To judge whether or not Watson exploited the people in his film wed have to know exactly how hes profited from them. However, Watson once again denies accusations of exploitation for when he arrives at Vandas to see the door open and clarifies his reason for waiting by stating of course you wait, you dont just go in and more importantly, when the action begins to unfold with a drunken Vanda, Watson says that he must regain his job as someone there to just film what they do to their selves and reassures her that when she begins to talk delicately about her abusive past, that he will not use this footage in the future if she does not want to. Their harsh realities shocked me, however i found it extremely easy/automatic to empathise with them due to the methods of which Watson included, and the issues raised were heavily captivating. It was arguably and subtly manipulative how he often said would you like to carry on? as he was probably aware that the answer would be yes due to the state of the interviewees. However, many critics point out how these subjects are all vulnerable and incapable of really understanding what they are signing themselves up for. He puts himself in the film to explain how he felt at the time, allowing the audience to be involved in his own personal emotions whilst watching his film. I think this leads them to be manipulated easily. Other examples are when he continuing to film Nigels wife as she said goodbye to her dying husband in the hospital and when Vanda told a deep secret about the reason she became an alcoholic. Although it could be argued that this footage is showing Vanda what she is like when she is drunk, I would say that her answers might have been different if she was sober when she was asked them. WEEK 4 QUESTION:Are there moments when you feel that Paul Watson has exploited his subjects in this film? Here I refer to when he would talk to the viewer/camera about how he felt at certain points of the film it drew away from the importance of what he should have really been filming and instead became self indulgent within the context. Download Secret Cat Forest v. Name : Secret Cat Forest : Update : Jun 7, 2022: Version : 1. Rain in my Heart (Full). http://www.theguardian.com/culture/tvandradioblog/2006/nov/22/mattersoflifeanddeath. Now, with Rain in my Heart, Watson has made the documentary equivalent to The Lost Weekend(1945), the classic feature film about alcoholism, where a writer loses everything through drinking and ends up on a psychiatric ward. When he asks of her troubled past, he is very interrogative as he continues to ask until she is brought to tears by the discussion of her brothers death, but rather than stop, he pushes on. My eyes are dry, my love, since you've been gone, I haven't shed a tear, I'll never cry, my love, though every day seems like a hundred years, For I'm just a fool who clings to his pride but when I'm alone, I can hear the sound of rain in my heart, of the tears that I hide, And it tears me apart, 'cause I keep them inside, I can't get away from Raining in My Heart Lyrics The sun is out The sky is blue There's not a cloud To spoil the view But it's raining Raining In My Heart The Weather Man Says "Clear today" He doesn't know You've. Twenty-nine when he appeared in Rain in my Heart, Mark was living on his own in an untidy flat that closely reflected his own state. Overall I felt as if Paul Watson didnt exploit his subjects, they all consented to being observed and he used that to create a telling and shocking encounter with those suffering from alcoholism. Penny recalls being so scared. Instead of the man behind the camera, we see him completely bare, exposing himself to the audience. (2006). Therefore I agree that their lives were exposed (as they agreed and wanted them to be) but they were not harshly exploited by Paul. Frank Sinatra Lyrics "Rain In My Heart" My eyes are dry, my love, since you've been gone, I haven't shed a tear, I'll never cry, my love, though every day seems like a hundred years, For I'm just a fool who clings to his pride but when I'm alone, I can hear the sound of rain in my heart, of the tears that I hide, I think the fact that this documentary is so hard to watch gives light to the reality that alcoholism is incredibly hard to live with, and by being so thorough the film shortens the gap between subject and audience. It serves its purpose of portraying the realities of alcoholism, and at times may seem harsh, but in doing so creates an ugly truth that otherwise wouldnt be seen. On the positive side of the argument I agree that Watson, through the cut away shots he includes throughout the film, allows himself to be more personal with the audience. This however does not detract from the fact that I believe some of what Watson did, did push the boundaries on what is ethical and moral within a documentary. I also think that it is not Pauls fault that these people after having a huge amount of alcohol could not control themselves: their speech, actions and emotions. This is a scene