Handout questions
Close Viewing Guide for Peter Weirs film WITNESS STUDENT HANDOUT 2
1 Opening credits , with background showing Amish walking through fields ( 000-1.00)
a) In what ways is the opening of the film unusual for a police crime story ?
The opening of the film begins with a rural setting of the Amish. It shows that the Amish world is very peaceful and very community orientated. It looks like it should be back in the past and how they are living in modern society but just completely ignoring it. The use of non-diegetic music helps convey a peaceful and relaxed setting. It is unusual for a crime scene due to the location is vast in the country side and the Amish people normal restrict themselves from society.
b) Notice how the low camera angles create unexpected shots, such as seeing the Amish rising out of the wheat fields , or entering the shot from the right side. Why do you think Weir has depicted them in this way?
Weir has depicted them this way because as it establishes the characters of the Amish as it conveys themes of simplicity , traditional way of life with a particular focus on nature. It makes it look like the Amish people have out of the ground by how they are walking between two hills, it shows how the Amish people belong to the country and rural setting. The use of long shots of green wheat fields swaying in the breeze help to convey this and to show the rural isolated setting. The long tracking shots of people dressed in black introduces the Amish , their plain clothes and simplicity of their life style.
c) Comment on Weirs effective use of contrast ( eg colours , lighting , sound) in these opening scenes.
The effectiveness of Weirs use of contrast is the colours are very simple and natural. The lighting is very happy and natural as this is the Amish way of life. The sound is non-diegetic music playing in the background and diegetic noises to represent the horse hooves.
d) What do the buggies and plain black conservative clothing of the Amish
1 Opening credits , with background showing Amish walking through fields ( 000-1.00)
a) In what ways is the opening of the film unusual for a police crime story ?
The opening of the film begins with a rural setting of the Amish. It shows that the Amish world is very peaceful and very community orientated. It looks like it should be back in the past and how they are living in modern society but just completely ignoring it. The use of non-diegetic music helps convey a peaceful and relaxed setting. It is unusual for a crime scene due to the location is vast in the country side and the Amish people normal restrict themselves from society.
b) Notice how the low camera angles create unexpected shots, such as seeing the Amish rising out of the wheat fields , or entering the shot from the right side. Why do you think Weir has depicted them in this way?
Weir has depicted them this way because as it establishes the characters of the Amish as it conveys themes of simplicity , traditional way of life with a particular focus on nature. It makes it look like the Amish people have out of the ground by how they are walking between two hills, it shows how the Amish people belong to the country and rural setting. The use of long shots of green wheat fields swaying in the breeze help to convey this and to show the rural isolated setting. The long tracking shots of people dressed in black introduces the Amish , their plain clothes and simplicity of their life style.
c) Comment on Weirs effective use of contrast ( eg colours , lighting , sound) in these opening scenes.
The effectiveness of Weirs use of contrast is the colours are very simple and natural. The lighting is very happy and natural as this is the Amish way of life. The sound is non-diegetic music playing in the background and diegetic noises to represent the horse hooves.
d) What do the buggies and plain black conservative clothing of the Amish