The documentary "We Walk Together: a Syrian refugee family's journey to the heart of Europe" by The Guardian follows a group of refugees on their trip from Budapest to Munich. Through the application of different aspects of cinematography, editing and sound, the filmmakers achieve to generate sympathy and compassion for the refugees. The main aim of the report then is to create a realistic impression and to immerse the viewer.
Because the film crew walks among the group, many shots are filmed with a hand-held camera. Although the viewer never sees the people behind the camera, one is still aware of their presence, because they regularly interact with the refugees (The Guardian, 2015, 15:44). This blurs the line between onscreen and offscreen …show more content…
In addition, most conducted interviews are taken in the moment; the camera is positioned next to them while they continue walking (The Guardian, 2015, 2:48). This creates the impression that the production team and therefore also the viewer indeed "walk together" with the refugees.
Considering that they filmed with a hand-held camera, the mobile frame is often handled instinctively. Nonetheless, it can also create further sympathy, for example when the viewer is introduced to a refugee walking on crutches, a tilt first shows his legs and then moves upwards (The Guardian, 2015, 2:09). This way his injury is further emphasized and shows the determination and need of the refugees to leave their …show more content…
Thus, it increases the authenticity of the report. All interviews are conducted in the moment and not separately, so that it appears real and not staged.
All in all, the cinematography, editing and sound create a positive and sympathetic image of the refugees. Many emotions are generated through the narrative, nonetheless the techniques mentioned above also support its rhetorical form. The viewer-centered arguments are underlined by showing them as happy and grateful people. In addition, they increase the compassion of the viewer, for example through close-ups of their injuries (The Guardian, 2015, 9:59).
Further, shots on eye-level and the hand-held camera allow the viewers to fully immerse themselves into the story and to get a better understanding for the circumstances and risk that define the journey. Ideally, it may change the perspective of the audience on the refugee crisis and to increase their willingness to
Because the film crew walks among the group, many shots are filmed with a hand-held camera. Although the viewer never sees the people behind the camera, one is still aware of their presence, because they regularly interact with the refugees (The Guardian, 2015, 15:44). This blurs the line between onscreen and offscreen …show more content…
In addition, most conducted interviews are taken in the moment; the camera is positioned next to them while they continue walking (The Guardian, 2015, 2:48). This creates the impression that the production team and therefore also the viewer indeed "walk together" with the refugees.
Considering that they filmed with a hand-held camera, the mobile frame is often handled instinctively. Nonetheless, it can also create further sympathy, for example when the viewer is introduced to a refugee walking on crutches, a tilt first shows his legs and then moves upwards (The Guardian, 2015, 2:09). This way his injury is further emphasized and shows the determination and need of the refugees to leave their …show more content…
Thus, it increases the authenticity of the report. All interviews are conducted in the moment and not separately, so that it appears real and not staged.
All in all, the cinematography, editing and sound create a positive and sympathetic image of the refugees. Many emotions are generated through the narrative, nonetheless the techniques mentioned above also support its rhetorical form. The viewer-centered arguments are underlined by showing them as happy and grateful people. In addition, they increase the compassion of the viewer, for example through close-ups of their injuries (The Guardian, 2015, 9:59).
Further, shots on eye-level and the hand-held camera allow the viewers to fully immerse themselves into the story and to get a better understanding for the circumstances and risk that define the journey. Ideally, it may change the perspective of the audience on the refugee crisis and to increase their willingness to