G324: Advanced Portfolio in Media Studies

‘AMY’ documentary – Into Film festival

Director: Asif Kapadia

(2015) (Cert: 15)

Overview: After watching the ‘Amy’ documentary you are to produce a case study on ‘Amy’ filed under research for your A2 blog. You will need to complete this task whether you enjoyed the documentary or not or are a fan of her music. I think we can agree that, despite only recording two albums (plus one released posthumously) she can be seen as a significant artist for a number of reasons. How you present this is up to you but try and make it interactive with links to the film website, her music, articles and anything else you think is relevant.

Things to consider/include in your analysis (these are a guide – you do not have to include everything)

What did you think of the documentary? Why? What did you learn about Amy Winehouse? Pick out one sequence that you felt was effective.

How is the documentary interesting to fans of Amy Winehouse or those who may not know her music so well?

What is the impact of using archive footage from before she was famous alongside better known footage?

What was your overall feeling about her life? Read the mediaknowall.com page about ‘Dead Pop Stars’ – what does Amy Winehouse’s

continued popularity suggest about audiences, artists and institutions? Can you link it to Richard Dyer’s ‘Star Theory’ in that we as an audience seek to ‘complete the image of the star’? Click on the link to Alexis Petridis article too. Remember to reference your sources.

Although she was a soul singer, why could it be argued that Amy Winehouse defies genre or categorisation?

What do you think of Mitch Winehouse’s response to the documentary? What responsibilities do you think documentary makers have to their subjects?

How much do you think the mass media contributed to Amy Winehouse’s problems? Do you think they cover female pop stars in a different way? What about the way in which they cover the serious issue of addiction?

Do you think that her songs and lyrics seem more meaningful now you know more about her life? Why is this? Do you think this was conscious on the part of the artist or is it meaning we attach to the lyrics/songs etc?

Watch some of her music videos. After watching the documentary, does it impact on how she is represented in them?

What was the impact of watching the documentary in the cinema rather than on YouTube for example?

With popular programmes such as X-Factor selling the ‘dream’ of being a pop star, what does Amy Winehouse’s story suggest to you about the pressures, reality and psyche of fame?

Watch the BBC mini-documentary ‘Amy in her Own Words’ – does it give a different perspective?

Thinking of Rich Welch’s 5 things a good documentary should have – is this, in your view, a good documentary? Would you watch other films by the film-maker?

Lastly, thinking of your project – how might an image of your artist or group be cultivated? What representation are you aiming to create? How does an artist’s videos, album covers and websites create an image that we buy into? How is it a version of the truth?

LINKS

Amy Film website http://www.amyfilm.co.uk/

Amy IMDB http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2870648/

BBC ‘Amy In Her Own Words’ https://youtu.be/78q7sfqibHg

Mediaknowall.com – look for ‘Music Industry’

Alexis Petridis article http://www.theguardian.com/music/2002/nov/01/artsfeatures.popandrock

Mitch Winehouse response http://www.theguardian.com/music/2015/may/01/mitch-winehouse-interview-amy-documentary-film

=============================================================================

RICH WELCH (Festival Director/Documentary Maker– Antenna Film Festival) http://antennafestival.org/

6 TIPS FOR MAKING GREAT DOCUMENTARIES!

1. Make a film about something they are passionate about. If you don't care no-one else will.

2. Know every rule that exists within documentary. Then decide if your film should break them.

3. Score. USE SPARINGLY. A score should accompany the film. Nothing more.

4. SILENCE. It's golden. When an interviewee stops talking shut up. Listen. Film. And keep filming. These will be the golden scenes in your film.

5. Watch films. You have to know what has been made, what is being made and what hasn't been made. Go to festivals. Meet filmmakers. Attend Q&A's. Watch Storyville (BBC). Listen. Watch. Learn.

6. When you have finished your film. Send it out into the world. Don't hold on to it. It's no longer yours. And most importantly Go again. You just need one film that cuts through. Keep going.