This document provides an analysis of the documentary "Supersize Me" and how it uses various cinematic techniques to get its message across. It examines the purpose, which is to show the negative health effects of fast food while arguing people, not the food itself, are responsible for obesity. It describes the introduction setting up this argument through statistics, footage and music. It also analyzes specific scenes from medical exams and the filmmaker's first few days of eating only fast food to understand how pacing, interviews and other elements impact the audience.
3. The Purpose
The purpose of this documentary is to show what
fast food really does to the human body and the
main view is that people are responsible for getting
fat and not fast food. The documentary maker is
clear in his view and does everything he can to try
and present his view to the audience. Whether
that is through mediating the footage, or playing
strange music about fast food over the
documentary. He also wants to entertain the
audience, this is why there is comedy in the
documentary even though it is a serious topic.
4. Introduction
There were lots of code and conventions in this
part ranging from stats for example the ones about
the fast food restaurants and the archival footage
of news articles. There is also children singing in the
background a junk food jingle, this shows a
negative view on Americans because there
children have such good knowledge of fast food,
meaning they go to these places too often. There
as well many shots of larger people and the
changing graphics of the teenage girls.
5. Medical Check up
This is the part where the filmmaker goes for a
check to access his fitness and health, there were
3 doctors with an interview set up. They were giving
lots of stats and information about how health
should be and how his health was very good
considering where he lives. The pace of the clips
changed throughout, starting quite slow then
building in speed then slowing again. The music
kept up with the clips and helped to build the
tension. To the audience the doctors will give a
sense of seriousness, but they will also trust them.
6. Day 1
In the first day the filmmaker seems to be enjoying it,
although he has to get a taxi because otherwise he
would be doing too much walking, this must be
strange to him. In this day he also shows a few
interviews with experts for example a law profession
who has a lot to say about how children are effected
by McDonalds, as well he shows the man suing
McDonalds but quickly cuts away because he clearly
doesn't’t share the same opinion. There were voxpops
shown outside of McDonalds and most of the people
being interviewed were large, the filmmaker would
want the audience to make the connection between
big people outside fast food places.
7. Days 2&3
On these days he seems quite happy, even eating
the food he seems alright but about half way into
the meal he says “it’s like a workout”, showing he is
finding it difficult to eat the food. Soon after the
meal he is physically sick, and mentions him feeling
ill and tried.
