In 'Samson and Delilah' directed by Warwick Thornton, visual techniques are used to develop the deeper idea of the harsh reality that young indigenous Australians are becoming more and more disclocated from their own society and culture. THornton has shown this idea through the techniques of cinematography, props and make up, with each showing a different aspect of the problems facing teenage aborigines.
Thornton uses the visual technique of cinematography to show the dislocation and disconnection of Samson from his own aboriginal society and culture. Camera angles such as a big shot showing Samson looking down on the town from above clearly emphasize his detachment from everyone. This is then backed up by an important miidshot, with Samson set behind a background of the outback and not his town. This again highlights his dislocation and resentment of Aboriginal life. Finally, Thornton uses a powerful longshot to show Samson walking away from the town, petrol in hand, and into the outback. this final shot is extrmely important as it shows how Samson has become an outcast and that he has severed all his ties with his own community. The cinematography not only shows Samson's disconnection from Aboriginal society and culture but it helps to show the viewer that this is a reality for many young Aborigines, who have been living disconnected, without any attachment to their own culture. Thornton tries to show, through Samson, the deeper problems that plague young Aboriginals.
The second visual technique Thornton uses is props. Props, and more specifically the bottle of prteol, help to show the harsh reality of substance abuse that occurs with young aboriginals when they feel displaced from culture and society. Throughout the film, Samson relies more and more on sniffing petrol and it bacomes commonplace for him. This is seen in the opening scene where as soon as Samson wakes up he reaches for a can of petrol. His drug addiction blurs reality and affects his own judgements hugely. Two key scenes that show this effectively is when Delilah is kidnapped and later when she is hit by a vehicle. Using editting, Samson's point of view is shown as a slow, blurry world where all he can hear is his heart beating and he is so high he does not notice Delilah getting in trouble. This use of props extends past the film and into reality where substance abuse is sadly part of everyday life for many young indigenous Australians. Thorton wanted to show this unseen underworld of drug addiction to his audience and to draw attention to it, as many Australians are unaware of the troubles of Aborigines in central Australia. thornton has experienced and seen first hand the troubles of drugs in aboriginal society, saying many of the events were from "my life", highlighting how all aborigines are affected by substance abuse.
Thornton's final visual technique in the text is make up. This is important as it shows the violent and antisocial behaviour of young aboriginals in Alice Springs. Make up is used mostly on Delilah after she is shockingly kidnapped, raped then beaten. She is slowly reintroduced by a night time silhouette, so you cannot tell what has happened. This contrasts with swollen, black eyes and cheeks, bloodied teeth and lips and filthyu from head to toe in dust and dirt. This dramatic entrance shocks the viewer hugely, and this is exactly what Thornton wants as it quickly lets you grasp onto his idea of young Aboriginal violence. Thornton uses cinematography to highlight the makeup with extreme close ups to show the detailed work of the make up artist. Another way the viewer is dismayed by this violence is the development of the bruising over time by the make up artist, as Delilah is seen in the next scene even worse for wear. All these factors give tyhe viewer a sense of the violence surrounding young Aborigines. Thornton, who based the film on aspects of his life, connfronts viewers from the rest of Australia and the world to a harsher side of the 'ideal' tourist location. This is becoming even more and more relevant as newspaper and television articles are only just beginning to scratch the surface of Aboriginal crime in central Australia.
The three techniques of cinematography, props and make up all tie in together to clearly show the reality of young aboriginals in Australia being disconected from their own society and culture. Thornton focuses on this deeper idea as he has experienced it himself and he wants to show Australia and the world the neglect of aboriginal tennagers and how they are overlooked in a predominantly white society.
Thornton uses the visual technique of cinematography to show the dislocation and disconnection of Samson from his own aboriginal society and culture. Camera angles such as a big shot showing Samson looking down on the town from above clearly emphasize his detachment from everyone. This is then backed up by an important miidshot, with Samson set behind a background of the outback and not his town. This again highlights his dislocation and resentment of Aboriginal life. Finally, Thornton uses a powerful longshot to show Samson walking away from the town, petrol in hand, and into the outback. this final shot is extrmely important as it shows how Samson has become an outcast and that he has severed all his ties with his own community. The cinematography not only shows Samson's disconnection from Aboriginal society and culture but it helps to show the viewer that this is a reality for many young Aborigines, who have been living disconnected, without any attachment to their own culture. Thornton tries to show, through Samson, the deeper problems that plague young Aboriginals.
The second visual technique Thornton uses is props. Props, and more specifically the bottle of prteol, help to show the harsh reality of substance abuse that occurs with young aboriginals when they feel displaced from culture and society. Throughout the film, Samson relies more and more on sniffing petrol and it bacomes commonplace for him. This is seen in the opening scene where as soon as Samson wakes up he reaches for a can of petrol. His drug addiction blurs reality and affects his own judgements hugely. Two key scenes that show this effectively is when Delilah is kidnapped and later when she is hit by a vehicle. Using editting, Samson's point of view is shown as a slow, blurry world where all he can hear is his heart beating and he is so high he does not notice Delilah getting in trouble. This use of props extends past the film and into reality where substance abuse is sadly part of everyday life for many young indigenous Australians. Thorton wanted to show this unseen underworld of drug addiction to his audience and to draw attention to it, as many Australians are unaware of the troubles of Aborigines in central Australia. thornton has experienced and seen first hand the troubles of drugs in aboriginal society, saying many of the events were from "my life", highlighting how all aborigines are affected by substance abuse.
Thornton's final visual technique in the text is make up. This is important as it shows the violent and antisocial behaviour of young aboriginals in Alice Springs. Make up is used mostly on Delilah after she is shockingly kidnapped, raped then beaten. She is slowly reintroduced by a night time silhouette, so you cannot tell what has happened. This contrasts with swollen, black eyes and cheeks, bloodied teeth and lips and filthyu from head to toe in dust and dirt. This dramatic entrance shocks the viewer hugely, and this is exactly what Thornton wants as it quickly lets you grasp onto his idea of young Aboriginal violence. Thornton uses cinematography to highlight the makeup with extreme close ups to show the detailed work of the make up artist. Another way the viewer is dismayed by this violence is the development of the bruising over time by the make up artist, as Delilah is seen in the next scene even worse for wear. All these factors give tyhe viewer a sense of the violence surrounding young Aborigines. Thornton, who based the film on aspects of his life, connfronts viewers from the rest of Australia and the world to a harsher side of the 'ideal' tourist location. This is becoming even more and more relevant as newspaper and television articles are only just beginning to scratch the surface of Aboriginal crime in central Australia.
The three techniques of cinematography, props and make up all tie in together to clearly show the reality of young aboriginals in Australia being disconected from their own society and culture. Thornton focuses on this deeper idea as he has experienced it himself and he wants to show Australia and the world the neglect of aboriginal tennagers and how they are overlooked in a predominantly white society.
