HELENA TŘEŠTÍKOVÁ’S LONG-TERM OBSERVATIONAL DOCUMENTARY Masaryk University Faculty of Arts...

HELENA TŘEŠTÍKOVÁ’S LONG-TERM OBSERVATIONAL DOCUMENTARY

Masaryk University

Faculty of Arts

Department of Film Studies and Audiovisual Culture

Autumn Semester 2012

Advisor: PhDr. Jaromír Blažejovský

Student: Mgr. Maša Hilčišin

Helena Třeštíková’s long-term observational documentary

1. Introduction

1.1 Helena Třeštíková’s long – term observational documentary film

1.2 Methodology

2. Politics, culture, and cinema

2.1 Political, and cultural context and background

2.2 Třeštíková’s observational documentary and influence in Czech documentary cinema

2.3 Reflection of Třeštíková’s work in Czech media

3. Theoretical overview and concepts: Observational documentary cinema

3.1 In search for definition

3.2 Observational documentary cinema in relation to authenticity, and profilmic reality

3.2.a) Theorizing authenticity

3.2.b) Pro-filmic reality


4. Structural analysis

4.1 Marcela

Structure of Marcela

Spatial representation

Communication

Camera shots

4.2 René

Structure of René


Communication

Camera shots

4.3 Katka

Structure of Katka


Communication

Camera shots


5. Authenticity and pro-filmic reality of Třeštíková’s long-term observational films

5.1 Filmic means used in dramatization

5.1.a Structuring the story

5.1.b Camera shots

5.1.c Interviews, and using of narration

5.1.d Time-frame

5.2 Contractual model of film authentcity between the filmmaker and spectator

5.3 Subjective involvement and filmmaker's performance


Francesco Casetti

contract model of flimic authenticity between the filmmaker and spectator

Manfred Hattendorf

pragmatic study of documentary film, and structural analysis


Structure of Marcela


Part I (shots: 0.02 - 27.33; 1980-1987)

Marcela and Jiří are married in Prague Old Town Hall (1980)

Marcela and Jiří are expecting a baby (1981)

Marcela and Jiří are struggling to find a flat (they are living with Jiří’s parents)

Shortly after the birth of their daughter, Marcela leaves Jiří and goes back to her parents

Marcela and Jiří divorce (1982)

After a three-year wait, Marcela is finally allocated an apartment (1983)

Marcela starts to work at a post office

Jiří moves back in with Marcela. Two years later they split up for good (1987)

Part II (shots: 27.34 -52.07; 1999-2005)

Marcela has a second child. She does not live with his father

Marcela has had an operation (2000)

Marcela and Ivana are trying to find the job

Marcela’s landlord offers her another flat in Česky Brod. Marcela and Ivana commute to work in Prague

Ivana does not return home from work (November 17, 2005). After a one-month investigation, she was found dead

Part III (shots: 52.08-80.45; 2006-2007)

Marcela’s story is shown on television. Viewers start calling, writing and sending her money (2006)

Marcela is admitted to a psychiatric clinic

Marcela attempts suicide

Marcela and Tomaš move to Prague (2007)


involving spectator with subtitles (short sentences): Marcela and Jiří are struggling to find a flat (they are living with Jiří’s parents); 1985 – Marcela has a long hospital stay; 2002 – Tomaš start school, where he has some problems; Marcela attempts suicide...

announcing dramatic situations film starts in the present (setting the tone for the rest

of the film) the opening was strategically done train / barely audible voice / profile shot / most of the

face in shadow / narration isolation of the subject from the outside world





the highest intensity of the space in respect to rhythm and changes is present during the first part of the film

during the later stages, this intensity and frequency decreases

preference for inside shots (especially home) home = to depict social status / simply furnished / no

focusing to details / for the most part, Marcela was not shown that often engaged in ordinary domestic activities / mostly shot sitting at the table, smoking or drinking coffee

the train settings help break up the film (train = isolation / distancing Marcela from the outside world / no other people on the train / Ivana’s death


dominant spatial representations: train inside, and Marcela’s home

total of 10 scenes on the train in the film

Jiří’s parents home is the setting for 5 scenes

Marcela’s home is the setting for 16 scenes

I part of the film: Train inside (5 shots), Jiri’s parents place (5 shots), Marcela’s home (6 shots)

II part of the film: Train inside (3 shots), Marcela’s home (7 shots)

III part of the film: Train inside (2 shots), Marcela’s home (3 shots)


Schematic demonstration of spatial structure can be seen in the following diagram:

