Reading Andy from a postmodern perspective

A postmodern reading of text takes place when one considers how the text challenges traditional beliefs and values of modern society. In Look Both Ways Andy's character can be seen to do just this. Andy is constantly in conflict with his ex-wife Cathy because she will not trust him with Maddie and Oliver. He is characterised as childish and unreliable, the 'typical' male who cannot cope with the classically considered female domains of responsiblity; housekeeping and child rearing. A sympathetic reading of Andy's character leads one to wonder if much of his anger and inner turmoil is tied up in the fact that Cathy refuses to have any faith in him, constantly berating him for the way he interacts with Maddie and Oliver and relinquishing as little control of them to Andy as she can. Anna perceives Andy's situation in a way that does not throw all the blame at him, but expects him to acknowledge his negative outlook and become accountable for its impact on his life. She challenges him, 'You think everyone's got an agenda,' to which Andy asserts, 'And they don't?' Anna then imparts, 'No, things just happen.' A pivotal point in Anna and Andy's relationship is when she offers him the opportunity to become the main carer for their imminent child. Anna directs Andy to see the possibilities of a different life circumstance for himself, one where he can feel included. The film's closing photomontage reveals Andy has accepted Anna's proposal and shows him smiling as holds his baby. In contrast to Cathy's opinion, Andy turns out to be someone who can be trusted to look after another. In this closing scene Watt uses Andy and Anna's story to subvert the modern notion that the female is always interested and the best gender for children to be raised by. The postmodern dynamics of their family situation, with the father as primary carer, works just as well.

See paragraph two of this sample essay for further insight on the dominant and resistant readings that can be applied to Andy's character:
http://bhs-lookbothways.blogspot.com/2009/07/happiness-and-despair.html

Musical Interludes

Look Both Ways contains a number of moments throughout the film where Watt uses music to provide a mood backdrop. These are particularly evident where musical interludes occur. During these interludes dialogue is kept to a minimum and the images and music are what speak to the viewer to inform them of the characters' feelings, emotions, connections - stories. The following are notes on the songs used throughout the movie.

Notes on music tracks used in Look Both Ways.

Crashing (Gersey)

Very repetitive
The unchallenging nature of the melody supports the sombre mood
Repetition of ‘Crashing through the air’ is accentuated by cymbals
Drums open up more prominently at the end of the song

Eleven (Lisa Miller)

Very slow- the phrasing in the vocals is slow as well
Increases in intensity and music becomes louder
Change of mood is introduced with introduction of seemingly unrelated chords
Repetitive- suggests being stuck in a situation
Rhymes, short staccato phrasing reflects the simplicity of the message
“eleventh hour’ near the end- a different message- a note of hope, relief
A happy resolution- in major key

Dark of my Moon (Gene Clark)

Very ‘bluesy/rootsy’ sound
One singer and guitar- creates a personal note
Showing how characters are on their own
Repetition of lyrics ‘sky’, ‘moon’

Lonely (Mia Dyson)

Very brooding sound
Edgy
Driven by percussion
Lots of different sounds and tones

Metalanguage Terms

Dialogue- is a conversation between 2 or more people, an example of this is in the film Look Both Ways two characters talking is dialogue.

Lack of dialogue - is no amount of talking between people, an example of this is when Nick and Meryl are on the train.

Flash Back - a device in the narrative of a motion picture, novel, etc., by which an event or scene taking place before the present time in the narrative is inserted into the chronological structure of the work. In Look Both Ways Nick has a few flash backs about his father when he was sick and dying.

By Jordan and Kyle

Metalanguage Task

Flashback montage – Cutting and pasting specific parts of the flash back to save time and cut out unnecessary viewing.
Example – When Nick was diagnosis with cancer and see a flash of all the possible cause they may have led to the cancer. As if life is flashing before his eyes.

Flash forward montage - Cutting and putting only specific shots of the flash forward to show only necessary information.
Example – When we see Nick and Meryl travelling and Andy in many happy situations.

Flash forward – a segment of film that breaks normal chronological order by shifting directly to a future time.
Flash forward like flash back may be subjective (showing the precognition or fears of what might happen) or objective (suggesting what will eventually happen) and thus setting up relationships for the audience to perceive.
Example – When Meryl and Nick are fornicating, Meryl has the flash forward animation of possibly receiving aids or the possibility of pregnancy.

By Erin and Nick

More metalanguage

Montage Sequence: a technique of film editing in which a series of short shots are edited into a sequence to condense space, time and information, and is usually used to suggest a passage of time.
An example of this would be at the end of the film, where we see various shots of the characters Nick, Meryl, Andy, Anna and Phil, later on.

