If you can't always get real footage, create your own. Brett Morgen revisited the courtroom of the Chicago 7's 1968 trial as truthfully as possible, a lesson every film maker should take. Mr. Morgen paid full respect to the 7 revolutionaries (David Dellinger, Abbie Hoffman "a sort of rock star", William Kunstler, Jerry Rubin, Bobby Seale, and Leonard Weinglass) who went to jail for their "thought crimes". I asked myself, how many people do you know who would go to jail for what they believe in today?
In showing actual found footage, leading from the beginning of the democratic convention up until their arrest and sentence a year later as well as animation inside the courtroom, we see the power of the people at its best.
The use of animation was a new and maybe risky way to show the insides of the courtroom, some will hate it and some will love it, but to me it goes along with the reality of what happened in the park/streets/etc, vs. the surreality and of the courtroom. It also ties in to the fact that we usually just see a drawing of a courtroom, which is pretty dull in comparison to the use of animation here.
I can only assume that few will understand the use of motion capture (It's not rotoscope!), or be inspired to try it in their films, and less will see it as problematic in the film.
Regarding the authenticity of the courtroom scenes, those scenes were taken from actual transcripts and accounts. The radio phone calls Hoffman made relaying the trial were clearly real sound bytes.
Regarding the soundtrack, the only song that I had a bias against was Eminem's, but I was surprised at how well it actually did work with this film's ideals, (although in reality I have never felt like standing up and protesting after hearing an Eminem song). Maybe this film will give Eminem's work a new meaning :) who knows.
If you don't know the history or weren't around for this event, (as I wasn't), than you should definitely read up on it before or after seeing this film. Activism is a dying art!!!
...
I loved what Brett said in his Q+A- "Film making is my way of protesting", something to that extent. Right on.
In showing actual found footage, leading from the beginning of the democratic convention up until their arrest and sentence a year later as well as animation inside the courtroom, we see the power of the people at its best.
The use of animation was a new and maybe risky way to show the insides of the courtroom, some will hate it and some will love it, but to me it goes along with the reality of what happened in the park/streets/etc, vs. the surreality and of the courtroom. It also ties in to the fact that we usually just see a drawing of a courtroom, which is pretty dull in comparison to the use of animation here.
I can only assume that few will understand the use of motion capture (It's not rotoscope!), or be inspired to try it in their films, and less will see it as problematic in the film.
Regarding the authenticity of the courtroom scenes, those scenes were taken from actual transcripts and accounts. The radio phone calls Hoffman made relaying the trial were clearly real sound bytes.
Regarding the soundtrack, the only song that I had a bias against was Eminem's, but I was surprised at how well it actually did work with this film's ideals, (although in reality I have never felt like standing up and protesting after hearing an Eminem song). Maybe this film will give Eminem's work a new meaning :) who knows.
If you don't know the history or weren't around for this event, (as I wasn't), than you should definitely read up on it before or after seeing this film. Activism is a dying art!!!
...
I loved what Brett said in his Q+A- "Film making is my way of protesting", something to that extent. Right on.