Home Movies and Amateur Footage - Essay Example

Home videos and amateur footage Name Professor Course Institution Date Home movies and amateur footage Introduction Home movies and amateur films are films works of non-professional filmmakers. They are the everyday films people make in their homes to make memories. In many homes there are stacks of videos of a child’s birth, first step, first birthday, first day of school, the list is endless. They are made by parents and guardians to keep our memories safe for us to see. These movies make our history. They are a witness of ones actions and struggles to get to where they are. The physical, emotional and psychological growth is indemnified in this footage. Apart from the home made videos amateur films are the next historical witnesses. They are made by enthusiast, and individuals who enjoy making memories (LEBOW, A, 2008). Most enthusiast carry videos with them to ensure no memorable moment passes them. Normally they post it on blogs and other networks for others to watch. Other amateur videos are taken by people on tour with their cameras intending to keep their memories. The pictures in amateur footage and home movies are different from professional footage. Some differences are obvious while others are not.The picture quality, for example, is the most obvious of all differences. Professionalism requires the use of the best camera supported by the best lighting. White balancing, shots and camera movements are carefully planned and executed. The sound is recorded in the best way. Editing follows where the unwanted footage is removed and the color of the picture balanced. The same does not apply to home movies and amateur footage. Most of the action on the two mediums is spontaneous. For instance when a child takes their first step, there is no time to white balance, and position the camera on a tripod. The parent probably just starts shooting the event. This may result in picture noise due to shaking of the hand. Also lack of white balancing may result in a blue appearance of the footage. The problem also comes in with the equipment used. Not all cameras are able to produce good quality pictures. Also with growing technology, mobile phones have the capability to take videos (O'BRIEN, H, 2004). The quality of picture on a mobile phone is incomparable to a good quality camera picture. Despite the differences however, one similarity is obvious. Both type of footage provide archival assistance. Technology has been on the rise. This led to the creation of convenient digital video cameras, mobile phones and other devices. This has improved efficiency in storing history. Evidently, the question whether amateur footage and home made videos contribute to history creation is easily taken care of. Most of this amateur footage is developed in adventure activities. Others come up as a result of simple home developments which can be termed as basic day to day occurrences. Pulling our memories backwards for say one hundred years, technology was less developed .history was recorded in writing for those who had advanced to that level whereas others used drawings. Several years later, that which was viewed as common mode of message conveyance is now viewed as precious storage of history. Though technologically obsolete, home videos have an extremely important mission. As a chronicle of the people and their day to day life, they offer both social and personal meanings as well as records of history. This is especially great reference middle-aged people and future generations. History forms an important part of who we are. It is by observing the past that we forge the future. Numerous home videos are present in regional archives, Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and science and archives of Canada (ISHIZUKA, K. L., & ZIMMERMANN, P. R, 2007). Evidently the past ways of life of the people in the towns we live in are stored in local museums. We are able to find out the cause of the issues that lead to our lives. Home videos and amateur footage have continually increased since the discovery of a portable video camera. It is through this camera that there exists footage on world war two. Using portable video cameras, white, and middle aged men, recorded history. Through these videos the moments of the war are relieved while lessons are learnt. Gender issues, importance of peace, environmental change and family issues have only been understood through home footage. In this footage lays political meetings, the discovery of Africa and results of research. Historical analysis Historians are important to the world. They ensure records of present activities are available to future generations. As technology advances, it becomes easier for historians to keep this information. Collection of information also becomes easier for historians to collect information. Sometimes they do not even have to be present physically. For example if a geographical change is taking place, a random person may capture the event on video. Later the video maybe purchased from the. This true replica of the event however is better than if the historians went asking around for people who witnessed the event. The event is recorded exactly as it happened without bias or exaggeration (O'BRIEN, H, 2004). Historical analysis involves analyzing the past to comprehend the present and plan for the future. Historical analysis requires accurate footage of the past. The validity of the research depends on its unbiased condition. The chronological order of events also needs to be perfect. Previously worries of recorded writings included the biasness of the historian, favoritism of their own idea and false representation of issue. During the historical analysis for example, two competing historical narratives could be analyzed. This is done to decide on which one is more reasonable to be true. This turns out to be difficult especially if the narratives are recorded in writing. In the era of digital cameras available to anyone, it is easier