Train inside – outside landscape shot from the train – train inside – rails (blurry footage) - outside landscape shot from the train – landscape – train inside – Marcela’s home (black-and-white image after wedding ceremony) – municipality (wedding ceremony) – in front of the municipality – in the restaurant (wedding celebration) – Marcela and Jiří’s home (the home of Jiří’s parents) – horse race – the home of Jiří’s parents – Jiří’s workplace (factory) –the home of Jiří’s parents – Marcela’s home (at her parents’ place) – court – the home of Marcela’s parents – court - the home of Marcela’s parents – court – horses mewing – summer café bar – Marcela’s new flat – children’s playground – hospital – Jiří’s workplace - Marcela’s flat – post office where Marcela works – Marcela’s flat – in the train – Marcela’s home – bar – market – in the tram – market – city (the square) – hospital – Marcela’s home – street – Marcela at work (shop and fast food) – Ivana’s work (supermarket) – Marcela’s flat – Marcela’s work – street – Marcela’s home – horses mewing – in the train – landscape of settlement – Marcela’s home – street – Marcela’s home – in the train – Marcela’s home – streets, city landscape – in the church (storing Ivana’s urn) – psychiatric clinic – horses mewing - psychiatric clinic (ceramic workshop) – in front of the hospital – settlement – Marcela’s flat and balcony – settlement – in the train – Marcela’s home – in the train – in the luna park – in the truck (Marcela is moving to Prague) – settlement – Marcela in her new flat in Prague


Communication


Communication in Marcela is built around: Marcela’s narration (18 min) Interviews done by Třeštíková (12 min)

interviews with Jiří, Jiří’s mother and Marcela’s father (during the first part of the film), Marcela’s daughter Ivana (during the second part of the film), and Marcela’s son Tomáš (during the last part of the film)

The total length of the film is 80.45 min


Macro structure of the communication in the film, and intensity of distribution of narration, interviews, and subtitles:

I part of the film

shots: 0.02 - 27.33, 1980 – 1987

Marcela’s narration

Marcela is talking

12th December 1980 – Marcela and Jiri are married in Prague Old Town Hall

Minister's voice during wedding ceremony

one of the guests give toast during wedding celebration

short conversation between Marcela and Jiri when they are breaking the plate (traditional wedding custom)

conversation between Marcela and Jiří

Jiří’s mother is talking

July 1981 – Marcela and Jirka are expecting a baby

conversation between Marcela and her mother-in-law

short interview between Treštikova, Jiří, Marcela, and Jiří’s mother

Marcela and Jiří are talking

Conflict between Marcela and Jiří

November 1981 – Shortly after the birth of her daughter, Marcela leaves Jiri and goes back to her parents

Marcela is talking

Marcela’s father is talking

Marcela is talking ....


questions usually very short / the same sample of questions unfinished conversations / dramatizing the situation / misplaced

scenes: during divorce procedure between Marcela and Jiří; Marcela’s narration how did she want to committ suicide; during Marcela’s stay in psychiatric clinic; Marcela reveals her suspicions that her daughter was sexually abused by father…

subject isolation no other members of the family (Marcela’s mother, or her sister) no involvement of Marcela’s friends, Ivana’s boyfriend or Ivana’s

friends there are no health or social workers there is no real dialogue flow between the two subjects (or very

rarely). Most of the time, they sit right in front of the camera. During these conversations they barely look at each other. Rather, they look directly into the camera



Why does Třeštíková used these particular voiceovers in the film but never followup on what’s been said? Was Marcela ever happy about delivering a baby or motherhood or finding new flat or job? These questions are never fully explored. Perhaps it was the Marcela’s life drama which propelled the film forward. Or was certain depressive side of her character used to consistently follow dramatic line in the film?

Třeštíková considered this feedback important. She clearly announced in the film that after Marcela was shown on the TV, viewers start calling, writing, and sending her Marcela money, who was then able to move to another flat. None of these letters were presented in the film.

The only representation from someone outside Marcela’s family came in the form of an answering-machine from a man named Peter . Why was he given so much space in the film?

