It was arguably and subtly manipulative how he often said would you like to carry on? as he was probably aware that the answer would be yes due to the state of the interviewees. I think theyre happy for the attention, to have someone to listen. He found the only four people that were willing to take part in this film not to paint them in a bad light, but rather to show the general public what excessive consumption of alcohol could do to a person and how it can affect them physically and mentally, as well as their families. The subjects are very vulnerable and Watson knew this, therefore ethical issues due to the interference of reality from Watson. The veins in her legs have contracted because of alcohol, making walking difficult. I feel sympathy towards the subjects because they were, maybe, unsure as to what they had agreed to, and what it involved. This scene is perhaps one of the more uncomfortable in the film as Watson is merely documenting Vandas relapse back to alcohol and the range of mood swings she encounters. Otherwise it would not have been so real and touching and would not have had such an effect on those who watch it. It was really uncomfortable scene to me, Paul trully showed the seriousness of alcohalism and it must influence to the audience. One of them, Nigel Wratten, was shown unconscious, dead in all but name, while his wife made her final farewell;. As he sits and tells the audience his own personal views, this for me, made him seem more human. The subject is not exploited as she has consented Watson to film her in her most tragic state and all of this psychological revealing is not only for Watsons own good but for the audience as they are being warned off the overuse of alcohol. With a limited number of options given that he had great difficulty finding a location and subjects to film it was essential that Watson was able to capture the gritty reality of alcoholism and addiction in a way that will haunt the audience for some time. This powerful documentary from fly-on-the-wall pioneer Paul Watson provides a raw account of four alcohol abusers from the impoverished Medway towns of north Kent. This attempt to confront the ethical problem of documentary-making did not satisfy me as I couldnt help but feel that Watsons display of concern was more addressing the potential accusations of the audience rather than the problem itself. I have noticed that many people discuss this film on various alcoholism-related websites and quite a number of people stopped drinking after watching it or at least took it into serious consideration, and even if one person was/ will be saved by this film than it was definitely worth it. This was a devastating and emotional sequence for me. I think the problems of ethics in filmmaking cannot be solved. Covering Phoenix, Mesa, Glendale, Scottsdale, Gilbert, the valley . During the film one of the subjects Mark says If I am not a advert for not drinking then I dont know what is. Whilst considering the methods that Watson used to gain the footage and despite my previous comments being slightly negative, i do believe he was being somewhat ethical. Another point in this film is when Paul Watson films a drunk subject who discusses the, monsters in her head, which she previously was not ready to do. Rain in my Heart (Full). One particular scene is the funeral of Nigel, a man who lost his life due to the addiction. WEEK 4 QUESTION:Are there moments when you feel that Paul Watson has exploited his subjects in this film? Its probably doing far more good than bad, just in terms of getting the reality of alcoholism out there. If the subjects are happy to be filmed then I dont see the problem as long as they have a stable state of mind. At points during the documentary we can see that Watson is clearly affected by watching the subjects drinking habit, however he does mention that this observational style of filming and the stand back nature of it is much more achievable through separating ones own personal attitudes from the subject. However, I do not think that Watson intentionally tried to exploit his subjects. I doubt he would have filmed the subjects in these environments if he himself doubted they would drop their barriers. Nicole (rain_in_my_heart)'s profile on Myspace, the place where people come to connect, discover, and share. Sometimes grief feels very isolating. In my opinion, this exploited them as the repetition was giving them a personality that they do not possess and is therefore, a form of misrepresentation. To this statement Vanda agrees and understands the relationship between the two of them. Rain in my heart; rain on the roof; And memory sleeps beneath the gray And the windless sky and brings no dreams Of any well remembered day. Thus creating awareness, insight into the medical world and the rising figures of binge drinking, alcohol abuse and its rippling consequences. That is a very emotional documentary that began in the hospital with 4 characters and ended in each of their homes- some of them were drunk, the rest are dead. Rain in my heart is a really educational and impressive documentary film