to deduce the narrative especially if recorded. If an event is recorded, historians need not brainstorm the validity of the information. The most important aspect of historical analysis is evaluation of the influence of past events. The positive effects and the limitations are explored. Home videos and amateur footage have become important archives of history. Individuals slowly accept the footage as important piece of history. Patricia Zimmerman becomes one of those appreciating the value of home videos and amateur footage as archival material (ISHIZUKA, K. L., & ZIMMERMANN, P. R, 2007). As a professor of cinema at New York’s Ithaca College of arts, it is ironic that she embraces this form of idea. This is because most professionals decline to adopt the idea. Alongside Karen Ishizuk they organized a conference with people of similar beliefs. After exchanging ideas, the book mining the home movies was created. Though the focus concentrates on the reflections of the archivist and filmmakers two other conclusions are made. The first describes the transformation of the videos from the private to public spotlight. The other describes the increasing interest in the footage as sign for small movements aiming to capture identity of the developed public. The book expresses the nostalgic quality of home videos and amateur footage. Most of the action happens spontaneously. It is not staged and therefore the emotion is real as opposed to acted. This therefore provides a chance to see human beings as they are. The emotions of joy, happiness and sadness are as real as they can be. The element of surprise is natural and not acted. The birth of the baby is an indemnified record (LEBOW, A, 2008). Complications in the future either with the baby or the mother can be deduced by looking at the video. Home made videos have also been used extensively by Peter Forg’acs, a Hungarian filmmaker. The holocaust, social unrest, the war in Europe, communism and fascism were the main concerns of historians at the time. Mean while some of the social developments were recorded on amateur videos. By watching and combining these films, he explores 1930 to 1960 European period. He then combines this footage to project other happenings of the time. Meanwhile somewhere is a peter Forg’acs 2004 film production. The production constitutes homemade videos and amateur footage of the 1930s. It presents the everyday life of other Europeans away from fascism and capitalism battles. In the production meanwhile somewhere, there consist footage of the social aspect of intermarriage. The Polish and the Germans were rivals. Therefore their marriage was forbidden. The amateur footage sheds light and acts as a store for history in this context. This is because an amateur video shows the humiliation of a German man and a Polish woman who are in love. The public humiliation attracts a fairly large crowd. Therefore, the animosity between Poles and Germans, the culture and beliefs at the time are recorded accurately and chronologically (O'BRIEN, H, 2004). More footage from Poland expresses the happy relationship between Polish couples. They play with each other and laugh. Even during the tough times some families remained happy. The film also visits Belgium and demonstrates the tricycle technology at the time. This is history archived that can be use in analysis. A scientist may invent something from the tricycle they see (JAMES, D. E, 2005). The joy of a new mother remains evident in the Czechoslovakia footage of a mother and her new born. All this footage shows us the past and explains the present. For example, judging from the time of the footage, Europe was in a mar of political and economic crisis. However the social part of life moved on. Mothers bore children, while young people fell in love and the children kept playing in the streets. Change is slow and necessary and with time, people learnt to look at each other as individuals despite their nationality. As people fought to love, it became acceptable. Therefore numerous intermarriages occur. Meanwhile somewhere is a perfect source for historical analysis. It consists of raw footage depicting the true emotions o f people at the time. Historians can deduce the reason for people’s reaction, the level of technology at the time and their psychological level. `Urban Peasants’ is yet another collection of amateur films. This was compiled by Ken Jacobs an experimental filmmaker. The compilation consists of Jews struggling to adapt and integrate American culture and language in the 1930s. The tape indemnifies the cultures practiced by Jews at the time and therefore can help deduce original cultures of Jews after historical analysis. Also it proves the continuous living of Jews despite the holocaust. A 1993 short film `In Memory’ includes the footage of twelve polish men put to death by hanging as the movie ends. Gunther and 1939 amateur footage were reconstructed by Johannes Rosenberger an Australian filmmaker in 1994 (JAMES, D. E, 2005). The filmmaker tends to separate himself from the film events. He claims to have redone the film for better picture quality. A reconstructed film serves as a shaky source of historical information. This results from the facts that the filmmaker could have been biased in their reconstruction. Only the filmmaker recognizes his true intention, therefore, only raw footage amateur or home video represents the true events. Home videos continue to record information that carries value. There are certain developments that were it not for home videos; the exact history of the real occurrences in the past would not have been unmasked. In this particular instance, some attention will be shifted to the history unfolding in the line of gender. By use of homemade videos, responsibilities sharing whether by the female or the male spouse, boy and girl child is easily and clearly brought out. Basing our arguments on homemade videos, women used to take care of all the kitchen work, do the laundry and all other involvements