Armadillo, (Mentz, 2010) is a Danish documentary that follows a platoon of soldiers as they complete a tour of duty in Afghanistan. The filmmaker follows the men and observes each personally as the war progresses. This is done through the use of camera work, graphics, editing and sound. Mentz (2010) structures the story of the documentary chronologically. This is shown by onscreen text. He begins by filming the solders preparing, their final goodbye to loved ones, time at the camp, challenges they face and the next six months of duty before they finally head home. This allows the filmmaker to express the fragile state of war on an intimate level with the soldiers and produce a raw and refreshing documentary on war that has not been hollywoodized.
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They are used to record history, inform an audience about events and people, places and conflicts to provoke the viewer to act or reflect. According to Mclean (2012), the filmmaker’s purpose, viewpoint and approach of the film is determined by how they structure the narrative. Mentz takes the viewers on a journey through the minds of soldiers whom are going on their first mission to the war in Afghanistan. As the film progresses the personalities and depth of their characters is reviled. Mads, one of the soldiers is followed predominantly more than the other men. The narrative is pulled together through his journey, showing the conflicts he faces at war. According to Mclean (2012), Documentaries intend to provide understanding of their subjects to their viewers. In doing so the filmmaker will draw on the interest humans have on the lives of others and have sympathy for subjects when they are relatable. This evocative cinematography is created in hope that sympathy for the subjects will drive action from the viewers. Armadillo, (Mentz, 2010), captures the fragile state of life. It shows beauty, courage and destruction all together that prompts the viewers to have an interest in the lives that are being journeyed into. Armadillo, (Mentz, 2010), ignited a heated debate on Denmark’s role in Afghanistan. According to Brit.org (2012), Armadillo forged a space for critical debate on the war in Afghanistan, which had until then been virtually non-existent. This is an example of prompting action that Mclean (2012) discusses. According to Beattie (2004), Individual filmmakers bring their own style to a work. Different documentary forms are marked different styles however stylistic features are not
They are used to record history, inform an audience about events and people, places and conflicts to provoke the viewer to act or reflect. According to Mclean (2012), the filmmaker’s purpose, viewpoint and approach of the film is determined by how they structure the narrative. Mentz takes the viewers on a journey through the minds of soldiers whom are going on their first mission to the war in Afghanistan. As the film progresses the personalities and depth of their characters is reviled. Mads, one of the soldiers is followed predominantly more than the other men. The narrative is pulled together through his journey, showing the conflicts he faces at war. According to Mclean (2012), Documentaries intend to provide understanding of their subjects to their viewers. In doing so the filmmaker will draw on the interest humans have on the lives of others and have sympathy for subjects when they are relatable. This evocative cinematography is created in hope that sympathy for the subjects will drive action from the viewers. Armadillo, (Mentz, 2010), captures the fragile state of life. It shows beauty, courage and destruction all together that prompts the viewers to have an interest in the lives that are being journeyed into. Armadillo, (Mentz, 2010), ignited a heated debate on Denmark’s role in Afghanistan. According to Brit.org (2012), Armadillo forged a space for critical debate on the war in Afghanistan, which had until then been virtually non-existent. This is an example of prompting action that Mclean (2012) discusses. According to Beattie (2004), Individual filmmakers bring their own style to a work. Different documentary forms are marked different styles however stylistic features are not