Analyse how visual techniques are used to develop deeper ideas in a visual text you have studied.
In the film Samson and Delilah the director Warwick Thornton uses the visual techniques of props, cinematograph and make-up to confront audiences, especially Australian audiences with the harsh realities faced by young aborigines.
Thornton uses props to bluntly show the harsh reality of substance abuse and drug addiction faced by many young aborigines. Thornton introduces this idea in the opening scene through the use of a can of petrol. Samson wakes up and the first thing he does is reach down and grab his can of petrol, indicating that is a regular occurrence. Samson, from the very first scene is linked to the petrol can. As the film progresses Samson uses the petrol can more and more and Samson becomes less and less responsive to events around him. Thornton uses this gradual increase in the involvement of the can to confront the audience of Samson’s and young aborigines with their growing dependence and addiction to harmful substances like petrol. Later on in the film Samson’s main goal is to have enough petrol to fulfil his cravings. Samson goes as far as siphoning out petrol from vehicles in order to fill up his can. This indicates to the audience the extent of his addiction and how it affects his priorities. The more and more Samson sniffs the petrol, the less mobile, responsive he becomes. This is Thornton’s way of controversially confronting the audience with a hard to escape downward spiral in which many young aborigines are trapped in. Through Thornton’s us of the petrol can we can see how difficult it can be to escape from addiction and how it affects young aborigines. Australian audiences were targeted in particular to enlighten them on the issue of substance abuse. Thornton is trying to switch the white Australian culture from ignoring the result of the issue to help resolve the issue itself. Through Thornton’s use of the prop of the petrol can the audience is confronted with the reality which many young aborigines are trapped in and forced to endure, substance abuse and addiction.
Thornton uses the visual technique of cinematography to highlight the harsh reality of dislocation that young aborigines feel towards their own culture. After Samson receives a severe beating from members of his own family, he goes on an angry rampage through his village, trying to do as much damage as possible towards other people’s possessions. He then retreats to a nearby hill, outside the village. Thornton uses a point of view shot of Samson’s view over the village to indicate how he has been outcast by his village and in doing so, his own culture. The view is a high angle longshot, which shows the fact that Samson in fact quite a long way out of the village. The physical distance shown by the longshot between Samson and his village indicates that he is outcast, and separated from this village. Discordant violin music is the only sound, emphasizing disharmony and tension from the result of Samson’s actions. Samson then turns and faces the barren Australian outback and Thornton uses another longshot. Samson is sown as a very small figure against the foreboding landscape, highlighting the idea of isolation from his village, and civilisation. He walks in this direction, away from the village and out of view. In doing so he shows that he is not only walking away from the village, but his culture and all that he knows. Thornton uses cinematography to show Samson’s feeling and intentions after being severely beaten. The longshots and Samson’s position in them indicate Samson’s feeling of dislocation from his own culture.
Thornton uses make-up to emphasize the harsh reality of violence faced by many young aborigines. After Delilah is abducted the audience is left unawares of her condition. When Delilah returns, Thornton makes it bluntly obvious what has occurred. She returns to the camera in the darkness of night but in the flickering light of the fire we see her bruised and battered face in the scattered light. Her right eye is shown to be so swollen she cannot open it. Thornton uses a latex covering over the actor’s eye to achieve this swelling. Sodden tissue is inserted beneath this to build up a swollen bruise. Heavy use of blushers and liners shadow her eye, giving the impression of a painful black eye. Stage blood is placed in her mouth to show the extent of her facial injuries. The end result is a face which has clearly been severely and repeatedly beaten intentionally. This makeup communicates to the audience the sheer amount of violence faced by young aborigines in Alice Springs. The way in which Delilah was abducted and her injuries indicate sexual abuse as well. Through Thornton’s makeup to abruptly confront the audience the very real reality of violence which countless young aborigines are forced to endure at Alice Springs. The intended audience of white Australians are brought to shock by the amount of violence shown by Delilah’s face through the use of make-up. Thornton wants to shake them out of ignorance of a serious harsh reality which many young aborigines do have to endure, by revealing the severity of the violence through make-up.
Thornton uses the visual techniques of props, cinematography and make-up to develop deeper ideas about the harsh realities endure by young aborigines. Thornton’s intention of the film was to educate the ignorant Australian population of the plight of young aborigines in Alice Springs. He wants to communicate the hardships and endeavours these young people have to overcome. This story is a personal recollection of Thornton’s life, growing up as an aborigine in the turmoil and chaos of Alice Springs.