for me. However, as I mentioned previously, Watson neither encourages nor halts the emotional stress of the patients, he simply asks them questions about their mental state and at times even asks the patients if they would prefer the camera to be turned off. In making Rain in my Heart I would need to film people with troubled psyches; people within which gremlins and monsters lurk producing psychological pain and miseries, miseries that often push them to self-harm. It seems much so that Paul Watson is very much clear of his role within his observational style of filmmaking in his documentaries. For one the subjects were extremely vulnerable which raises the question on whether they were in the right state of mind to consent to being filmed and telling their story. Although uncomfortable to watch this shed some light if not clarity into the source of Vandas drinking. That he doesnt so anything to stop them drinking is a part of their own agency, and I believe shows more respect than if he had intervened. If she was lying she wouldnt tell him would she? Print this design in the 3.5 x 5" size. Before i didnt know that alcoholism could lead to such a terrifying state and even death. Currently, Penny Parker's life was great. I do feel that in a way Paul Watson has exploited all of his subjects in this film. The fact he became emotionally involved with such a topic I believe would have helped; it was clear he so wanted them to stay off the alcohol and endure a full recovery. I feel it is hard to say if Watson exploited his subjects, because I dont know whatever deal they probably made behind the screen. BBC - Rain in My Heart Watch now This powerful documentary from fly-on-the-wall pioneer Paul Watson provides a raw account of four alcohol abusers from the impoverished Medway towns of north. Rain In My Heart is a documentary that is observing four alcohol abusers Vanda, aged 43; Mark, 29; Nigel, 49 and Toni, 26 from the impoverished Medway towns of north Kent. Overall were the subjects happy to be on film? Indeed, there are many moments when one questions the ethics of his filming, however I believe that it is simply a matter of distinguishing whether or not the capturing of such harsh realities is in itself, exploitative. Another point worth making is that every person has a different view of whats going too far. On the other hand, he showed the subjects at their worst, but almost continuously. On the one hand, Paul Watson did get these peoples consent to be filmed. By going that extra further he creates a relationship with the subjects. Rain In My Heart is not an easy documentary to watch. I immediately recognised the castle in the establishing shot in the opening sequence and was taken aback that this documentary was made literally where I have grown up and gone to school. However, although Watson reveals his inner moral debates, it does not stop him using his observational and interview style to get footage and shots that exploit the subjects. But all of these elements and attitudes of the filmmaker were performed in order to achieve a result of what alcoholism really is and of how serious and dangerous its consequences can be. About the same age as Vanda, Kath has spent more than a decade caring for an alcoholic. (2006). There were a couple of moments where I felt that he distracted from what we really should have been looking at. On Thursday, in a special follow-up film for Newsnight, Paul revisits two of the alcoholics from the film, plus the widow of one of those who died during filming. Half a bottle of vodka on the train to work at the age of 17 began Mark's journey into alcoholism. Another was "drinking less" but needed a Zimmer frame with which to walk; she's 43. I can understand how to other viewers, this film may be seen as a breach to ethics within filmmaking, with how Watson gets so close with his vulnerable subjects, however, I feel that Watsons approach is what makes this film such a powerful observation. To argue my point further, there is a particular example from Rain In My Heart that exemplifies this problem. It cant be argued that the documentary would have given Watson some amount of attention from viewers for filming subjects in the vulnerable state they were in, its in this sense that the word exploitation would be more appropriate. Also, I think he had a desire to understand his characters and the reasons of being whothey are. Finally, the article posted below discusses Rain in my Heart alongside other documentaries of Paul Watson. Critics also believe that the tragic scene of when Nigel dies in front of the camera is too much to be shown to the public eye and that he took full advantage of the emotional situation for his own benefit. I believe it was not his job to cure the patients, neither was it to encourage them to drink, however his involvement with the hospital and its patients was simply to reveal the complex and brutal causes and effects of alcoholics. Also when he went to Vandas house and interviewed her, he didnt stop her to drink alcohol. There are certainly points in this film in which I believe that the subjects were