With reference to the documentary United States of Guns.
Write an extended essay discussing how the film makers techniques (technical, symbolic etc) encourage a particularly critical response to gun ownership?.
America started of, as a free country, in a new continent. People's rights were not constricted, and in the constitution it was a God's given right to own a gun. Because of this, guns were, and remain prevalent in the American society. There is a very strong pro gun lobby and the laws in many states make it very easy to own a gun. While the majority believes that gun ownership has merits and positive aspects, there is a growing demand that access of the guns by criminals and children must be eliminated. This documentary "The United States of Guns" portrays this through the use of different techniques such as symbolic, technical and audio codes. The documentary makes people feel that guns cause pain and suffering that is taking over America.
Symbolism is when there is a representation of something to express abstract and mystical ideas. So filmmakers would use symbolic codes to add a deeper meaning behind what is shown. Such techniques used to help the documentary were the people, with their facial expression's, clothing, gesture and stance, also objects such as colour and repetition of a particular object. And also the setting and lighting. This is used in the documentary during the scene of the reporter relaying the details of a gun incident that had happened earlier that night. The symbolic code is demonstrated when the reporter had a serious and distraught look on his face. This symbolizes the effect that guns have on people altogether, even if they weren't closely acquainted to the victim. Also after the man's report there was a medium long shot of the body being pushed away into another room with no care, as if it didn't matter that someone had died. This symbolizes how doctor's and nurses in America have to deal with incidents like this all the time as if it was an everyday occurrence.