which perhaps does challenge the idea of ethics by posing the question of how FAR can we go to observe? Watson himself, also repeats that whilst he is filming them he will not intervene; it is his job purely to observe. Whats exploitation? Then again, as Watson argues: If some of us dont record it, none of us will know about it.. "; How the world's oldest clove tree defied an empire, Why Royal Ballet principal Sergei Polunin quit, Tourists flock to 'Jesus's tomb' in Kashmir. It cant be argued that the documentary would have given Watson some amount of attention from viewers for filming subjects in the vulnerable state they were in, its in this sense that the word exploitation would be more appropriate. This gives the impression that Paul Watson is only interested in the success of this documentary. Even if that wouldve been the case either way, I think as an observer you shouldnt encourage it. I feel like Rain in My Heart must be a controversial documentray in terms of how dealing with the ethics in this film. When he asked Toni to call and talk to his family, for example. Kath now struggles on a severely limited income. It deals with a very sensitive issue that affects everyone from viewer to the family of the alcoholics that were taking part in the film. I felt as if Watson was genuine in the fact that he did care, he wanted to see the subjects overcome their problems, in a scene where he is at Vandas house, he stands with her and says although he cant stop Vanda from drinking, he doesnt want to see her do it. francescamancini88. Overall, I believe Watson does not exploit his subjects because they knew roughly what they were getting themselves into and because Watson simply observed with the camera the tragic events of the subjects that would gain the empathy of the audience towards the effect of alcoholism. I feel it is hard to say if Watson exploited his subjects, because I dont know whatever deal they probably made behind the screen. A prediction such as this can alter the way she behaves and this documentary is no longer just an observation of her progress. One of the patients, a caption told us at the end, was now "in recovery". The film probably brought him a lot of attention (both positive and negative), which means hes profited from filming his subjects problems. One ethical issue that could be introduced at this point is how certain filmmakers victimise their subjects. In The Cove (2009) we needed to see how they got the cameras where they did, but in this film I felt that Watson should have left his comments for the bonus DVD. 22/11/06 - 10:57 #8. Personally, I would much rather watch Robert Winstons documentary series on the human body which ended with the filming of a mans death, from cancer, than go Watsons questionable film techniques. Its a very tricky position for Watson. I think it is not proper for observational documentary, Watson deliberately shows his audience of certain moments to lead them into a certain emotion, which i think might be too subjective. Print this design in the 3.5 x 5" size. This can be seen when Watson is speaking to Toni about her addiction, something that Toni profusely denies she is. For Watson asks: What would you class as an alcoholic? Toni replies: Someone who cant go a day without a drink. Once this is said, Watson slowly zooms in on her face and responds: but you told me there are days where you cant go a day without a drink. Watsons response to Tonis statement could be stated as being overly dramatic for the audiences benefit, therefore, compiling with Ellis and most documentary critics argument that the director is always more concerned with how the potential audience will perceive the subject and story than the subject themselves. In many instances Watson reflects on his project and notes the issues he is creating by making this documentary; however it does not effect his ability to complete the film. From a personal level I felt it was very moving and eye opening to me on this subject. On the other hand, he showed the subjects at their worst, but almost continuously. To clarify, I dont think hes exploiting anyone in this film. We follow Nigel and his supportive wife Claire as they spend their final weeks together. Anyway, audiences (including us) will always question whether a subject who is having their whole life pried open for viewing could be a victim of exploitation. Vanda, 43, has been drinking since the age of 12. Firstly, if you are an Alcoholic to the extent the four patients were, it is not possible to have a clear judgment or make a legitimate decision. United Kingdom, 2006. He would ask the interviewees why theyve relapsed or if they feel disappointed with their failed progress, but depending on the reaction to these questions, Watson would take a step back if he sensed it was in anyway emotionally challenging, until the subject would take control and continue/stop themselves. Nigel, 49, has been dry for ten years, but the damage he has inflicted on his liver is irreversible. However, Watsons humanity and