exploited. Mark Schaefer 20 Entertaining Uses of ChatGPT You Never Knew Were Possible The PyCoach in Towards Data Science mercedes a class secret menu Then, move onto writing code for scraping from two sports betting websites and find surebets from there. He faced their situations with the most possible respect. Synopsis. This however does not detract from the fact that I believe some of what Watson did, did push the boundaries on what is ethical and moral within a documentary. By making such a real and baring all film, he is raising awareness about the reality of alcoholism and hopefully opening the eyes of alcoholics watching it and even doctors watching it, who can see how to help alcoholics in earlier stages. For someone to say that Watson exploited the people in the film is to say that he harmed them in some way, which I dont think he did. But while Watson explains he also interacts with the subject instead of just observing. Makes a great gift for people who love cats or play the Secret Cat Forest game. It deals with a very sensitive issue that affects everyone from viewer to the family of the alcoholics that were taking part in the film. I feel that Paul Watson did exploit his subjects to some extent. This is getting a lot more personal. In The Cove (2009) we needed to see how they got the cameras where they did, but in this film I felt that Watson should have left his comments for the bonus DVD. However, Watson once again denies accusations of exploitation for when he arrives at Vandas to see the door open and clarifies his reason for waiting by stating of course you wait, you dont just go in and more importantly, when the action begins to unfold with a drunken Vanda, Watson says that he must regain his job as someone there to just film what they do to their selves and reassures her that when she begins to talk delicately about her abusive past, that he will not use this footage in the future if she does not want to. Watson states from the very beginning of the film that he is working with the only four patients who have agreed my intrusions and me filming their hell. Even if that wouldve been the case either way, I think as an observer you shouldnt encourage it. How could you go, my love Without a thought Download Secret Cat Forest v. Name : Secret Cat Forest : Update : Jun 7, 2022: Version : 1. The reason for all this was to make people aware about the phenomenon of alcoholism and surely not for attracting more audience. The editing in this documentary played a huge part in how the audience saw and formed views about the subjects that Paul Watson was filming. The issue raised here was that Vanda previously refused to tell Watson about her childhood, so only let it out when she was drunk, which one could argue is unethical as she is under the influence of alcohol so she is probably saying things she doesnt want to say. (2006). family and friends. I also at times found it hard to watch due to the harsh reality of the subjects lives. Overall, I believe Watson does not exploit his subjects because they knew roughly what they were getting themselves into and because Watson simply observed with the camera the tragic events of the subjects that would gain the empathy of the audience towards the effect of alcoholism. One of the last images we see of Nicole is her hooked up to tubes fighting for her life. Because I think it break the engagement of the audience. Four alcoholics in and out of hospital over a two month period, reality at its most real. Rain in my Heart(TV Movie) Opinion Awards FAQ User Reviews User Ratings External Reviews Metacritic Reviews Details Full Cast and Crew Release Dates Official Sites Company Credits Filming & Production Technical Specs Storyline Taglines Plot Summary Synopsis Plot Keywords Parents Guide Did You Know? Rain in my Heart Documentary which follows four alcohol abusers - Vanda, aged 43; Mark, 29; Nigel, 49 and Toni, 26 - from the impoverished Medway towns of north Kent. Watsons interference with the subject is, for the most part, kept to a minimum, although the interviews and conversations he has with the subjects comes across as interrogative at times. To illustrate, each of the documentary objects have had their own monsters in their heads, to my mind, they are in a sense weak or have a big weakness- alcohol, therefore Pauls use of characters (Vandas) confession about her monsters or at the same time the reasons why she might be came to drinking helps not only the filmmaker but us in getting closer to this unfamiliar woman and her story. She then replies with a smirk, Obviously. However, that would ruin his fly on the wall style of filmmaking. Therefore, i dont feel uncomfortable for his attempts within the film. This stuck with me throughout Rain In My Heart, a film which I found pretty difficult to watch. Things which have been considered problematic in Watsons Rain In My Heart include: informed consent from his subjects, the argument of whether or not the filmmaker should intervene in the filming process, the appropriateness of certain parts of the film, most notably Nigels funeral and his grieving family, and finally, the relationship between Watson and his subjects. Watson stated at the very beginning of the film that he would not intervene in the lives of the people he was filming and would not stop them from drinking if they relapsed. Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com. Thus exploiting their vulnerability to further push their weakness and end up with footage that will strike the audiences attention and maybe even get better ratings. However, there is a clear relationship change when we see Watson come to Vandas house for the first time and through his camera both Watson and we, as the audience spectate that she is noticeably drunk and has brought herself another bottle of vodka. It serves its purpose of portraying the realities of alcoholism, and at times may seem harsh, but in doing so creates an ugly truth that otherwise wouldnt be seen. It is hard to be objective about this film because it is so easily relatable to me, I live equidistant from Medway hospital and Maidstone hospital, and most people avoid Medway because of its reputation. "My heart is aching. Are you satisfied by his attempts within the film to deal with such accusations? The filmmakers aim should essentially be to give a true representation of what they are filming and should present it with no bias to their views or their emotions toward the subject. However to me I felt that this is in some sense of vital information that we needed as viewers to understand and try to identify and sympathize with the reasons to why this person relies on alcohol. She was also married to him. Trivia Goofs Crazy Credits Quotes Obliging by the rules of observational filmmaking, Watson, on the whole, assumes a fly-on-the-wall position and captures the destruction as it unfolds. The documentary follows four alcoholics in an observatory manner. Although we see Paul telling Vanda that he will ask her later whether he should use this footage in the film, we do not know if he actually did it. The subjects had all agreed to be filmed but the thought of switching the camera off and helping must have been fairly strong. Even though there is not exact evidence of Kath saying this to Watson, I believe that if she had thought differently the scene would be cut out since it is such a dramatic and personal event. So I didnt think that he has exploited his subject at all as this is what we as viewers needed to see. To judge whether or not Watson exploited the people in his film wed have to know exactly how hes profited from them. The card is easy to customize with your wording, font, font color, paper shape options and choice of six paper types. Here's one depicting true alcoholism in the UK, realism at its best. However, it doesnt necessaily mean it is totally a bad thing. This was mostly due to the fact that obviously he was filming people with huge vulnerability in their lives, therefore he was careful not to portray the situation as taking advantage of. In one scene we hear Watson as whether or not the information he is receiving from one of the subjects would be appropriate to include in the finished product. The film charts the traumas faced by the alcoholics as they bounce between Gillingham Medway Maritime Hospital and their homes, and highlights the emotional impact their struggle has had on those around them. Twenty-nine-year-old Mark consumes two bottles of vodka per day. After watching this documentary i get shock of the people shown. At first, I believe, Watson had every intention in trying to, in the most effective way possible, try and exploit his subjects. If there was any moment in the film where you could perceive Watson as exploiting them it would be when he interviews and observes them whilst or after theyve been drinking heavily, of course Watson cannot control what comes out of their mouth, he does have control over what to show to the audience, however showing these moments to the audience ensures that Watson has observed in full, the effects of alcohol and his points of its destructiveness comes across. (LogOut/ Vanda, 43, has been drinking since the age of 12. It is true that Watson recorded all of what the people he met were saying, even the most intimate and private details of their existence. https://www.facebook.com/pages/Rain-In-My-Heart-Documentary-In-Memory-Of-My-Dad-Toni-And-Vanda/233416877232. The decision to include this part of Vandas drunk dialogue is one that is certainly questionable, especially since we are not given evidence as to whether or not she did consent to the inclusion once sober. Anyway, audiences (including us) will always question whether a subject who is having their whole life pried open for viewing could be a victim of exploitation. We have to remember that all the subjects gave their full consent to be filmed. This in essence in the subject saying that they are feeling exploited by the filmmaker and the documentary project. Most Popular Now | 56,514 people are reading stories on the site right now. francescamancini88. I would have to answer that most likely, rhetorical question, by saying yes! 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