Scene: Action in a single location at a continuous time, in a film
Any place in the film where action takes place.

Action: an event or series of events that form part of a dramatic plot.
When Andy is standing in front of the train, and Nick runs beside the train.

Vignette: is known as a small picture or title at the start of the chapter.
At the start of each day, there is a small title, indicating what day it is.

By Steph and Brad

Metalanguage terms

1.) Animation - The technique of making inanimate objects or drawings appear to move in motion pictures or computer graphics. This is seen in Look Both Ways when Nick enters Meryl’s house and she imagines someone pulling a shotgun on her. Her imagining is viewed presented as an animation.

2.) Animated sequence – Animation sequence is the rapid display of a sequence of images of 2-D or 3-D artwork or model positions in order to create an illusion of movement

References:
en.wiktionary.org/wiki/animation
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animation

By Kim and Ben

Metalanguage - Definitions and Examples

Metalanguage - Definitions and Examples

Mise-en-scène is an expression used in theatre and film to describe the design aspects of a production. It has been called film criticism's "grand undefined term" because the term has many different meanings.

The overall mise-en-scene of look both ways is made to look dull and cheap so that it makes it more realistic for the viewer

Actor An actor or actress (see terminology) is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity
Character fictional character: an imaginary person represented in a work of fiction(play or film or story); "she is the main character in the novel"

An Actor William McGuiness plays a character called Nick that has testicle cancer which is his character in the film

Photomontage is the process (and result) of making a composite photograph by cutting and joining a number of other photographs. The composite picture was sometimes photographed so that the final image is converted back into a seamless photographic print.

Several photomontages were used in the film ‘Look Both Ways’. For example when Nick is diagnosed with cancer and also when Nick is going through the recovery phase of his cancer and getting better.

References:

http://www.google.com.au/search?hl=en&safe=active&defl=en&q=define:Mis-en-scene&sa=X&ei=mApWTK3dDIulcd3QsMAM&ved=0CBQQkAEr

http://www.google.com.au/search?hl=en&safe=active&q=define%3AActors&btnG=Search&meta=
http://www.google.com.au/search?hl=en&safe=active&q=define%3ACharacters&meta=

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photomontage

By Jon and Joel

Type up definitions that you have collected so far. Make sure you present an example of the technique at work in the movie, e.g.,

Mise-en-scene: The setting, placement of objects in a scene. The mise-en-scene presented by Andy's apartment when Anna informs him she is pregnant reflects the chaotic and turbulent state of Andy's life. Unwashed dishes sit in the sink, empty beer bottles are strewn around the place and the dim lighting highlights a feeling of despair.

LBW Metalanguage

Get to know your camera angles

Being able to discuss Look Both Ways in terms of 'how the director constructs meaning' is important. To do this successfully you need to be using metalanguage in your discussion. While many metalanguage terms work for both written and filmed texts, film also has its own unique terms for discussing it. Familiarise yourself with the language used to discuss film at these two sites.

http://www.springhurst.org/cinemagic/glossary_terms.htm
http://10ss.qtp.nsw.edu.au/elise/project2/glossary.pdf

It would be fantastic to see students post a selection of the glossary terms you were asked to set up in your folders. It was an ongoing activity that required you to detail the definitions with examples from Look Both Ways. Typing up your notes to present on the blog is an excellent method of revision.

Synchronicities

'Synchronicty - meaningful coincidences'

One of the segments in Look Both Ways is titled 'Synchronicities'. To synchronise can mean to come together to do/achieve something. In action flicks we often see the characters synchronise their watches so that they can come together at a certain place in time at an exact moment to ensure they have achieved their goal.

In Look Both Ways Watt's presents to the viewers the syncronicities that are occuring within the lives of the characters. The characters appear to have come in to each others' lives for some reason, be it fate or destiny, to aid each other in their journey towards understanding the meaning of life. They are supposed to, and need to be, connected to each other at these particular times in their lives. They find meaning in knowing the other person, or their story, and this helps them to recognise what is important to them. Meryl and Nick are seeking stability in their lives at a time when they feel nothing has turned out as it should have by the age they are now. Andy and Anna, whilst distraught at the prospect of having a baby, find it redirects their negative perspectives on life and offers them the chance of a new beginning.

Find a more detailed discussion of what synchronicity means at Michael Jura's website. His discussion is titled; 'Coincidence? I think not - Life's little chance encounters to guide you towards your dreams'.