There are a few scenes that stand out as being the most exploitative. On his first admission to hospital, where we see him in the film, he was given a 50:50 chance of survival. 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. Thus, having the camera in front of them made me feel that there was a sense of pressure on them to fulfil a certain image of an alcoholic. It may be their escape from their issues, and what I think is also important to keep in mind is that if they are using alcohol for this reason, then it could have easily been any other drug. Tonis most exploitative scene, as I believe, is when she is shown unconscious a few days before her death. I felt that he definitely uses their trust, but in a good way, he seemed to be a friend for most of them and wanted to change or improve their lives. To this statement Vanda agrees and understands the relationship between the two of them. Voyeurism this is not. I also believe Watson tried his best to tackle these accusations, baring in mind that overdoing it throughout the documentary could appear to undermine the actual traumas of the patients and their families. This was a devastating and emotional sequence for me. 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. There are some moments that I will have questions against this films moral or ethical problems. At the same time, I do think Paul Watson exploited his subjects. Mr. Stark was okay, although he still had scars from the snap. Overall, I believe that it is good to make the public known about situations like these, especially when it can have an impact on your image of alcohol. Otherwise it would not have been so real and touching and would not have had such an effect on those who watch it. The veins in her legs have contracted because of alcohol, making walking difficult. Check out our rain in my heart selection for the very best in unique or custom, handmade pieces from our shops. So with saying that, I was satisfied with the way that Watson handled his participants. Throughout the film, i found it almost challenging to watch as it touched on so many personal issues to Watsons subjects. Yes it does raise awareness, and the documentary was good, however, to feel taken back is not the sort of emotion one should try to evoke. Troubled Toni, 26, merely laughs at warnings that continued drinking will mean death. Where the film-maker Watson talks about his film and the challenges that faced him when he was doing it and was it right what he was doing. You can watch a short reminder of their stories via the links below. Alcoholism is a very sensitive subject for some and as a viewer I felt he was exploiting his subjects; to a certain extent. Nervous about designing and ordering your card online? A prime example of this in the documentary was when Vanda (under the influence of alcohol) decided to share her demons and reasons for her addiction. In terms of consent, yes, the subjects were not in a stable state of mind to give fully informed consent, but I think Watson had to work with what he had. The documentary follows four alcoholics in an observatory manner. Just finished it and I wonder what happened to Mark and Vanda. However, Watsons humanity and compassion shines through. This can be seen when Watson is speaking to Toni about her addiction, something that Toni profusely denies she is. Watson himself, also repeats that whilst he is filming them he will not intervene; it is his job purely to observe. Although this might be justified, as their life story is very tragic, I feel Paul Watson pushed them to their limits. To argue my point further, there is a particular example from Rain In My Heart that exemplifies this problem. To watch this sequence of Watson, truthfully revealing his professional flaw, for me, was quite humbling. All Watsons subjects agreed to being filmed whilst they were drunk before the filming commenced, and so the question is not should Watson have kept filming?, but rather should Watson have included that part of the footage?. But while Watson explains he also interacts with the subject instead of just observing. 56,514 people are reading stories on the site right now. Although it could be argued that this footage is showing Vanda what she is like when she is drunk, I would say that her answers might have been different if she was sober when she was asked them. A prime example of exploitation was the most vulnerable and interesting subject-Vanda. Rain in my Heart (Full). However i think he knew he was being somewhat intrusive. Sometimes grief feels very isolating. Rain In My Heart raises many ethical issues as a documentary yet highlights many health and social issues current in our society. It brings to light the seriousness of alcoholism, and how it may affect more than just those who drink in excess, i.e. The world was slowly healing. Then again, as Watson argues: If some of us dont record it, none of us will know about it.. 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. Rain in my Heart TV Movie 2006 1 h 40 m IMDb RATING 7.6 /10 105 YOUR RATING Rate Documentary Documentary on four alcoholics living in Kent, England. He says My job is to explain, not entertain. This bereavement card features rain only over a tree with a figuring sitting beneath it. He would ask the interviewees why theyve relapsed or if they feel disappointed with their failed progress, but depending on the reaction to these questions, Watson would take a step back if he sensed it was in anyway emotionally challenging, until the subject would take control and continue/stop themselves. Paul Watson has none of this. Some of you may felt that Sunday's documentary was a bit light, a little bit like eating candy floss, no substance. Chapter 1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjy8Z1hK2wY fromSchindlers List, Set to music, shot in thegorgeous shadows of black and white, and perfect balanced frames. The card is easy to customize with your wording, font, font color, paper shape options and choice of six paper types. It is one of overwhelming sickness and reduced privacy/independence. However, we can all agree that sometimes happiness is simply taking a walk or dancing in the rain. I would not have the heavens fair, It is obvious that this documentary was extremely influential to those who have seen it, I have attached a link below of a Facebook page a viewer has made (who obviously has personal issues and experience with alcoholism). When watching Rain in my Heart I felt that to say Paul Watson exploited his subjects is unfair. It becomes less objective, and much more personal between him and Vanda. As with the film, this documentary presents some uncomfortable and hard to bear realities. I think it is not proper for observational documentary, Watson deliberately shows his audience of certain moments to lead them into a certain emotion, which i think might be too subjective. Personally, I would much rather watch Robert Winstons documentary series on the human body which ended with the filming of a mans death, from cancer, than go Watsons questionable film techniques. 