revolving around the upbringing of children (JAMES, D. E, 2005). Prove of this can be traced from simple analysis of history whereby the man does not appear in any of this homemade videos doing any of these activities. The man is always on the other end recording the videos while the woman actively executes them. The activities that seemingly involved the man were those that had a physical nature like fishing, construction and security. By use of home videos, change has slowly been realized with activities previously dominated by one gender changing hands. With use of un-edited amateur videos, clear political events that have made history all over the world are easily analyzed. Brutal and dictatorial leadership could be captured secretly by inexperienced and unprofessional people (LEBOW, A, 2008). This provided historical background with sources that can almost be termed as primary sources of historical data. Other important political unfolding with massive historical importance that was recorded by amateur videos was the activities that took place colonization. The forceful leadership that the colonial powers used on their subjects was captured and that historical information though not in good quality record, is available today. By use of amateur videos, a clear picture on how the political institution has evolved over time can be reviewed. In trying to explain certain scenarios, homemade videos have been of immense importance. We can easily get to appreciate how slave trade became a reality. By watching these videos, we get to understand the damages that came about as a result of slave trade. The impacts of the same for example what the families that were separated with their loved ones went through can be seen in these videos. In this light, amateur and homemade videos seem to give history tangible evidence (JAMES, D. E, 2005). The beatings that the slaves went through notwithstanding the hard labor were all recorded thanks amateur videos. This can be used to explain the existence of so many black Americans in America. Looking at memorable events that have made history in the last couple of years, some of them stand out. Most of these which can be narrowed down into natural disasters start either unpredicted or with a very short notice. To look at an example, one which is very clear would be the tsunami that occurred in Japan. It is well known that were it not for amateur and homemade videos, that bit of very important history would have passed. The prediction that had been given prior to the occurrence of the same was termed to be very inaccurate as it underestimated the damage that would be experienced. Most professional photographers were swept by the strong wave’s evidence having only been recorded by amateur videos. Experts said that those who had gotten the information about the tsunami and prepared themselves to capture the moment most did not make it out alive due to the poor positions they took. These ended up being swept by the strong waves. In this specific natural disaster, the videos that recorded the exact historical predicament were amateurs who were either on very high grounds when this happened or on top of buildings. Other natural occurrences can be volcanic eruptions. A good example is one that happened in 2010 in Iceland. People whose location was close enough now pride they historical contribution after providing the footage of what exactly happened. This footage provides information which is totally not tampered with and one whose accuracy is out of question. Several generations in the years to come will have the access to the footage and have the touch of what a volcanic eruption is and how it occurs (O'BRIEN, H, 2004). As we look at history and pride how far we have come, amateur footage also reminds us the distance technology has covered. Watching some homemade videos on the kind of appliances that used to exist a few decades ago, all we can do is appreciate. The range of this is rather broad because it covers locomotives, kitchenware as well as other facilities used in the house. The usage of these facilities in amateur footage and homemade movies is very different compared to other edited versions. Historical analysis of data would prefer such unedited record to one whose data has been interfered with. Conclusion In conclusion, Amateur footage and home videos continue to be crested everyday. They are shot by people celebrating an event like graduation and birthdays. Some are shot by individuals close enough to a unique activity like the birth of a lion or the occurrence of the tsunami. All this remain useful in historical analysis. Amateur footage allows even television stations to bring live footage of most happenings. Home videos have caught unexpected and useful footage that has solved and answered questions. The cameras keep getting cheaper, therefore the expectation for more amateur videos is high. The footage will assist future generation in understanding their predicaments. They can also solve the problems that face them in future. Serious considerations on using amateur footage and home videos as sources for historical analysis should be done. Bibliography GUERIN, F. (2012).Through amateur eyes: film and photography in Nazi Germany. Minneapolis, MN [etc.], University of Minnesota Press. SZABADOS, B. (2011). Wittgenstein at the movies: cinematic investigations. Lanham, Md, Lexington Books. STRANGELOVE, M. (2010).Watching YouTube: extraordinary videos by ordinary people. Toronto, University of Toronto Press. LEBOW, A. (2008). First person Jewish. Minneapolis, Univ. of Minnesota Press. ISHIZUKA, K. L., & ZIMMERMANN, P. R. (2007).Mining the home movie: excavations in histories and memories. Berkeley, Univ. of California Press. JAMES, D. E. (2005).The most typical avant-garde: history and geography of minor cinemas in Los Angeles. Berkeley [u.a.], Univ. of California Pr. O'BRIEN, H. (2004). The real Ireland: the evolution of Ireland in documentary film. Manchester [u.a.], Manchester Univ. Pr. Read More