HOW FILMS POSITION THEIR AUDIENCE

Question 1

why does Wikkus seem to be the main character?

Answer 1

• he book ends the movie
• loads of talking heads in the beginning about him
• he’s the first person we see and the camera lingers on him
• gets the most screen time

Question 2

how could we argue that we see a human POV in the beginning of the movie?

Answer 2

• aliens shown as animalistic (fighting)
• shown smart humans (sociologist)
• we cant see their language in the subtitles until we meet Christopher Johnson
• we only see what’s happening in south Africa through white eyes

Question 3

how does the film give us a HUMAN POV when first going into district 9?

Answer 3

• we stand behind humans when we first go into D9, looking over their shoulders at the aliens
• wikkus initially translates for aliens ( human white perspective)
• wikkus enjoys killing alien babies a little too much
• we get lots of birds eye view shots - positions us in a state of power over the creatures

Question 4

how are the aliens made to look inferior when we first enter D9?

Answer 4

• wearing propeller hat (mise en scene)
• see them with carcases/dead meat/graffiti/dirty/rubbish on floor (mise en scene)
• baby shack looks messy, while our babies are born in clean and sanitized hospitals
• peeing in the street while wearing a bra

Question 5

how do our positions change after meeting Christopher?
(MICROELEMENTS)

Answer 5

• sound gets gentle, and chaos becomes muffled background music that fades
• loose MNU branding in the corner of the screen
• first time we have a proper conversation between aliens
• first time we see aliens have a purpose (looking for their parts)
• aliens shown as superior by calling human tech ‘junk’

Question 6

how do our positions change after meeting Christopher? (WIKKUS LOOSING POWER)

Answer 6

he has made a mistake. begs camera man to stop recording but they don’t stop recording - this establishes him as a weaker character as they aren’t obeying him.

Question 7

how do our positions change after meeting Christopher? (THE CHILD)

Answer 7

• camera tracking
• audience have a reaction towards the child as there is no human equivalent, so this makes audience shift their sympathies to the most vulnerable character

Question 8

how do our positions change after meeting Christopher?

Answer 8

• camera tracking
• Christopher Johnson is paternal towards his child by patting him on the head and praising him. shows aliens are just like any other species that have love for each other
• we start to see what Christopher sees ( his character gaining more power)
• we don’t know his background so become intrigued