compassion shines through. At no point during the documentary did I feel that the filmmaker was exploiting the subjects, the recording of what can be described as personal and intimate situations felt more like a significant necessity with moral intentions towards bringing awareness towards the seriousness of the consumption of alcohol. It follows 4 alcoholics from the hospital to their homes. In terms of consent, yes, the subjects were not in a stable state of mind to give fully informed consent, but I think Watson had to work with what he had. Also, I think he had a desire to understand his characters and the reasons of being whothey are. He faced their situations with the most possible respect. To this statement Vanda agrees and understands the relationship between the two of them. Although this might be justified, as their life story is very tragic, I feel Paul Watson pushed them to their limits. Therefore, maybe his techniques did actually work quite well, although flawed and subjective in places. Just finished it and I wonder what happened to Mark and Vanda. What is interesting about this documentary is that when Paul Watson went to visit Vandas home and saw that she had relapsed, he admitted that he does develop emotional ties to the subjects that he is filming, but that he has the ability to stand back. Twenty-nine when he appeared in. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); http://www.theguardian.com/media/organgrinder/2006/nov/05/sheffielddocfestaredocument, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1661761/, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjy8Z1hK2wY, http://www.newyorker.com/culture/richard-brody/taking-it-off-for-the-holocaust, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LuFOX0Sy_o. 2022. I personally think he dealt with this extremely well. There are so many implicit positives such as the awareness it gives people of the truth about alcoholism, its broadcasting the problems in society like a fresh scar, so audiences cant ignore or forget what they have learnt. Another point in this film is when Paul Watson films a drunk subject who discusses the, monsters in her head, which she previously was not ready to do. In all of these I recognise issues which could be perceived as exploitative. This shows how relationships are built up when filmmaking and how subjects and even the interviewer forms attachments. It was really uncomfortable scene to me, Paul trully showed the seriousness of alcohalism and it must influence to the audience. For one the subjects were extremely vulnerable which raises the question on whether they were in the right state of mind to consent to being filmed and telling their story. He is exploiting Nigel as he was only continuing to cover the story because he thinks that he will benefit out of it, when the focus should really be concentrating on capturing the truth and reality of the situation, therefore I believe that Paul Watson was exploiting his subjects in this documentary. Troubled Toni, 26, merely laughs at warnings that continued drinking will mean death. He just shined a light on a topic a lot of people often avoid. The subjects are very vulnerable and Watson knew this, therefore ethical issues due to the interference of reality from Watson. What I think is that Watson did not exploit his subjects in the film. I would not have the heavens fair, It is also true that sometimes the person who was interviewed didnt feel very comfortable about what he or she was saying and probably wasnt aware at all of what it was being said. such as askingcan we enter the subjects house? Watching Rain in my Heart was a particularly harrowing and educational experience for me as a viewer. And it is also a good example to discuss the ethical issues in the documentary. However, from what I saw in the film, Watson does take advantages on his subjects. However, as I mentioned previously, Watson neither encourages nor halts the emotional stress of the patients, he simply asks them questions about their mental state and at times even asks the patients if they would prefer the camera to be turned off. Trevor Beckett 791 subscribers Share 522K views 9 years ago Brilliant, unflinching documentary on alcoholism by Kent film maker Paul Watson. This for me over steps the boundaries of ethical filming. 