3 minute wonder
A 3 minute wonder is a short Channel 4 programme which usually features first time directors content during prime time. This offers first time directors a chance to air their work to a large audience, and perhaps give them the opportunity to break through to the competitive film industry. A 3 minute wonder usually focuses on a factual topic. This could focus on anything from religion to life of death row. However it will usually focus on a particular persons point of view, usually people who are experienced in the topic being focused on. Channel 4 offers the creators of the films £4000 and their assistance in making the short and air them at 7:55. Most of these shorts are documentaries that focus on a particular issue that isn't yet in the public eye.
1- Heavy Addiction:
This short looks at the reality of body building and asks the question of whether it is just a hobbie, or an addiction. The documentary is set in a gym and interviews some of the passionate body builders that attend.
I like this documentary as it uses a variety of camera angles and shot types that are edited well allowing me as the audience to watch it with ease. We learn how people who have first hand experience with body building see the activity through interviews and how they see them selves. We learn that most consider it an addiction as they all become obsessed with becoming bigger and stronger. Many also consider themselves to suffer from body dis-morphia, not being able to see the progress they make only further encouraging them to continue the practice. I think this documentary extracts and provides a lot of information in a short amount of time. We also here it from both male and female perspectives who both agree on the reason why they started and why they continue.
The mode used here is the expository one, using interviews with people who have first hand experience with the topic that is being focused on, to relay the information extracted to the audience.
Beneath my skin:
This short looks at the experiences one women has had with tattoos. The women is a tattoo fanatic and begins to tell us of her first tattoo and that at first she liked it but over time realised it wasn't how she wanted it so covered it up with other tattoos. She also speaks of a particular tattoo that has the most meaning to her places on her chest. I like this 3 minute wonder because of how it's shot. The variety of shots used as well as the accompanying music really hold the attention the audience. The shots are very stylized fitting of the performative mode the documentary utilizes. She also tells us of how she believes he tattoos are records of her life experiences, as well as feeling that her love of tattoos is an addiction. She tells us of how she became a tattoo artist by getting a helping hand from a friend of a friend who allowed her to practice tattooing and eventually found a tattooing apprenticeship. The main reason I liked this 3 minute wonder was because of the way it was shot, the stylised shots again part of the performative mode helped captured my attention and made me more interested in the topic being focused on.
The last supper:
This documentary focuses on a death row inmate awaiting execution, Robert Garza. The documentary focuses on how he feels about his situation. He tells us of how he believes his incarceration and sentence to have a greater toll on his family than him self. The film maker asks Garza what he thinks about the custom of the last supper, the meal death row inmates can request before their execution. Garza said that he would't understand how anyone would be able eat in such circumstances, and that the whole custom is a snub at whomever's last meal it is. I like this 3 minute wonder as there aren't many cuts or transitions giving the short an authentic feel as we listen to the subjects thoughts. The mode of the 3 minute wonder would probably be a cross between the performative and expository modes. This is because the shots used are quite dramatic shots used and expository because of the interviewing method used to show the information to the audience.
Sources:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3_Minute_Wonder
1- Heavy Addiction:
This short looks at the reality of body building and asks the question of whether it is just a hobbie, or an addiction. The documentary is set in a gym and interviews some of the passionate body builders that attend.
I like this documentary as it uses a variety of camera angles and shot types that are edited well allowing me as the audience to watch it with ease. We learn how people who have first hand experience with body building see the activity through interviews and how they see them selves. We learn that most consider it an addiction as they all become obsessed with becoming bigger and stronger. Many also consider themselves to suffer from body dis-morphia, not being able to see the progress they make only further encouraging them to continue the practice. I think this documentary extracts and provides a lot of information in a short amount of time. We also here it from both male and female perspectives who both agree on the reason why they started and why they continue.
The mode used here is the expository one, using interviews with people who have first hand experience with the topic that is being focused on, to relay the information extracted to the audience.
Beneath my skin:
This short looks at the experiences one women has had with tattoos. The women is a tattoo fanatic and begins to tell us of her first tattoo and that at first she liked it but over time realised it wasn't how she wanted it so covered it up with other tattoos. She also speaks of a particular tattoo that has the most meaning to her places on her chest. I like this 3 minute wonder because of how it's shot. The variety of shots used as well as the accompanying music really hold the attention the audience. The shots are very stylized fitting of the performative mode the documentary utilizes. She also tells us of how she believes he tattoos are records of her life experiences, as well as feeling that her love of tattoos is an addiction. She tells us of how she became a tattoo artist by getting a helping hand from a friend of a friend who allowed her to practice tattooing and eventually found a tattooing apprenticeship. The main reason I liked this 3 minute wonder was because of the way it was shot, the stylised shots again part of the performative mode helped captured my attention and made me more interested in the topic being focused on.
The last supper:
This documentary focuses on a death row inmate awaiting execution, Robert Garza. The documentary focuses on how he feels about his situation. He tells us of how he believes his incarceration and sentence to have a greater toll on his family than him self. The film maker asks Garza what he thinks about the custom of the last supper, the meal death row inmates can request before their execution. Garza said that he would't understand how anyone would be able eat in such circumstances, and that the whole custom is a snub at whomever's last meal it is. I like this 3 minute wonder as there aren't many cuts or transitions giving the short an authentic feel as we listen to the subjects thoughts. The mode of the 3 minute wonder would probably be a cross between the performative and expository modes. This is because the shots used are quite dramatic shots used and expository because of the interviewing method used to show the information to the audience.
Sources:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3_Minute_Wonder
Adam,
ReplyDeleteGood research, although you could do with a link to the source of information for the introduction.
Ellie