2005 Sept - Media And Spirituality Thru Film Dialogue

Media and Spirituality thru Film Dialogue Notre Dame of Dadiangas College September 13, 2005

Lecturette 1: Media and Spirituality

Media Is just a part of a

COMMUNICATION process… : WHO says WHAT in

which CHANNEL to WHOM and with what EFFECT (Laswell, 1948)

BERLO’S MODEL OF COMMUNICATION (1961) Sender

S

Message

M

Channel

Receiver

Effect

C

R

E

FEEDBAC K

FORMS OF MEDIA PRINT BROADCAST ELECTRONIC

GROUP FOLK/TRADITIONAL NON-MEDIA

FOLK/TRADITIONAL MEDIA • • • • • • •

Dance Rituals Drama Story-telling Ballads Chanters Flute

• • • • • •

Praise singers Meetings Songs Popular theatre Drums The gong

GROUP/VISUAL MEDIA • • • • • •

slides flip charts poster stickers banners billboards (on public transport) • Photos • journals

• extension / information kits • blackboard • bulletin board • maps/charts/diagrams • wall paintings • stamps • video productions • public debates

PRINT • Newspapers • Magazines

• Manuals • Pamphlets, booklets

• Newsletters • Letters (direct mail)

BROADCAST & Electronic • • • • • • • •

Radio Television Tape recorders Video Cassettes Satellite dishes Cinema Cellphones WAP / Internet

NON--MEDIA COMMUNICATION NON • • • • • •

• Networking Face-to-face • drama home visits • Symposia, seminars and workshops Public meetings games/contests • folk theatre, case Group discussion study • Demonstration role playing • exhibitions

SPIRITUALITY • How one understands the “experience of God” affects one’s understanding of

Christology Ecclesiology Eschatology Morality

Spirituality : dynamic relationship between the divine Spirit and the human Spirit that leads to transformation. “lived and a multiform phenomenon “

Spirituality • A process. . . • A relationship. . . • A communication. . . When we are profoundly touched by the Other, we cannot help but communicate it!

FILM AND SPIRITUALITY

Film = Motion

picture…

GENRES • • • • • •

Action Romance Horror Adventure Sci--Fi Sci Drama

• • • • • • •

Comedy “Adult” Cartoons Animation Period/Historical Musical Etc.

Can we experience God in films? • Why do we watch films? Or why not watch them? • What are your considerations when you watch a film? (mood, values, regulations, etc.) • What are your immediate reactions after viewing films?

Film and Spirituality Three Key Areas

• How do we understand spirituality? • Characteristics of film language • The dialogue concerning spirituality in film

OR

Entertainment Anything that pleases us, lifts us out of ourselves, helps us enjoy ourselves. Sometimes it can be easy and quick bit of relaxation – just vegging in front of the box – or simply a time-filler. True and genuine entertainment is something that really satisfies and help us be our better selves.

Education Thinking of it as facts and figures being drummed into us relentlessly, we may not be very keen on education at all. Education is not information, it is transformation!

“Edutainment” Educational and Entertaining

FILMS Films tell stories and drama of all kinds. When we view films, we engage, participate, identify, reject, classify, enjoy evaluate, digest and criticize. Mostly in a spontaneous way, jumping without order. We speak of many things about the film informally with one another during or after viewing; often casually. In short, we engage in interpersonal communication about the film. We are doing film dialogue, informally.

Three Areas to Consider • Social Impact of Film • Film as Art • Film as Business

Media and Spirituality Film, as the medium, the language where to experience the divinedivine-human relationship that eventually leads to transformation.. transformation

Film and Spirituality

Bring out the “spiritual dimension” of the story! • Fish out the DivineHuman relationship in the story..

Characteristics of the Medium Film to Express Spirituality • Spirituality takes a form of a story or drama, of dramatized-life stories. (narrative than argumentative level) • Always expressed in the form of a concentration condensation of crucial life events. • Always situated in concrete socio-cultural contexts, showing confrontation.

Characteristics . . . • Always individualized and incarnated in living persons. (lived spirituality). • Quite often takes the form of an audiovisualized life journey. • The audiovisual language of film has at its disposal, its own facilities to express and experience spirituality and spiritual values.

Characteristics • Spirituality implies visions/appreciation of life, human nature, world and being – often very different and conflicting interpretations and evaluations of them. them.

Characteristics. . . • Spirituality in the context of the film dialogue is a dialogical spirituality – It concerns spirituality and spiritual values implied in the film story and is explored/ discovered through the dialogue in the group.

Experience Film Dialogue. . .