Třeštíková as helper: reopening the case about Ivana; Marcela passed out. Třeštíková is in front of the camera…

Třeštíková as counsellor: advicing on motherhood; The following exchange happens after Marcela finds out Ivana is dead: Třeštíková: “Marcela, shouldn’t you phone Jiří


Camera shots


Marcela is present in about 200 shots in the film out of these shots, 151 are middle shots: Marcela on the train, at

wedding ceremony, with her baby, with other members of her family, on the balcony, or while cleaning her flat

close-up shots of Marcela are presented in about 125 scenes: Marcela’s face, hands, legs and cigarettes

wide shots of Marcela is the element that is least used in the film with a total of just 29 shots: wedding ceremony, in front of the municipality building, in the kitchen at the home of Jiří’s parents, in court and on the streets


close-up and middle shots dominate the film very rarely is Marcela's face captured in a close-up shot, usually the

camera just focuses on it is either her hand, or cigarette. the camera sometimes serves to isolate the subject from the outside

world… it is also used to hide Marcela from the outside world as well. Her face is shot in shadows on the train, making the contours of her face hard to see.

In certain scenes Třeštíková keeps complete distance (Marcela's case, or conflict situations all the three films), that leaves an impression of almost not being there at all (usually during the conflict scenes) whereas in other scenes filmmaker puts herself directly in front of the camera.

camera is handheld the camera usually distances itself during the first and the third

parts of the films


First part of the film / shots: 0.02 - 27.33, 1980 – 1987

close shots

Marcela

middle shots

Marcela

wide shots

Marcela

close shot

middle shot

wide shot


Conclusion: some points:

filmic means used in dramatization (pro-filmic = dramatic)

the contractual model of film authenticity between the filmmaker and spectator (pro-filmic = dramatic)

subjective involvement and the filmmaker's performance


in certain scenes filmmaker’s complete distance (Marcela's case, or conflict situations all the three films), that leaves an impression of almost not being there at all (usually during the conflict scenes)

in other scenes filmmaker puts herself directly in front of the camera close shots are also prevailing in filming the space, more attention is

paid to the details in spatial representation of squats and abrasive flats (Katka, and René)

there are almost no ‘normal spaces for leaving’ represented in the film Katka, and René

there are no communication with other members of the family (or very sporadically)

there are also no communication with their friends, or social or health workers


The space visually symbolizes the realities that dominate the films. In Marcela, the dominant space is home, which Marcela wants to escape from and is constantly looking for a new space to move to. In René, the dominant space is prison. Viewers never find out what his home looks like, as prison represents his home. In Katka, the dominate space most represented in the film is squats. There are no other spatial representations in the films except those related to their dominate atmospheres.

dramatic scenes which are sometimes not connected to the story line : when Marcela passes out in front of the camera, or in Katka during various conflicts between Katka and Roman and Roman and other people

everything is compressed – spatial and communicational All film elements are structured to fulfill this point, from the

representation of the space and the camera angels to the scene’s visual composition and communication, which is the most dominant aspect of the films when it comes to controlling and dramatizing.


Detaching of the characters from the outside world:

space, isolated, abrasive lack of interviews with close family members lack of interviews health or social workers or

friends

Filmmaker's performance: role of the filmmaker role of the helper

(advising/motherhood/spectator’s involvement role of the counselor (advising/motherhood distant role (conflict scenes)


Marcela René Katka

years of fliming: 1980 - 1987, 1999 – 2007 years of fliming: 1987 – 2008

years of fliming: 1996 - 2002, 2007 – 2009

structured chronologically structured chronologically structured chronologically

starting with present (middle shot in the train)

starting with the present (middle shot on the train station)

starting with the present (middle shot in the hospital)

using of (sub)titles: Marcela and Jiri are married in Prague Old Town Hall

using of (sub)titles: René robs several flats...

using of (sub)titles: Summer 2000 - Katka and Ladya have split up

Dominant spatial representation: train, and home

Dominant spatial representation: prison

Dominant spatial representation: hospitals, and squats

Dominant inside space Dominant inside space Inside and outside space

Marcela's narration combined with interviews

René's narration combined with letters and interviews

Katka's narration combined with interviews

Třeštíková's questions very short (usually even hard to hear), some interviews remained unfinished as they don't develop further in the film



Třeštíková is behind the camera (expect the scene when she is helping Marcela to stand-up after she passed out

Třeštíková is behind the camera (expect in the scene wheh she is

helping René in publishing, giving him a book revised from publishers)

Třeštíková is behind the camera (expect the scene when she is Katka and Roman in front of the policeman, 84.18)

Helena Třeštíková’s long-term social observational documentary

Planning of further work:

further structural analysis of Marcela, René, and Katka (including editing)

structural analysis of long-term observational documentaries dealing with similar subjects

interview with Třeštíková

Helena Třeštíková’s long-term social observational documentary

Thank you for your attention

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