Reflecting reality in film documentaries Essay Example for Free

Reflecting reality in film documentaries Essay The paradox of reality stems from the fact that it is a combination of abstract and concrete concepts. Abstract since different kinds of reality can be subjectively formed and understood. It cannot be quantified from a single perspective alone. In the meantime, reality is concrete since it is something that each and every individual must readily confront. Reality is part of mankind’s constant struggle. The puzzling complexity that embodies the notion of reality is even more felt on how it is depicted, presented or articulated in other forms. Literature exploits the power of words to explain reality, singers capitalize on music. But the task becomes even harder as for the case of film makers who are expected to utilize both visual and musical elements to represent reality. In film-making, it cannot be denied that the use of different technologies somehow affect how reality is shown. For every filmmaker, there is the challenge to make their works of art convincing—convincing, in the sense that a film seems to devoid of any technological mediation and corporeal interest—and at the same time retaining the subject matter in its pure and organic form. With this pursuit, the emergence of film documentaries came into life. Kibborn once noted that film documentaries aim to offer a â€Å"window of the world (p. 53). † This would not come as a surprise since films, whether they are created for commercial purposes are indeed reflections of a much wider world view. Some filmmakers have fared well, while some, unfortunately, failed. On the other hand, there are others, who have seen film documentaries as a tool to immortalize not only their works but also their names. The film industry owes it all to the Lumiere Brothers. This generation would not experience the beauty and artistry of films if not for these two. Since early film tools and equipments are not that sophisticated during that time, silent films tend to dominate the (big screen). However, what is even more amazing in this context is the manner in which the Lumiere Brothers have managed to present reality with pure visual images alone. Films do communicate and try to reach to their respective audiences. But then again, the absence of sounds seems to make the presentation a bit complicated and difficult. However, if one would stick to the principle in which reality is comprised of events that are experienced in everyday lives, situations that are commonly confronted by ordinary people, it can be fairly said that the Lumiere Brothers stand out. If one has to take a closer look at Arrival of a Train (Nichols 83), such event is commonly encountered. The camera focuses on the train and the people that arrive in the station. A close shot is chosen as if trying to tell every intricate sequence and details of the said event. Unaware and unscripted, the actors are seen in their most natural ways and manners. Such technique is also used in Nanook of the North by Robert Flaherty. However, Flaherty incorporated some texts. Perhaps it can be argued that the Flaherty wants to make the a more vivid and descriptive storytelling approach. There is the intention to relate to the audience what is actually happening rather than to interpret the stories on their own. There is a scene in the film wherein the boat is being covered with a piece of cloth before going down the river. In this case, a close shot was again used, in order to show how intricate the processes are. Yet, during the part wherein the actual trek is going on, a long shot was utilized, thus readily evoking a feeling that the group is on their journey. The characters looked small during that shot and the notion of space and distance were further highlighted. From documenting everyday routines to inserting texts in the film, documentaries are also flavored with the directors’ political perspective as for the case of Dziga Vertov. Hicks even described Vertov as the so-called â€Å"genie† of propaganda films primarily because of its strong Marxist beliefs and visions (8). Taylor described that Vertov depicted reality through the montage technique (74). In this manner, Vertov, since he is also into propaganda reflects life beyond what is â€Å"ordinarily seen,† but rather it is on â€Å"how it should be seen (Taylor 74). † In the film, Three Songs of Lenin, different scenes are patched together. There is the part wherein a group of marching men were shown and followed by a scene that focuses on three statues. Another group of marching people is presented but this time, women, with holding high powered guns are also shown, then it goes back to the three statues. Vertov, as a propagandist who wanted to tell the people what life should be seem to purport that equality between men and women must be readily observed. At the same time, the three statues that are constantly shown is reflective of an ideology or school of thought that must be readily followed and practiced. In the meantime, John Grierson is a film critic who is one of those who laid down the foundations of realism theories in films (Aitken 162). Elis and Mclane noted that Grierson readily influenced many film makers (73). He is also responsible for proliferating such film genre in â€Å"English-speaking nations (Ellis Mclane 73). Grierson firmly believes that in order to depict reality properly, reality should be free from all forms of manipulation—that it should be captured in its raw form rather than mastered in artificial environments (Aitken 167). Works Cited Aitken, Ian. European Film Theory and Cinema: A Critical Introduction. Scotland: Edinburgh Press, 2001 Ellis, Jack and Betsy McLane. A New History of Film Documentary. London: Continuum International Publishing, 2005 Hicks, Jeremy. Dziga Vertov: Defining Documentary Film. London: I. B Tauris Publishers, 2007 Kibborn, Richard. Staging the Real: Factual TV Programming in the Age of Big Brother. Oxford, UK: Manchester University Press, 2003 Nichols, Bill. Introduction to Documentary. Bloomington:Indiana University Press, 2001 Taylor, Richard. Film Propaganda: Soviet Russia and Nazi Germany. London: I. B Tauris Publishers, 1998