Lecturette 2: Introduction to Film Dialogue

Film Dialogue

Film Dialogue & Other Concepts • Film Reading - read the film according to the message it tries to convey, promote and advocate. It tries to capture what the director is trying to say. Read the film according to the directors’ perspectives and not the viewers’

Concepts . . . • Film Critique/Analysis – criticize/analyze the film according to the merits or demerits of the film, mostly according to its technical and aesthetical aspects. It is concerned on how the story is written, presented and developed in the film. It is also interested in the story flow, setting and characters.

Concepts . . . • Film Appreciation – appreciate the film based on its goodness; aesthetics and visually-good and stunning camera shots; appreciate the film for its unity and diversity.

• Film Dialogue – is being in contact with the film; film; “the inner self” is the focus focus.. As one watches a film, one discovers oneself, one makes a journey to his/her innermost being being.. One gets attached with his/her senses, logic, emotions emotions.. “Mining the gold in films films..” Film dialogue focuses on life’s experiences that will surface after film viewing viewing..

• Remember: All films have values. But they depend so much on the viewers’ viewpoints and perspectives. • Films are reflective of realities. • Films should be treated in the light of spirituality and meanings.

Film Dialogue in a Nutshell a.

The spiritual film dialogue:

•

A systematic goal-oriented group dialogue about film/TV stories; Organized and guided viewing of films/TV-stories; Sharing of life- experiences and interpretations from a Christian perspective, in the light of the gospel; Clarification of central symbols, scenes, dramatic forms;

• •

•

Nutshell . . . • Discovery of religious/spiritual dimensions in the story story;; • Broadening experiences and interpretations;; interpretations • Evaluation and integration of experiences;; experiences • Process going from reception to perception of media stories stories;; • Biography/reference systems of the viewers viewers;; • Group animator facilitates the dialogue;; dialogue

Characteristics of the Spiritual Dialogue b.

Characteristics of the spiritual dialogue:

•

The group members describe what they have seen in the film in the light of their own background, their Christian life experiences, worldview, faith, spirituality;

•

With the help of guiding questions, the interactive sharing on the film initiates the spiritual dialogue;

Characteristics . . . • Interactive sharing within the group continues and stimulates the dialogue on the spirituality in the film story and the spirituality of the group members members.. • This dialogue is a spiritual dialogue dialogue.. The spirituality developed during the dialogue is a dialogical spirituality involving the film, the individual and each member of the group group.. • This spiritual dialogue can be practiced in all kinds of events events.; .; film and other media

Main Objectives of the Film Dialogue • A better Christian understanding of media stories;; stories • A process of dialogue, confrontation and clarification;; clarification • Integration of life life-experiences;; experiences • Growth in religious and spiritual meanings; meanings; • Cultivation of the life of the spirit from a Christian viewpoint viewpoint..

Guiding Rules for Spiritual Dialogue • Initial reflection: brief sharing of first impressions, experiences, emotions, questions. • Analysis of the audiovisual language, the story, the message, key moments in the story, important images, symbols, scenes, music, verbal texts, camera, editing. • Analysis of spiritual dimensions: the “spirit” of the film, the inspiration, motivations of the main characters, the ways they order and integrate their experiences; the more or less implicit worldview, value system, images of religion or faith, processes of transformation, mystical experiences.

Sensibilities – Attitudes towards Film Medium Post Modern Film Theory: Audience’s Perspective

Sensibilities – Attitudes towards Film Medium Modern Film Theory Director’s Perspective

Both theories compliment each other:
Technique

and content
Director’s message and meaning on the audience

What is sensibility? • Attitudes towards the film medium is audience perspective. • Refers to: interests, tastes and style of individuals, groups of culture.

Sensibilities . . . • Interests

Sensibilities . . . • Tastes • Style of individuals, groups of culture

Sensibility is a key idea for helping us to appreciate our differences in responding to media and arts.

KEY FOCAL POINTS OF SENSITIVITY (Carl Jung, 1921 published Personality Types)

Focal Points . . .

Extrovert and Introvert

Focal Points . . .

Deciders and datagatherers

Focal Points . . .

Sensate and Intuitive

Focal Points . . .

Objective and Subjective

FILM AND SENSITIVITIES: Language, Sexual Issues and Violence


Film

Sensitivity is a word about which we are sensitive. It indicates how we are effected and affected by what we see.

Varying Aspects of Human Sensitivity

Delicacy • Formation of a ‘delicate’ conscience

Aspects . . . Fragility • A sensitivity that has been overprotected; not been exposed to harsher human realities.

Aspects . . . Robustness • Able to deal with the brutality and be compassionate to those who suffer (rather than avoiding the issue or, when confronted by it, collapse or become disillusioned).

Aspects . . .

Crassness • Wallows in what is ordinarily seen as gratuitous is ‘crass’ or rude or vulgar. • Desensitization’ to language and violence by constant exposure or by overexposure.

Area of Sensitivity

Area of Sensitivity . . .

Area of Sensitivity . . .

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