Group Project Outline Pt.3

8/14/2019 Group Project Outline Pt.3

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32FST378: Filmic ArtProfessor: Dr. Grace Epstein

Presented by:Marco Arredondo

Glenn Painter Jeff Wallin

Presentation 5: Born IntoPresentation 5: Born Into

BrothelsBrothels

1. Engage class in an analysis of one or two key scenes.

2. Focus on important artistic elements or innovation made in the film.

3. Give any important information about the films context and development.



4. Questions to provoke class discussion.

1. Engage class in an analysis of one or two key scenes

Scene 1: Scene where Tapasi is fetching water before she has is cursed at for not picking up

the bucket.

Nine minutes into the movie Tapasiis involved in a confrontation with an

older woman in her same apartmentcomplex over a water bucket. Rightbeforehand, Tapasi is stating “Even if Iwas poor, I would have a happy life.One has to accept life as being sad andpainful”. For these words to come outof her mouth to me is utterly amazing.Being eleven years old at the time, her maturity level and understanding of theworld is far beyond any eleven year oldchild’s that I have ever come across. In a society such as ours it seems that the average

eleven year old is more preoccupied with homework, little league, video games and toysrather than the ways of the world. These children are having thoughts that do not crossWesterners minds until maybe their mid twenties or thirties.

“I need to do something with my sewing and photography, I need to make a living andtake care of my sister and me.” The fact that she is planning on taking the guardian role over her sister at such a young age and already focusing on career choices for her future is veryhonorable and speaks much for her integrity. While watching their interviews during themovie I did not feel that they were children, but little adults who have hit the realities of life ata very young age.

What impressed me most about the children was their commitment to their family, their acceptance as being a part of that family and having to contribute towards the family in order to have the basic necessities. Whether it was through working, washing pots, cleaninghouses, cooking, babysitting, or as Avijit stated, “Some men drink and don’t pay, then I haveto go after them and be mean….because that’s all we have.” The maturity level and level of responsibility placed upon these children is absolutely amazing to me, placed in the rightenvironment and given the proper opportunities and resources I believe there is no limit towhat these kids can accomplish.

Scene 2: Last Chance



At one hour and 12 minutes into the move a sequence entitled “Last Chance” begins. Thesecond scene involves Puja’s Grandmother and Mother reacting to an offer that has beenextended for Puja to attend a boarding school that will give her wonderful opportunities for a better life.This offer is free of charge, and was apparently supported by the two family members asthey accompanied Puja, Zana and the film crew to the school to fill out applicationpaperwork.

When the time arrives for Puja to go, the Grandmother denies any fear of her leaving andadmits that it maker her feel good for her to go. She quickly adds an irrational addendum,though, that she cannot do this on a Thursday. Her mother died on a Thursday, and thishas been a source of great suffering ever since. He mother agrees, that she should not dothis today. Another day is fine. In the end, she does go, and the Grandmother is obviouslysad to see her leave.

This scene is a simple sequence of shots. It open with a transitional tracking shot followingPuja up the stairs to introduce us to Puja’s home and set the stage for the next few shots.The next shot cuts rather crudely to Puja’s grandmother talking. This is in character withdocumentary filmmaking, but one gets the sense that the conversation built up to this point,

and the camera person quickly trained the camera in this direction as the conversation tookform. The grandmother is mostly centered in the frame, but camera motion is unstable,and jerky. This adds to the realism of the moment, and lets the viewer feel that this aconversation that is unplanned and definitely not staged.

The camera then cuts to Puja’s Mother. Zana then explains that this is the last chance. It istoday or never. The mother is preoccupied with chores and acknowledges the statement,but they continue to assert their position, not on a Thursday. Puja states that she is going,and ultimately does.

I believe that this also shows another aspect of the despair that these children face. Even if

opportunities are found for a better life, often the parents don’t want them to go. It can behard for us to relate to. If I was in such a desperate situation, I believe that I would jump for

joy and sing praises for such an opportunity for my children. Are they selfish? Are theyafraid to loose what little they have, their children? Do some of them need the money thekids can make now or the future revenue they can produce “on the line?” Are they scared,or mentally unbalanced? We are left only with unanswered questions and a feeling of disbelief at the circumstances and touch of the hopelessness and despair that the childrenmust feel.



2. Focus on important artistic elements or innovation made in the film.

This movie can invoke a strong emotional response in the view through an association or

attachment to the characters. A relationship almost develops over the one hour and 23minutes through three phases of the film; the introduction, the body, and the conclusion.

The directors’ first goal is to make a connection between the viewer and the subjects of thefilm. This begins in the opening shot. An image of a single naked light in a dirty buildingappears, swarmed by insects with the words “RED LIGHT FILMS presents” fading in. Thisbegins to set the stage in the red light district.

Then the movie cuts to an extreme close up of the face of a child, framed left from nose toforehead, eyes looking right, toward the light (we infer this from the dark background andstrong light in the foreground.) This is where the Directors first use the relationshipestablishing technique of the actor looking directly into the camera. In slow motion, the child’sface turns, angling toward the camera while they eyes remain fixed on their target; they theeyes turn to look us square in the face. We feel that we are not merely passive observers, but

are being observed back. An uncomfortable relationship begins to build.

