Research: Short Films & Documentaries

Last Minutes with ODEN

Last Minutes with ODEN is an extract from the 8 LIVES documentary; a series of small documentaries by amateur film maker Eliot Rausch. The story follows Jason Wood as he talks about the ups and downs of his life and we learn how his dog Oden is always at his side. The further into the story, we learn that Oden has struggled with Cancer and that now it is the appropriate time to end his suffering anymore. It won Best Video, Best Documentary and Community Choice in the 2010 Vimeo Awards.
I think this documentary works well through the extremely abstract start; you're not sure who he is talking about and the use of isolated shots shows the protagonist as stressed, trying to relax. These shots work well with the narration and give a melancholy mood which also creates an element of suspense to the story. It is only later that we begin to learn that it is his dog, and that creates a small twist into the story. When I watched the video I did not expect to see his dog being put down and that element of surprise along with the sadness of people around him, the isolated shots and the narration really conveyed a strong sense of emotion. 


Terry Pratchett: Choosing to Die

Choosing to Die is a documentary by author Terry Pratchett and his belief of euthanasia being legalised in the United Kingdom. Terry Pratchett was diagnosed with Alzheimer's and wants to know whether he will be able to die the way he wants to; before he is unable to write stories any longer, not when the government chooses. Terry has already lost his ability to type and dictates to his assistant when writing a novel, he already feels like he has lost some of his ability to write. Terry visits several people who have decided to die with Dignitas, a company that provides a service of euthanasia in Switzerland (the only country that legalises euthanasia). The documentary was subject to controversy over showing footage of a man dying during the euthanasia process near the end of the film in Dignitas.
When I watched the documentary, I was worried about seeing the "death scene" from the start, it was constantly playing on my mind that I would witness one of these people's deaths. However, the tough subject made this a very powerful and moving documentary, especially with the narrator and investigator considering assisted suicide in the future. Pratchett also went to meet the wife of a famous Belgian author Hugo Claus who died of assisted suicide in 2008, I found this moving because you could clearly see the strong emotional relationship between them as they discussed the experience of the Hugo's death. I found the story of Peter Smedley the saddest and the most moving; an English millionaire with motor neurone disease.  He was a man that lived in luxury and could have anything he wanted, but would rather end his suffering. He chose to do it sooner, so that he could protect his wife from prosecution, making all decisions for himself. The scene's of his death were very emotional.


Wonderland: Can We Get Married?

"Can We Get Married?" is a documentary from BBC Two's Wonderland Series about young couple Ben and Emma who have been together for 6 years, both of them have Downs Syndrome and wish to get married. This documentary is in a "fly on the wall" style and acts more as an observer than an interviewer. It follows their daily life in their supported-living community in Devon where they have an active social life and part time jobs, the main story showing Emma and Ben as they decide whether married life would be the best option for their unique relationship.
Although I found this documentary insightful, I didn't find it as moving as the other documentaries. I felt that the documentary could have given more monologue from the characters, which I feel could of created a stronger impact on the audience. Other than that, the story line was very powerful and the various shots gave us a point of view similar to an outsider and gave a very interesting view of their life and gave a clear message to viewers of the beauty of life. It was a heart warming story that made me feel how lucky I was not to have a condition such as Downs Syndrome.