
  Spurlock and mocks the jargon associated with
  fast food.
• Footage of Ronald McDonald rocking with children
  to the tune of Curtis Mayfields Pusherman
  reinforces the way McDonalds marketing targets
  children.
• Frequent shots of big bottoms and large
  McDonalds workers reinforce the message that
  obesity is at epidemic rates in the US.

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Language features (3)

• Still photographs used in a who do you know?
  competition for children illustrate the
  effectiveness of McDonalds marketing they are
  more familiar with Ronald McDonald than Jesus.
• Shots of vomiting and a close-up of a black hair
  found in McDonalds yoghurt evoke strong
  responses from the audience and provide memorable
  images.
• Fly-on-the-wall footage of a school kitchen shows
  the vast amounts of processed foods used in
  schools.
• Internal body footage of a gastric by-pass
  operation emphasizes the obesity problem in
  America.
• Documents back up the films messages, eg.
  transcripts from a court case.

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Language features (4)

• Repeated shots of the McDonalds arches makes
  them seem ubiquitous.
• Unanswered phone calls to McDonalds demonstrate
  the companys refusal to acknowledge Spurlocks
  concerns.
• Titles announce different chapters of the
  documentary.
• Low-angle close-ups with a handheld camera make
  the film feel personal and immediate (eg. in the
  car with Spurlock).
• Video diary of Spurlock describing how he feels
  gives a personal touch and works as a continuity
  device that links all the sequences together in
  the film.
• Quick, sharp editing of the many images, graphics
  and interviews gives the film its fast pace.

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Language features - activities

• Which techniques used in the film are most
  effective in highlighting Spurlock's views? (Give
  reasons for your answers)
• How do camera angles, lighting, music,
  narration, and editing contribute to creating an
  atmosphere in the film?
• How do you think Spurlock wanted the audience to
  respond? (Explain why you think this)

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Language

• Write a one-page language analysis of Supersize
  Me, focusing on the key areas of language
• - Signs and codes used. What are their
  denotations/connotations?
• - Motivation (reasons) for using signs/codes
• - Polysemy and anchorage
• - Ideologies and myths explored in the film
• - Conventions on documentary used