This disturbing is replaced by another; a bird’s eye view of a side street in Calcutta. It is shotaskew, adding to the disorienting nature of the bird’s eye shot in the first place. The mainstreet is well lit, but the side street gets progressively darker as it tracks away from it’s bigbrother.



A montage of scenes then play out depicting night life in the brothels, intermixed with close upsof the children while seeing shots that show the living areas of the brothels in increasingfrequency until we get to the title frame.

Having been drawn into the setting, we are given background information and visuals. One of the children then introduces us to each of the others in a very childlike way. She names them,and tells us something personal, and random, about them. Sometimes this is funny.Sometimes it’s inconsequential. Those of us with children can immediately identify with her

and the others. We can see our own kids doing the same thing to introduce their friends. TheDirectors now have our attention.

The body of the movie serves to develop the characters and their story. We continue toconnect in the process in very standard and predictable ways. We see humor and tragedy.Their relationships and personalities are explored as we watch and see similarities anddifferences between them and children we know.

As the movie closes, we are now hoping for good outcomes. The children are every bit asdeserving of a good life, and just as much potential, as we have found out, to develop in wayssimilar to any other child. We see some of the children heading off for school, and some not.

Avijit heads to Amsterdam and has a wonderful time. We then find out that he returned homeand chose to enter the school as we would have liked; yea! The most troubled youth pullsthrough. Maybe they all have a chance. This begins the final run down for each of the kids.

We see a short shot of each character, first in motions, then still frozen as we learn their fate.This transitions them from the live characters we have come to know and connect with to staticchildren again. To still have a bond, but now realize, rather suddenly, that the events havealready transpired. In fact, possibly quite some time ago. We are rooting for ghosts of a sort,but continue to hope that they are all well now. Slow, sweet, ethnic string instrument musicplays in the background to add to the emotion of these shots.

Manik’s dad would not let him go to school.



Puga’s mother took her out of school.

Shanti left school.

Gour still lives in the brothel.

This is not ending well. Again, we feel the despair of the children.

Tapasi ran away and joined a school. That sounds … ok.



Suchitra’s aunt would not let her leave the brothel.

This story isn’t turning out the way the viewer would want. Then, subtly, and quite abruptly themusic changes tone. As the scene cuts to Kochi in motion, it transitions into a sustainedchord, somewhat high in tone and low in volume. It suggests that something wonderful or magical is about to happen. It is at this time that the directors come back to the powerfultechnique that they used in the second shot of the film. They use a close up, and Kochi’s faceand eyes turn to stare directly at us. We now the emotional attachment to the children that has

been developed throughout the movie. We have been disappointed by the bad news aboutmany of the children’s future. The background music builds anticipation.

We are then caught off guard, and emotionally vulnerable as Kochi fixes her gaze, the actbringing about discomfort and a strong attachment to her through direct eye to eye contact asthe emotional message is delivered. She stayed in school. We then see words we did notexpect. “She is happy and doing well.”

This is a brilliant beginning and end to the picture. It is hard not to have an emotional reactionto this final shot, the last visual we see in the film. The use of engaging shots and techniques

employed to create a personal identification with the children make this simple documentaryaward winning.

3. Give any important information about the films context and development.

In Calcutta, there are over 7,000 women and girls who live and work as prostitutes. In 1997,New York-based photographer Zana Briski went to Calcutta to photograph the prostitutes,penetrating through the web of brothel owners, pimps, police, local politicians and organizedcrime syndicates to better understand their lives.

http://www.kids-with-cameras.org/aboutus/?page=zanabriski

http://www.kids-with-cameras.org/aboutus/?page=zanabriski



While she was living in the brothels she developed relationships with a group morestigmatized than the women: their children. Spurred by their fascination with her camera,Zana began to teach them photography, and to see the world through their eyes.

From 2000 to 2003, she conducted weekly workshops and taught them camera basics,

lighting, composition, the development of point-of-view, editing, and sequencing for narrative.The goal of the project was to provide a safe place for the kids to be themselves, learn, havefun, and in the process, come to believe in their own self-worth. She watched in wonder asthe children came back with vibrant self-portraits, family pictures, and street scenes thatoffered stunning tableaus of Bengali life.

Zana and filmmaker Ross Kauffman documented the children and their stories in the film"Born into Brothels," which went on to win over 25 major awards, including the 2005Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature. Through the film, audiences all over theworld learned of and fell in love with the spirited and resilient young photographers. Theywitnessed how art and education can empower children growing up in difficult circumstances

to transform their lives.

Zana founded Kids with Cameras in 2002 to raise money and awareness for the childrenthrough print sales, exhibitions, film festivals and a book of their work. The children's imageshave been exhibited in Calcutta, Europe and all over the U.S. A book of their photos waspublished in 2004. In order to help more children from Calcutta's red-light district, we havealso been raising money to develop a safe home specifically for the children of prostitutes toprovide an opportunity for them to learn, thrive and lead future generations. An educationalcurriculum based on the film has also been created to reach out to students and teachersacross the U.S. and around the world.