Thornton uses props to bluntly show the harsh reality of substance abuse and drug addiction faced by many young aborigines. Thornton introduces this idea in the opening scene through the use of a can of petrol. Samson wakes up and the first thing he does is reach down and grab his can of petrol, indicating that is a regular occurrence. Samson, from the very first scene is linked to the petrol can. As the film progresses Samson uses the petrol can more and more and Samson becomes less and less responsive to events around him. Thornton uses this gradual increase in the involvement of the can to confront the audience of Samson’s and young aborigines with their growing dependence and addiction to harmful substances like petrol. Later on in the film Samson’s main goal is to have enough petrol to fulfil his cravings. Samson goes as far as siphoning out petrol from vehicles in order to fill up his can. This indicates to the audience the extent of his addiction and how it affects his priorities. The more and more Samson sniffs the petrol, the less mobile, responsive he becomes. This is Thornton’s way of controversially confronting the audience with a hard to escape downward spiral in which many young aborigines are trapped in. Through Thornton’s us of the petrol can we can see how difficult it can be to escape from addiction and how it affects young aborigines. Australian audiences were targeted in particular to enlighten them on the issue of substance abuse. Thornton is trying to switch the white Australian culture from ignoring the result of the issue to help resolve the issue itself. Through Thornton’s use of the prop of the petrol can the audience is confronted with the reality which many young aborigines are trapped in and forced to endure, substance abuse and addiction.
Thornton uses the visual technique of cinematography to highlight the harsh reality of dislocation that young aborigines feel towards their own culture. After Samson receives a severe beating from members of his own family, he goes on an angry rampage through his village, trying to do as much damage as possible towards other people’s possessions. He then retreats to a nearby hill, outside the village. Thornton uses a point of view shot of Samson’s view over the village to indicate how he has been outcast by his village and in doing so, his own culture. The view is a high angle longshot, which shows the fact that Samson in fact quite a long way out of the village. The physical distance shown by the longshot between Samson and his village indicates that he is outcast, and separated from this village. Discordant violin music is the only sound, emphasizing disharmony and tension from the result of Samson’s actions. Samson then turns and faces the barren Australian outback and Thornton uses another longshot. Samson is sown as a very small figure against the foreboding landscape, highlighting the idea of isolation from his village, and civilisation. He walks in this direction, away from the village and out of view. In doing so he shows that he is not only walking away from the village, but his culture and all that he knows. Thornton uses cinematography to show Samson’s feeling and intentions after being severely beaten. The longshots and Samson’s position in them indicate Samson’s feeling of dislocation from his own culture.
Thornton uses make-up to emphasize the harsh reality of violence faced by many young aborigines. After Delilah is abducted the audience is left unawares of her condition. When Delilah returns, Thornton makes it bluntly obvious what has occurred. She returns to the camera in the darkness of night but in the flickering light of the fire we see her bruised and battered face in the scattered light. Her right eye is shown to be so swollen she cannot open it. Thornton uses a latex covering over the actor’s eye to achieve this swelling. Sodden tissue is inserted beneath this to build up a swollen bruise. Heavy use of blushers and liners shadow her eye, giving the impression of a painful black eye. Stage blood is placed in her mouth to show the extent of her facial injuries. The end result is a face which has clearly been severely and repeatedly beaten intentionally. This makeup communicates to the audience the sheer amount of violence faced by young aborigines in Alice Springs. The way in which Delilah was abducted and her injuries indicate sexual abuse as well. Through Thornton’s makeup to abruptly confront the audience the very real reality of violence which countless young aborigines are forced to endure at Alice Springs. The intended audience of white Australians are brought to shock by the amount of violence shown by Delilah’s face through the use of make-up. Thornton wants to shake them out of ignorance of a serious harsh reality which many young aborigines do have to endure, by revealing the severity of the violence through make-up.
Thornton uses the visual techniques of props, cinematography and make-up to develop deeper ideas about the harsh realities endure by young aborigines. Thornton’s intention of the film was to educate the ignorant Australian population of the plight of young aborigines in Alice Springs. He wants to communicate the hardships and endeavours these young people have to overcome. This story is a personal recollection of Thornton’s life, growing up as an aborigine in the turmoil and chaos of Alice Springs.
