10Ak Feedback/Forward Visual Text Essay Connor Fraser

Essay:

In the going for a run scene from The Power of One directed by John G. Avildsen, we can see that Gideon Duma and P.K are running around the town. With the many different shots and different film techniques, it causes the movie to have more of an impact on the audience. When we go through this scene there are 2 sets of tracking shots and diegetic sound. These two techniques can cause many different ideas and feelings to come through our heads. The two techniques caused a major impact on us in many different ways.

While the boys are running down the street we can see a tracking shot where the camera is following them down the street. This scene causes you to feel like what Gideon Duma is saying about a good tomorrow as he is describing the way he wants to make all people in Africa equal and create a better place for his people. While he is talking about this it causes an impact on the audience because of the way he describes the way he thinks Africa should be. With the way the camera is positioned we see the way that the boys are running and the way that the people in the background are confused and creeped out because the boys are breaking rules by running together. John G. Avildsen would have used this to show the aspect of how different the street is compared to now and to show who the different Black Africans can be treated. The Black Africans were treated differently because the Afrikaners believe that they did not deserve to be near them or work with them. This shot causes you to feel a sense of belief and realization because you see people in the background looking at them wonder why those boys are running together. We realize that the boys are pushing the rules to try to make a good tomorrow for Africa. We get a sense of belief because while the boys are talking it makes you feel like what they are planning is going to come true or begin to start. This is important because it can change the way we look at the film thanks to just this one shot because when you think about the start of the movie P.k was bullied for being English and Gideon Duma is in the same issue because of him being a Black African.

During the scene, the camera stops and is shown looking at black Africans digging beside the road. The camera stops for 5 seconds then moves into a tracking shot but while it is stopped it shows 10 black Africans were forced into hard labor by digging into the ground beside the road. Avildsen wanted the audience to understand that the black Africans were forced into slavery and beaten due to what the Afrikaners believed in. When we (The Audience) see this scene it causes you to feel sad and angry with the unlawful treatment of the black Africans because of the way the Afrikaners believe South Africa should be run. This is important because with this scene it shows you what rules the boys are breaking by running together, it shows the past of Gideon Duma when he was treated this way and shows the way that the black Africans were treated.

When the boys are running you hear singing in the background coming from Black Africans who are digging. This is known as diegetic sound. Diegetic sound is when a sound is not added in. The camera takes a pause and while in this pause you can hear the men singing beside the camera. The director did this to make you realize that the Black Africans could only sing nothing more, it makes you think because when they sing it gives them hope and a sense of fun. This causes the audience to understand that all those people had left was songs, myths, and beliefs. It makes the audience realize that these people lost their freedom, and rights so they have nothing left other then what the Afrikaners believe they are good for. This is important because when we hear about this in books and newspapers we never realize the full extent of the way that the Black Africans are treated.

In conclusion, this shows me that the way that John G. Avildsen uses these numerous oral and visual techniques causes the audiences view on this scene to be pushed and ever-changing. The many different film techniques used through-out this scene throws many emotions towards you and really makes you think about the way the Black Africans were treated.

I am very proud of the way that this essay portrays the ideas that I have wanted to put down. To improve my work I think there are endless possibility's to what I can fix so I can't pinpoint one thing I need to fix. I enjoyed learning the ways that we as humans have changed over the many years. I found it difficult learning about the way the Black Africans were treated in those days and how the way the charges and criminal offenses were put on Black Africans for basically walking around. I found that using Grammarly was a very good idea so I could learn how to change and better my writing.