Bias View Of The Town Of Cunnamulla example essay topic

The documentary "Cunnamulla", is an advocacy that illustrates a quintessential Australian town. Dennis O'Rourke, a famous documentalist advocates his position by using various, skilful film techniques and elements. The documentalist only presents one person's version of reality throughout a number of interviews. He is able to influence the audience so they have a bias view of the town of Cunnamulla.

"Cunnamulla", a social commentary documentary explores people's lives and issues at the end of the railway line, eight hundred kilometres west of Brisbane, Australia. It is filmed just before an extremely hot Christmas in the bush and there's a lot more occurring than what many people would believe. In "Cunnamulla", indigenous people and white Australians live together, but also apart. "Creativity struggles against indifference, eccentricity against conformity" (Cunnamulla, 25-07-03).

Daily dramas are continually developing and unfolding. Famous country-and-western singer Slim Dusty is coming to the town, as seen by many posters, a teenage concert pianist is touring, and the community is preparing for Christmas. Dennis O'Rourke introduces the audience to real-life characters such as Neredah, a highly opinionated town member, Paul, an aboriginal in trouble with the police, and Cara and Kellie-Anne, promiscuous teens that long to escape to the city. "Sometimes sad, often hilarious, it is an astonishingly honest portrait of the eccentricities, hypocrisies and reality of life in an isolated community" (Cunnamulla, 25-07-03). The documentalist selects a range of inhabitants to interview. These bold, daring people voice their opinions on-camera with a spirited Australian mix of humour, outrageousness and prejudice.

This occurs when they are either discussing the state of the nation or the townsfolk's sex-lives. The town of Cunnamulla is portrayed through their words and actions. Their intimate thoughts are laid bare for all to see. The film conceivably never gets beyond its subjects entertaining talk, though there are glimpses of depth and desperation in the plight of the youngsters, dying to escape the dead-end.

By creating this view the documentalist has positioned the audience to create the automatic one-sided view. Occasionally we see more than a couple of figures in a frame, and there are fleeting glimpses of events and groups: a funeral, the races, a show, shots of kids in a pool, or riding on a merry-round. These shots are carefully composed and pleasing to look at. Dennis O'Rourke may be presenting an often-bleak vision, but it is also thoughtfully framed. The camera technique again emphasises the documentalist's message. The interviews conducted are typical of other common interviews allowing the viewer to see the upper part of the interviewee's body.

There are occasional distanced shots of houses and street signs to allow the audience to know where they are filming. Visual and audio elements play an important role in showing the interviewees and the documentalist view. Music selected for the documentary effectively emphasises the visual images projected. The documentalist utilises each component of the soundtrack to maximise the impact to the audience. Orchestral music, heavy metal and the Chopin Waltz are all diverse music that is played throughout the documentary. The natural background sounds, dialogue and music from the soundtrack, are other elements that the documentalist exploits to reinforce the visual message.

Further bias is attained by the inclusion of a scene with Paul. He casually says "Drink, smoke marijuana, look for women and break in, that's all you can do in Cunnamulla". The documentalist implements techniques, comprising footage, emotive shots, and other elements with extreme effectiveness and he reinforces the purpose of the documentary. However in these techniques and by omitting negative images, he fails to adequately portray a balanced representation. By filming the killing of a dog, cutting the head off a chicken and then watching it suffer, showed the audience a slight idea of disturbing but true country life. These events and the inclusion of strong profanities during the entire film created a weakness, which wasn't necessary in portraying a typical country town.

Dennis O' Rourke filmed the interviewees showing how they felt and using personal anecdotes with great strength. The audience could highly understand their views and personal issues. The documentary was not credible as Dennis O' Rourke immersed himself in the lives of only ten of Cunnamulla's marginal population. With approximately one thousand five hundred people living in the town it would have been more appropriate to use more interviewees for a more non-bias view. Dennis O' Rourke leads the audience to believe that the youth and people of Cunnamulla have no prospects and no future. The documentary was subjective and truly one man's version of reality.

"Cunnamulla" was not truly representational as it only shows Dennis O'Rourke's interpretation of reality. Cunnamulla is a town, which embodies all of the huge issues, which are now the issues of national debate; race, identity, right-wing politics, fairness and reconciliation. "Cunnamulla" is an informative, enjoyable film that appeals to a wide range of diverse audiences. O'Rourke, (1998/1999), Cunnamulla, viewed 25-07-03.