Kids with Cameras has since sent other committed and passionate photographers to teachphotography to children growing up in areas of poverty, abuse or conflict. We havedeveloped workshops for Palestinian and Israeli children in Jerusalem, child domesticworkers in Haiti and the garbage collecting community in Cairo.

(Glenn Painter)

4. Questions to provoke class discussion.

Questions:

(Glenn Painter)

1) What was your favorite picture and why?2) Which child impressed you the most?3) How did you feel when the mother was yelling and cursing at their own

child?4) What impressed you the most about the scene at the beach?

(Marco Arredondo)

http://www.kids-with-cameras.org/aboutus/?page=rosskauffman

http://www.kids-with-cameras.org/school/

http://www.kids-with-cameras.org/education/


http://www.kids-with-cameras.org/aboutus/?page=rosskauffman

http://www.kids-with-cameras.org/school/





5.) How does their culture differ from ours (United States) in regards to howchildren are viewed and treated?

6.) Which child or children do you think will actually make it out of the viciouscycle?

7.) How did the Calcutta government view the people from the Red Light

District?8.) Which child’s story touched you most?

(Jeff Wallin)

9.) What are the differences between the cinematography of “Hero” and “Borninto Brothels?”

10.) Should the parents of these children have the right to deny themattendance to boarding schools designed to remove them from suchterrible conditions?

11.) One of the jacket comments says, “A remarkable and moving story about

the power of art to transform lives.” In the case of children like this, can arttransform lives? If so, how?12.) Are there lessons we can take away from this movie and apply locally in

our own areas?

Main Character identification / description for topic discussion:

CHILD: BACKGROUND: UPDATE (Apr 09): Avijit

11, is an innately talented artistand has won many competitionsfor his paintings. Charismatic andrestlessly creative, his imageswere among the most compellingof the workshop. Avijit was invitedby the World Press PhotoFoundation in Amsterdam to bepart of their Children's Jury in2002. In 2005, Avijit received afour year high school scholarshipto attend an incredible school inAmerica. He's begun his first year.

20, is studying film at NYU andthriving in the program and thecity.

Manik 10, lives in a small room with hissister Shanti, and loves to fly kites.Though quiet, he is a daringphotographer, who likes toexperiment with composition. Hesays he now likes photographymore than kites.

17, is studying at FutureHope,where he is doing very well.



Shanti11, lives with her brother, Manikand their mother. She likes tophotograph her family, but she liketo use a video camera even more.Shanti filmed one of the classroom

scenes in Born into Brothels.

18, is studying at FutureHope,where she is doing very well.

Tapasi11, wants to be a teacher anddreams of being able to take careof her younger brother and sister.She photographs the harsh realityof her life, using the camera to tellher story. Tapasi now lives in theSanlaap home for girls.

19, left Sabera on her own accordthree years ago and has sincemarried.

Suchitra14, is a gifted photographer, takingphotographs of daily life on her rooftop. Suchitra's photo of her sister's friend was chosen as thecover of the Amnesty International2003 calendar.

22, has married and moved out of Calcutta.

Kochi10, is shy and sweet. She uses thecamera to escape her surroundings, taking pictures of her family, animals, gardens, andparks. She says she prefers takingphotos to editing. She now lives atthe Sabera Foundation home for girls and is learning English andcomputer skills.

17, is studying at a private highschool in Utah and getting topmarks in all of her classes..

Puja 11, photographs mostly in her room which she shares with her mother, her great-grandmother and her pet parrots. A tomboy atheart, she and Gour are bestfriends.

Believed to still be living in the red-light district but has lost contactwith Kids with Cameras.



Gour13, is sensitive and thoughtful. Hedislikes his environment and wantsto use photography to change it.He photographs his friends playingcricket, his pet rabbits, and his

best friend Puja. Gour plans to goto University with the support of Kids With Cameras.

Believed to still be living in the red-light district but has lost contactwith Kids with Cameras.

REFERENCES:

http://www.kids-with-cameras.org/news

http://www.myspace.com/bornintobrothels

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Born_into_Brothels

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0388789/





http://www.kids-with-cameras.org/aboutthekids/







*** GROUP PROJECT UPDATE No.2 ***

This is what we have so far,

I will stop here for now, feel free to tweak or adjust as necessary.

If anyone needs certain images from the movie, give me the time it

occurs in the movie and I will get them for you. I have a program

that takes images directly from the movie. Jeff let me know where

your key scene is and I’ll cut two frames from it as I did for the

one above if you need me to.

If we can, let’s try and have the discussion questions answered at

the latest by Friday, everything as a whole by Saturday night. I’m

trying to have the project turned in by Sunday night or Monday

morning the latest.

Please add to the project or send me info to add as you come up

with it.

Every time a change is made, I will send out an updated edition of

the project.

If anyone has any ideas or ways to make things better please let

me know ASAP.

Documents

Group Project Outline Pt.3