The Rastafarian Religion :: essays research papers

While some will call Rastafarianism a religion, others will say that Rastafarianism is a kind of spiritual consciousness because the Rastas lack a great deal of what is central for other religions while still retaining a belief in a God. There aren't too many organised Rasta 'churches', and the closest thing you would come to a church will probably be Rasta organisations like 'The Twelve Tribes of Israel', the 'Nyabinghi Order' and especially the 'Bobo Dreads'. Rastafarianism also lacks a confession of fate, which most other religious systems will have. So the question will remain open if this is a religion or a spiritual consciousness where everyone calling him/herself a Rasta will be more or less free to believe in what they like. As already mentioned, Rastafarianism is not just a religion or spiritual consciousness, but also a way of life. This encompasses among other things food, called Ital food. Rastas are supposed to be vegetarians, while some eat fish, the Ital food consists only of vegetables and spices, not including salt, which for health reasons are not used in cooking. The food is very healthy, as health is also generally very important to Rastas. You will seldom see an unhealthy Rasta. Rastas also smoke ganja, or marijuana as it's more commonly known, but this is not something you have to do. The smoking of ganja is founded on Bible passages describing how ganja was used in ancient times by people like King Solomon, and the Rastas see it as a way to ease the way to commune with Jah. But there are even a small number of Rastas who do not smoke it on the grounds that easy ways out to reach a 'communion' with Jah should not be sought. The Rasta way of life also encompasses a social side, where the lives and rights of everyone, but especially of the poor, are taken into account. They believe that everyone deserves and has the right to freedom, and more than anything else a belief in equal rights for everyone. The question of dreadlocks or no dreadlocks is not so important, even if most Rastas will have them. Even one of today's reggae groups sing a song that's called, 'You don't haffi (have to have) dread to be Rasta' (Morgan Heritage). It's more to do with how you behave, act and what you believe in, than how you look. Even the language of the Rastas has changed the Jamaican Patois language, where many of the expressions unique to Jamaica originated in Rastafarianism, like 'I and I', meaning we.

