what i see

To do this blog assignment I choose to watch “No End in Sight,” a documentary about the invasion of Iraq. The technical choices in this film are incredibly consistent and do a lot to reflect overall themes. When video footage is shown of Iraq is often archive footage that was taken from handled cameras held by citizens of Iraq and not journalists. This adds to the feeling of chaos. In addition the footage usually starts with a split screen of two different film strips, showing the same type of action which gives the viewer a feeling that what is happening in the footage went on all around Iraq at the time and thus are not shoots of isolated events. This type of footage is also shown throughout many of the press conferences that are incorporated in the film, in which top members of the administration at the time are saying that such chaos is isolated or grossly exaggerated. The footage works to directly contradict this and is an example of the filmmaker’s tendency to show the viewer, rather then say it through narration, adding to the film’s effectiveness. Interviews also work to contradict these prevalent press conferences. These interviews are shot with low light and the subjects are often lighted in such a way that half their face is in darkness. This gives the effect of the interviews looking like they are from behind closed doors. The interviews with Iraqis are shot with the subjects being completely silhouetted and it is not to hide their identity because their names and origins are given in text. It works to reflect an overall theme in the movie that the Iraqi people really did not have much of a face while the invasion was occurring or thereafter and as a result little attention was placed on securing the safety and wellbeing of the Iraqi people. The most interesting footage in this film is when parts of interviews from different subjects are pieced together to create a debate between the two subjects; they are not directly talking to one another but are contradicting or opposing each others views on an issue. This characteristic of the film add authenticity to the points that are trying to be conveyed throughout and also gives you an idea of the conversations that should have happened long before an invasion but because of a communications break down this did not occur.