Click on the title of this post to see the video.This vlog is from "Matthew Gray Gubler: The Unauthorized Documentary". The video starts with a black screen with energetic music and words describing the setup. Basically, the vlogger says he was fired from doing a documentary of this actor, but that he kept the footage, so we get a sense of secrecy, like we are in on something we shouldn't know about. The shooting of the video follows along these lines in a few different ways. First, the majority of the filming is done with very close-up shots of Matthew talking to the camera (us) as if he is telling us a secret. He uses a low voice as if he doesn't want anyone else to hear. Matthew is basically a condescending, arrogant character and we get this impression reinforced by the camera angle used. Almost always, during the close-up shots of Matthew, the camera is lower than him, so he is looking down at us when speaking. When the camera does pull out to give a broader view, it is usually to expose Matthew as an ass. He is no longer in charge of the information we are being given as he is when there is a close-up and he is the only one in the frame. Instead, on the wider shots, we can see other characters and his interactions with them. Throughout, the lighting is bad, but never worse than on the close-ups when the sky is behind Matthew and it is very overexposed. This makes it a little hard to watch and I'm guessing it is done on purpose because Matthew is supposed to be a little hard to watch.
2 comments:
Denise, this was a really interesting clip--you really capture how the filmmaker portrays Mathew in a consistently negative manner. I like you description of the use of literally in-you-face close-ups to position us in relationship with Mathew, and then juxtapose his presumed relationship with the audience through his "asides" with his obnoxious behaviors. So, there's a lot of rhetorical connection going on here with the audience to distance us from Mathew as we become more aware of his character.
There's also the "documentary" conventions of the interview to get his reflections on the situation, for example, descriptions of "the set" that reveals his condescending attitudes. The wavering camera and poor lighting, as you note, creates a sort of cinema verite authenticity to the documentary.
I almost have to wonder whether this guy is for real or whether he wasn't play acting at being a jerk--it's probably for real.
Nice job on the analysis, Denise. Where did you find this guy??? I've never heard of him, but he really is a jerk.
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