Regarding the first sketch: conversation with Graham

The edits in my first sketch were a hard decision to make. They were only necessary because the interviewee tended take a lot of tangents that were not related to the project. I had 30 minutes of footage, and a good deal of it was little stories.

I didn't include myself for the exact reason that Dr. Juhasz pointed out. The reason of power. I wanted my first video to be a more stock interview illuminating the power dynamic. It is certainly not how I plan to run my final project, but because power (and time) are such important aspects of this study on old-age I wanted some highlighting of both.

So many times we take what we want from conversation, especially with the elderly--this video is a critique of that idea. Because of the edits it is as if Graham exists as a anachronistic figure in the present sped up technological world. This is purposeful, not because I believe the preceding idea to be true, but rather because I believe the opposite to be true. Illumination via blunt edits and absence of the interviewer

Irish Ageism Commercial

This is an Irish commercial from 2008. I like the way its set up and executed--the message is delivered in a succinct yet simple way. I find the topic of ageism to one of the most interesting of this project. I've conducted three interviews now, and ageism has come up in some way, shape, or form in all of them. I like interviews to be fairly organic, so the topic has arisen on its own of via the desire of the interviewee.

Sketch One

Conversation with Graham

Death and Old Age

This entry is more personal then academic, but I certainly feel it is relevant to my researching of old age. Since this is more of a personal journal for myself and my professor I feel this is appropriate and necessary.

Two nights ago my Granny's best friend, whom I have known since I was a baby and my family for over 50 years, passed away. She fell in the night and broke her femur a week prior and was forced to go into hospital. She had surgery to reset the bone. At her age, 89 (to be 90 this year), it was a tremendously stressful operation and she did not end up pulling through. I understand that she lived a long and fruitful life and that she went with little pain. Dying is a part of life. From my research and interviews thus far I understand that often as one gets older death becomes more tangible and less terrifying. I suppose this is not true for some, but it is true for those over 80 I have spoken to thus far. This post isn't necessarily concerned with death, rather with the fallout when a loved one dies.

My granny's friend's husband, you see, has been left behind. He is older, 91 I believe, and suffers from dementia. I went with my granny to see him yesterday and he was, understandably overcome with grief. He sat in his chair, which he rarely leaves these days, and cried. He and his wife were lifelong partners. They had known one another since they were children and had been married for what I suppose bordered on 70 years.

I wasn't really able to speak as I listened to my granny speak with Albert (whose name I have changed). He was completely disoriented and tired and shattered. It really made me think about what it means, and can mean, to grow old. It also made me think about how our society treats old people. I won't say that Albert is treated unkindly, but I will say that many people I have seen interacting with him do not take him seriously because of his disabilities and age. I find this to be appalling. Ageism is a massive problem here in the UK, and I hope that by doing this documentary project I can shed some light on what it means to grow old here.

I wish the best for Albert. I will obviously not be interviewing him due to his handicaps, but I am glad I am able to write about this situation, and my thoughts surrounding it, herein.

Visually representing the venerable and vulnerable

For the past week I've been thinking about how to best visually represent the elderly people with whom I am working. I'm not familiar with them, as I came to England on a whim not knowing many people, but establishing rapport has not been difficult. I've found that the people I'm filming/interviewing are more then willing to both give information and be on camera. Getting release forms signed has not been a problem at all. In fact, my find the forms both "silly" and funny. Be that as it may.

My readings for this week (selections from the Visual Culture Reader and the essay "Up the Anthro" by Nader) reminded me that the burden of figuring out methodology and representation sits upon my shoulders. It sounds obvious I know, but I've found that I (and many colleagues and classmates) tend to shoot/film first and ask questions later. For this project, however, I am really trying to allow the theory to influence my project. I've done other projects (The Day Labor Cup) where we went in with a knowledge of theory but shot cinema verite style. Obviously the theory and our readings had influence on these past projects, but they were shot first and (actually) theorized later. We asked ourselves, post-filming, what were we trying to achieve/what did we achieve? For this project, represented here on The Descent, I want to make it clear that I am reversing this order.

I plan on including myself in my work with the elderly. I believe that this reflexivity is importance. I would, however, prefer for my theorizing to show in my footage rather than be told overtly-- other than here in this disclaimer.

In reality, I write this entry on this blog for myself. It serves as a reminder among other things. Last night I was speaking to my Grandmother and she said (referring to one of the people I am working with) , "X is a very vulnerable man." I mistook "vulnerable" for "venerable"- hence the name of this post. Both words apply to subject X but it is the former which concerns me here. These people, along with myself, are to be subjects in a film. They are also, however, people with whom I am building relationships- whether this is intended or not. Many are well over 70 and live solitary and often lonely lives. Our chats, I have been told now more then once, are the highlight of their week. I must represent them justly, but also- I think-honestly.