How does Buckley’s Witness create viewer sympathy?
In society, both past and present, individuals with mental illnesses are judged and stigmatized for their inabilities and differences. The Australian filmmaker, Michael Buckley explores this aspect of society through his short biographical film Witness implicating the life of John Harrowell and his sufferings due to being institutionalized at such a young age. The text runs for brief period of time, but within that short period of time, a variety of filmic techniques are utilised to create a more emotional impact on the viewers. Through the utilisation of three prominent filmic techniques; symbolism, characterisation and themes, Buckley is able to effectively portray the tragic life of John
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The expressions that he creates, allows us to know exactly what he is feeling and sympathise with his pain. Additionally, Buckley’s Witness is narrated from the protagonist’s perspective. This creates empathy towards the main character, John Harrowell, as it describes what he has personally experienced hence, the viewers thoroughly understand the events that have occurred, and can effectively stand in his shoes, making the events more personal. Consequently, Harrowell effectively portrays his painful experiences. By allowing the text to follow the structure of chronological narrative, there is a structured series of events, linked by cause and effect that provide the plot of the film. Hence, successfully expressing the life of Harrowell and exemplifying it as tragic and disturbing story, Buckley is able to create viewer sympathy. John states that he was ‘scared to damn hell’ and was ‘freighted of what the other patients might do to him’. This indicates to the audience that there were potential risks of physical abuse within the mental institution, also indicating that the mental hospital was very incompetent with their services. Therefore, the viewers recognize John Harrowell’s agonizing lifestyle. The viewers subconsciously compare their childhood with Harrowell’s and therefore, they understand the vast differences between them. Therefore, as a result, the viewers empathize with
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This is accentuated by effective characterization, symbolism and filming techniques. Through the utilization of these techniques, Buckley is able to effectively portray the life of John Harrowell and create an evocative film that moves the audience and spreads the awareness of the stigmatization and mistreatments mentally ill individuals receive within the isolated walls of the mental
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Throughout the text, Buckley utilises objects and scenes of symbolism to add depth to the ‘plot’ and illustrate the abuse experienced by Harrowell. Buckley utilises objects and memories from the life of the protagonist to create the feeling of sympathy and familiarity within the audience. This technique is illustrated when the protagonist is given the grave news of his ‘fathers’ death and a silhouette of a juggler falling down is played in the background. Earlier in the text it is stated that John Harrowell’s father was a juggler, this scene is symbolic of Harrowell’s life “falling to shit”. This scene is utilized by Michael Buckley whenever Harowells’ life is on a downhill slope and is a symbol representing where the story all began, at the
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