The big gypsy eviction

Documentary Analysis

Type of documentaryObservation Interview

The Big Gypsy Eviction is a mixture of two different types of documentary. It consists of both observation and interview.

Much of the documentary is an observation of life inside Dale Farm site and the audience feel as though they’re a fly on the wall. This puts them in a role of eyewitness as the camera appears to be unseen.An example of observation in the documentary is inside the courtroom when the legal matters of their living is discussed.

Interviews often feature throughout the documentary as well creating a contrast in the acknowledgement of the camera. This allows the filmmaker to get direct responses and generally answers all of the questions the viewers may have about the gypsies lifestyle

THEMES

Gypsies

Countryside

Eviction

Family

Dale Farms

The law

Travelling

Tradition

Catholics

Narrative structureMulti-stranded: The documentary does not only focus on the eviction at Dale Farms, but also explores the ejection of gypsies in the past as well as a recent eviction at another traveller site only a few miles away.

Linear: The documentary runs in a chronological order from start to finish.

Open: By the end of the documentary, although we find out that it has been confirmed the travellers at Dale Farms are given an eviction notice, the audience do not find out whether the council’s attempt to remove the travellers is successful. This leaves the audience on a cliffhanger which is heightened by the travellers who say after the hearing that they are going to protest the removal of their home.

camerawork

Crane shot: This crane shot is used to introduce the documentary making the audience immediately aware of the environment at which the gypsies have settled in. This is an ideal shot to begin the programme with as it captures the main focus of the documentary.

Zoom out: Later, the camera cuts back to this crane shot and then zooms out. This has the effect of revealing how the gypsies are isolated from society as the outward zoom exposes how secluded the travellers are from mainstream towns and villages.

Handheld: The use of a handheld camera during an interview with one of the gypsy boys gives a very shaky and unsettled shot which is perhaps symbolic of how unsettled his life is as a traveller. Moreover, at this point the camera is on an upward tilt making the boy appear elevated suggesting how he is rather intimidating and may pose as a threat to locals.

Mid-shot: Contrastingly, during an interview with the man who owns the land that the gypsies are illegally living on, the camera is completely sturdy and level showing him in a mid-shot. This could be suggesting how his lifestyle is much more settled and desirable as he poses no threat to the audience and seems much more obliging.

Two-shot: In the documentary, two-shots are used in interviews to clearly present the interviewees allowing them to address the camera with their thoughts on the eviction. This particular two-shot shows two young gypsy girls conversing about their fate should they be removed from Dale Farms.

mise-en-scene

The code of attire of these men makes the audience immediately aware of who they are and what they’re associated with. As they are police, this suggests that the gypsies are causing trouble and breaking the law to the point that police intervention is required. Throughout the documentary, there are

frequent shots of nature and greenery. This depicts the environment at which the gypsies are living in and gives the viewer an idea of their setting.

However, the opposers of the gypsies are filmed inside a pub which reinforces British value and tradition as this is a stereotypical place a Brit visit. As their scenery is indoors, this could also suggest that these average British people are more civilised than the travellers who largely seen outdoors or in caravans.

Mise-en-scene cont.

This shot shows the fair which all the travellers gather at and a large number of people can be seen. This conveys how travellers have a strong sense of community and reinforces their traditions.

Another setting at which we see the gypsies visit is the church. This is also reinforcing their tradition as we as the audience get an insight into their catholicism.

Inside the conference hall is another frequent setting in the documentary. This allows the viewer an inside perspective on the travellers’ battle with the council.

SoundVoiceover - The voiceover of the documentary speaks frequently throughout it’s course supplying the audience with information about the topics being explored. As the voiceover is omniscient, it fills any gaps that the audience may have in their queries about the gypsy lifestyle and sometimes offers facts about travellers, past and present.

Digetic - The digetic sound of the documentary includes talks with interviewees, the activists arguing against the eviction, and all the noise created by walking, driving etc...Additionally, during the fair a boy is seen riding a small horse which lets out a neighing sound resembling it’s discomfort. This implies the mistreatment of the animal suggesting how travellers have no consideration for animal welfare.

Non-digetic - The only non-digetic sound in the documentary is the background music. When heard, this is either a traveller song which reinforces their culture, or a drum that builds up tension.

The TeamEditingThere is not a diverse use of editing throughout ‘The

Big Gypsy Eviction’ as only a few simple techniques are incorporated. This includes cuts which provide a quick change of scenery and prevents too many long takes that would bore the audience. There are also numerous fades to and from black signifying a change in time and narrative.

Archive

material

Newspapers

News Reports about unauthorised living

Footage of protests

Images of the travellers’ ancestors

Footage of previous evictions

Graphics This graphic appears at the

beginning of the documentary and clearly displays the title of the show.

During interviews, there is a graphic display of the interviewees name and connection to the eviction informing the audience of who the person is that’s talking.

The final graphic of the documentary tells the audience what the footage did not capture giving them some closure on the decision of the council.