(5) Documentary 'Watching'

1)   What does Thomas Sutcliffe mean when he says "Films need to seduce their audience into long term commitment? While there are many types of seduction, the temptation to go for instant arousal is almost irresistible"

The movie needs to be able to engage the audience within the first five minutes of the film in order for the audience to continue watching. If the movie is successful in engaging its audience it becomes difficult for the viewer to resist watching the rest to see what happens.

2)     According to Director Jean Jacques Beineix, what are the risks of 'instant arousal'?

If directors begin with a strong start to the film you have to raise the question what do they want to do next. If the audience is aroused then questions will have to be answered, but take the risk that you will never answer the questions

3)   Explain why "a good beginning must make the audience feel that it doesn’t know nearly enough yet, and at the same time make sure that it doesn’t know too little"

The beginning of a movie is difficult because you are establishing character as well as tone. The audience has to make an early adjustment to what kind of movie it is going to be and the nature of it. For example the audience needs to know whether to laugh or to take the movie seriously. The audience establishes many things at once.