Key Stakeholders of Sara Lee Company

Stakeholders are often considered the lifeline of a company. They share a common interest in the health and well being of a company and often support a company financially and morally. Within any organization key stakeholders include individuals and groups within the organization that have a ‘stake' in the well-being or overall success of the organization. Stakeholder's aim is to make sure a company deliver positive results and remain viable through its product and service offerings. Stakeholders often have much say in an organizations daily functioning. They may influence the products or services that a company offers and may influence programs or organizational systems. Key stakeholders at Sara Lee come primarily from within the company. They key players at Sara Lee include members of management and employees but also some external clients including suppliers. Other stakeholders that may share a vested interest in the company include community members, investors, internal and external customers and even board members. Each of these groups has a different ‘stake' in the company. For example a supplier group interested in the well being of the company include a group of roughly 5,000 farmers that provide coffee, banana, beans and vanilla to the company from Uganda (Sara Lee, 2005). These stakeholders will continue to profit as long as Sara Lee continues to do well and continues to utilize their services. Since Sara Lee's product market is so diverse and includes food, apparel and household brands (Singh, 2003) the company's stakeholder base is quite large. The multinational corporation has key stakeholders in many other countries across the globe including employees and managers in Europe possibly India in the near future. Joint ventures and acquisitions over time have also increased Sara Lee's stakeholder base to include representatives from companies partnering with Sara Lee such as Consolidated Grocers Corporation, Oxford Chemical Corporation, Adams-Mills Corporation, Nutri-Metics, and Hills Bros. and more (Singh, 2003). As Sara Lee continues to grow and acquire other companies its key stakeholder base will continue to grow. Other important members include board members and investors in the company, as well as the corporation's top managers including the CEO and COO of the company (Singh, 2003). As long as net sales continue to reach new heights, which they do, the company can rest assured that the majority of their stakeholder's interests will be met time and time again. Shareholders are also important stakeholders at Sara Lee (Singh, 2003). The company's shareholder base continues to grow as the company continues to expand into global markets. While internal stakeholders may help provide balance and insight into ongoing operations, external stakeholders including suppliers are equally important because they can information management of emerging challenges or trends within the industry that may have to be overcome. Organizations partnering with Sara Lee may also be considered stakeholders in the organization. The founder of the company Nathan Cummings is also a key stakeholder in the company that continually invests toward the companies continuing success and future (Singh, 2003). Even HP Corporation may be considered a key stakeholder in Sara Lee's success. HP Corporation currently supplies Sara Lee with services and support for more than 300 computer based systems and telecom networks (HP, 2005).

PROFESSIONAL PRESENCE INFLUENCE Free Essay Example, 1250 words

The body mind model focuses mainly on the body and mind of an individual while omitting the spiritual aspect. I view the body, mind, and spirit as one. There is a belief of the theory that human wellbeing entails all parts, and not only the mind or physical body. The health of an individual is affected when the individual’s mind and spirit is in turmoil or experiencing stress. as such, it is vital to include the spirit factor hence nurturing the person as a whole. These factors include mental, physical, and spiritual needs. Personal attitude towards health differs with the mind and body model. I belief the emotional state of an individual affects his or her health. Physical imbalances occur when an individual’s emotions are on the low. Subsequently, illnesses are likely to occur. People need to find ways to calm their mind and spirits and avoid troubling thoughts in order to live healthy. Personal action in relation to health and healing is to improve our health by doi ng our duties well. Health can be improved through positive visualization, meditation, therapy, and good mental imagery. The medical model and nursing have divergent views. We will write a custom essay sample on PROFESSIONAL PRESENCE & INFLUENCE or any topic specifically for you Only $17.96 $11.86/pageorder now Nursing is different from the Body mind medical model since in nursing, the patient is first seen as a person who is holistically relating to the environment (Brudenell, 2003). Nursing is founded on the combined holistic assessment of all the dimensions of an individual (emotional, spiritual, mental and physical). Therefore, I assume an illness can be caused by multiple factors, which are being experienced by the individual. B. PERSONALITY PREFERENCES Custom Keirsey Temperament Report for: Orlando Rivera Your Keirsey Temperament Sorter Results indicates that your personality type is that of the Rationals (NT) are the problem solving temperament, particularly if the problem has to do with the many complex systems that make up the world around us. Rational might tackle problems in organic systems such as plants and animals, or in mechanical systems such as railroads and computers, or in social systems such as families and companies and governments. However, whatever systems fire their curiosity; Rationals will analyze them to understand how they work, so they can figure out how to make them work better. In working with problems, Rationals try to find solutions that have application in the real world, but they are even more interested in the abstract concepts involved, the fundamental principles, or natural laws that underlie the particular case.