2 . Log in, Top Life Threatening Health Issues of Alcohol Abuse, Most Common Health Issues of Alcohol Abuse, Mental Instability Caused by Alcohol Abuse, Alcoholics Anonymous | May 11 | DonInLondon | Step 5 Share Your Truth, Fionulla F. AA Speaker Alcoholics Anonymous Speaker, . Is this the feel good factor we crave? Or when Nigel downs a glass of red wine. Nigel, 49, has been dry for ten years, but the damage he has inflicted on his liver is irreversible. Although this had a huge dramatic effect upon the viewer and it allowed the viewer to analyse the particular situation multiple times, I felt that Paul Watson was portraying them as if they were less in control of what they were saying, almost as if they were crazy. There were a couple of moments where I felt that he distracted from what we really should have been looking at. /Users/abgsaniya/Desktop/hqdefault.jpg. Rain In My Heart raises many ethical issues as a documentary yet highlights many health and social issues current in our society. In comparison to other hard-hitting and eye opening documentaries and coverage of alcohol/substance addictions, I think that Rain In My Heart is hardly exploitative at all. Four alcoholics in and out of hospital over a two month period, reality at its most real. If she was lying she wouldnt tell him would she? However, we can all agree that sometimes happiness is simply taking a walk or dancing in the rain. However, it doesnt necessaily mean it is totally a bad thing. RAIN IN MY HEART BOWY Rock 1,125Shazams play full song Get up to 5 months free of Apple Music Share OVERVIEW LYRICS PLAY FULL SONG Connect with Apple Music. However, this scene does give greatest insight in to why Vanda is an alcoholic, and given the nature of the documentary, this is a critical point that must be conveyed to the viewer to give most depth to the understanding of alcoholism. And youd be a hypocrite if you didnt think it. Outside, the sparrows on the roof Are chirping in the dripping rain.Rain in my heart; rain on the roof; And memory sleeps beneath the gray And the windless sky and brings no dreams Of any well remembered day. It is true that there are not many cut ins of his own questioning however Watson thought it be inappropriate to constantly show his own personal struggles when his subjects are undergoing way more traumatic psychological illnesses. Some of you may felt that Sunday's documentary was a bit light, a little bit like eating candy floss, no substance. Nonetheless, I think that Paul Watsons work is justifiable and I do not consider him to be selfish. This powerful documentary from fly-on-the-wall pioneer Paul Watson follows four alcohol abusers over the course of a year. Covering Phoenix, Mesa, Glendale, Scottsdale, Gilbert, the valley . The subject was in a particularly vulnerable state and he took advantage of that and filmed her confession. Rain In My Heart is an extremely educational film to watch. To argue my point further, there is a particular example from Rain In My Heart that exemplifies this problem. Ive never seen alcoholism go to this extent. There are only so many times we would need to see this clip before it becomes useless to the narrative, and is only trying to evoke fear in the audience as they start expecting, or even demanding, for the situation to suddenly become worse. Even though there is not exact evidence of Kath saying this to Watson, I believe that if she had thought differently the scene would be cut out since it is such a dramatic and personal event. I think that Watson when immersed with these subjects he formed a friendship with, learning to really like some of them and he himself tries to stop some of his subjects from drinking because he wants to see the best happen for them. I think to use the word exploitative to describe the techniques used by Watson to film Rain in my Heart upon his subjects is an unfair judgment. To apply this aestheticized approach to documentary, look at the trailer for The Imposter https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LuFOX0Sy_o Mark Schaefer 20 Entertaining Uses of ChatGPT You Never Knew Were Possible The PyCoach in Towards Data Science mercedes a class secret menu Then, move onto writing code for scraping from two sports betting websites and find surebets from there. So all these people dont mind being shown in their most vulnerable state on national TV and even Watson at times ask the subjects if they would like him to turn the camera off. We as a audience get to see his family grieving him when he dies and more importantly we see his wife looking after him when he is in his worst state and also coping with his departure. 56,514 people are reading stories on the site right now. Firstly there is very little music (it sounded like the grating pop track at Nigels funeral was actually being played live on a stereo) The camera work seems to lack precision and is only there for immediacy. For someone to say that Watson exploited the people in the film is to say that he harmed them in some way, which I dont think he did. Watson states from the very beginning of the film that he is working with the only four patients who have agreed my intrusions and me filming their hell. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/newsnight/7140605.stm. There is one point I dont like about Watsons technique. I personally feel as though Watson did not exploit his subjects as they all gave informed consent when they were sober and in hospital, under the supervision of healthcare professionals who could determine whether they were of sound mind, however this issue can be questioned at some points. I felt it did a fantastic job in warning people of the dangers of alcohol and addiction. 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