Blog #6

The authors create a film through the use of visual imagery tools such as description and report. A clear and thorough description is necessary,especially when the majority of the film takes place in a world outside everyday experience. Without a clear description, this film would be difficult for someone who has never experienced the Amish culture to visualize. The authors of Witness have avoided this potential problem. I'm pretty confident in saying that most people in this generation (and in the 80s) have never seen an Amish barn-raising, except maybe in the watching of this film. Yet, there is little difficulty in picturing the event in the film and everyone's role that day because of the authors use of description such as "In the b.g we can see stacks of lumber all around the construction site..." and report, "Rachel;...and she occasionally passes within proximity of them."

1. Do you think the film would have worked as well/been believable if the writers had no knowledge of Amish culture?

2. Did you find the numerous omissions disruptive?

Whitney Mayer