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. Firstly there is very little music (it sounded like the grating pop track at Nigels funeral was actually being played live on a stereo) The camera work seems to lack precision and is only there for immediacy. Outside, the sparrows on the roof Are chirping in the dripping rain. Is this the feel good factor we crave? He puts himself in the film to explain how he felt at the time, allowing the audience to be involved in his own personal emotions whilst watching his film. The seriousness of the topic in the documentary is emphasised through the filmmakers intimacy and relationship with the subjects. I doubt he would have filmed the subjects in these environments if he himself doubted they would drop their barriers. However, that would ruin his fly on the wall style of filmmaking. Several times in the documentary we see him struggle to make decisions on how he will proceed with the footage he has. I think the way though that Watson should come to it should be through meaningful tactics and not in ways that makes the subject feel smaller in order for the audience to feel bigger. He made it clear through out the film that he was never sure whether he should be filming his subjects or whether he should, at some points, be turning the camera off. This means as subjects they must think the documentary will help. Watson intrudes on his film, importantly (and rather unromantically, when we consider the idea of immersive movie magic) shows him forging all the social contracts with his subjects at the start. But in saying all this we must remember that all the people in the film agreed to be in the documentary. Two of the participants in Paul Watson's Rain in My Heart died during filming. 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. I found the piece riveting but extremely disturbing. It was graphic, saddening and an uncomfortable viewing but I was overwhelmed by its message. Check out our rain in my heart selection for the very best in unique or custom, handmade pieces from our shops. I feel he mistakes this forced friendliness by asking more and more personal questions as he continues to film her. However I think that this documentary can appear that way simply because it is so intimate and explicit. He made this film to show people about the effects of alcoholism, and I think he achieved his goal. This is an extremely special place to hunt mule deer and we have an intimate knowledge of the terrain. 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. Critical and disbelieving responses after giving personal information in a safe space, can cause as much pain and loneliness as the original abuse. He just tried to observe that and filmed everything as it is, while they I assume from the very beginning had agreed to be filmed in any state they are. That we cant see others be in such a position because we wouldnt want ourselves to be shown in such a state. Because the participants in the film are always in a very fragile state because of their problems, it makes the audience question can they actually give valid consent? Although uncomfortable to watch this shed some light if not clarity into the source of Vandas drinking. I particularly found the way that Watson asked questions respectable, when talking about the monsters in Vandas head she stated she didnt want to talk about it and he was reassuring and moved the conversation away from them. After all, I am satisfied by what Watson did to deal with accusations. Play online or download to listen offline free - in HD audio, only on JioSaavn. For example, when Vandas temper reaches a certain point and she slams the phone down repetitively, wanting to break it and smash it pieces. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. Overall were the subjects happy to be on film? Maybe the subjects are letting Watson film them like this as a message to say this is a life you dont want to live and in saying that does Watsons exploiting of the subjects send a bigger message that in turn may help people going through the same things. I thoroughly enjoyed this weeks viewing, I felt that it was very informative and educational to those who dont have much knowledge about alcoholism. Since 2016 we have been able to harvest 15 Bucks over the magical 200 inch mark, many eclipsing 215 inches and two bucks over 245 inches. It shows the situation without making of adjustments. Alluding to the culture of exploitning woman, as well as Spielbergs film being a commercial (and one which ends with a very colourful, affirming ending) intent makes it a machine absording actresses and horrors for the output of satisfying drama. Rain In My Heart is a very powerful documentary which gives us all-round access to the issue of alcoholism with a key focus on four of its sufferers. 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. Also just to confirm Gillingham is a pretty shitty place to grow up in, so the documentary comes across as very sincere. On the other hand, I feel that some of the content included in the film did not have to be included. WEEK 4 QUESTION:Are there moments when you feel that Paul Watson has exploited his subjects in this film? This was maybe to excuse himself for what he maybe shouldnt have been doing and to tell the viewer that yes he thought it was wrong, but he was doing it for a reason to explore a topic that most people are scared of exploring. 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. Ones initial reaction would be to strip her of the bottle however, Watson remains faithful to his observational aim and instead of forcefully stopping her he simply tells her that he is disappointed in her. So I guess Im not satisfied with his attempts to explain himself during the film, but only because I think he didnt need to in the first place. Registered User. Now, with Rain in my Heart, Watson has made the documentary equivalent to The Lost Weekend(1945), the classic feature film about alcoholism, where a writer loses everything through drinking and ends up on a psychiatric ward. Although, there are several moments when this filmmaker and subject relationship is close to breach, he retains his role of confidentiality and recognizes that the subject may not be too sober to make such ethical decisions of what they would like in the final cut or not. Another point worth making is that every person has a different view of whats going too far. Paul Watson also states in the article, in reference to Nigel, that when I heard he would die, I admit, I thought thats going to make great telly. (2006). http://news.bbc.co.uk/player/nol/newsid_7140000/newsid_7143600/7143616.stm. The question of the ethics of filmmaking is clearly something that is troubling to Watson. This specific example also leads me to point out how, by digging deep into these miserable cases, the audience would get a clear idea of WHO alcoholics really are and HOW they got involved with alcoholism. 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. Nigel died during the course of filming Rain in my Heart, leaving Kath and two teenage children. Twenty-nine when he appeared in. The way sounds from different moments would melt into each other reminded me of the background cacaphony of hospitals, with distant melodies of monisters, doctors and patients fusing. By the time she married at 18 she was a serious drinker - the marriage didn't last, nor did a succession of jobs despite her being able to speak at least two other languages. 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. Watson edits and cross-cuts footage to emphasize reccuring themes across the alcoholics. I would not have the heavens fair, To apply this aestheticized approach to documentary, look at the trailer for The Imposter https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LuFOX0Sy_o To clarify, I dont think hes exploiting anyone in this film. 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