Response to Francis Alys film, Reel/Unreel
This was a very unique film. Although it was 20 minutes long with basically no dialogue, Francis Alys kept it interesting as he made a large variety of shots of the action of the wheel and film tape moving. Furthermore, it was set in Afghanistan which is an area where many people are not shown, so having these variety of shots really expressed the landscape and culture of Afghanistan to the viewer. Wide shots helped show the landscape, but closer shots really showed more intimate details of life there. For example, close shots of random civilians doing random everyday actions were shown as the wheel moved through the city. It gives the viewer an idea of the variety of clothes they wear, what they are trying to accomplish, and how they socialize. Furthermore, shots both wide and close captured different audio of the city, such as background dialogue, cars beeping and moving, footsteps, the sound of the wheel moving, the film tape dragging, and more. Some of the audio felt staged, such as when the two kids progressed up the large hill during the end of the film. But this staged audio had a good effect on the film, as it gave me the feeling the film was coming to its climax, which fit well when the kids reached the top of the hill and lost one of their wheels.
Alys has a strong use of storyboarding, as many shots such as the scene with the truck picking the kid up at 13:27 required a staged illusion of continuity. It required many different shots from multiple angles, but still captured the same landscape. Since it captured the same landscape, the motion of the kid trying to catch up with the truck had to be accurate with each shot. Aside from his strong use of continuity illusions, Alys also has a strong use of color. The shots of the red and blue wheels are often captured when there is something red and blue in the background. I am not sure if this is intentional, or if Afghanistan just has a lot of things that are red and blue, but it really makes the film more colorful and entertaining. It really shows how even though the city is tan, grey, and run down, there is still color and life flourishing in the area.
Great overall read of the Alys film. Your analysis of the city of Kabul—what is revealed about it, almost as a by-product of the capturing of the main action—is integral in that it speaks to the multi-faceted and symbolic agenda of the film. Alys has certainly made this film for mostly western audiences, and the visual access he provides the viewer to a day-in-the-life type of representation of the city is one that is almost shocking in and of itself, as we are too often presented with images of violence, or the aftermaths of war, when images of Kabul are aired. The clothing, the busy streets, the roaming animals, the playing children; are just as much a part of this narrative as are the continuous game these particular children are playing. I'm glad to see that you are beginning to associate your observations with your own creative choices.
ReplyDelete