Analysis of the film Supersize me

1. Documentary Films
SOPHIA TASSEW A2 RESEARCH.

2. What is a documentary
film?
A documentary film is a nonfictional motion picture intended to
document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of
instruction or maintaining a historical record. As far as directing,
documentaries are going to be a different because you can't
really direct your subjects as you are capturing nothing scripted.
However, you can direct where your camera is pointed as well as
where the story is going and what it's going to be about through
editing. I plan to produce a documentary film for my final
production as I take a great interest in them. Since I watch many
documentaries, I have decided to take this opportunity to
produce my own.

3. Example of a documentary
film.

4. Supersize Me.
Super Size Me is a 2004 American documentary film directed by and
starring Morgan Spurlock, an American independent filmmaker.
Spurlock's film follows a 30-day period from February 1 to March 2,
2003 during which he ate only McDonald's food. The documentary
film not only investigates but educates its audience specifically
Americans, young people and generally fast food eaters and the
effects of regularly eating fast food. This allows the audience to see
first hand the effects and thus, it cannot be blamed or excused by
other factors.

5. The documentary also features other technical/stylistic devises such as graphics,
montages, facts and statistics, archival footage, vox pops, formal interviews and so on.
This makes the aim of the documentary more prominent in order for changes it
provokes to be more significant. For example, the documentary begins with a
montage of archival footage of obesity in America. The director and presenter
Morgan Spurlock narrates facts through a voice over calling America ‘’the fattest
nation in the world’’. This provides the audience with a shock factor over this negative
portrayal of America which will further engage the audience into finding out the
reasons for these facts and statistics.

6. During the documentary, there are several visual aspects used when explaining the
sizing system of meals. These help to emphasise the issue to the audience as they can
clearly see the difference in portion sizes and thus the excess of the fats, sugars and so
on that would be found in the food. Also, the mise-en-scene in the documentary were
carefully considered. For example, the professionals that appear in the formal
interviews are by computer screens which is in front of a bookcase in a doctors
office.
The surroundings contribute to the seriousness of the issue and make it appear more
legitimate. Another example is when Morgan is eating McDonalds while an obese
person walks by them. This allows the audience to see what the effects or fast food
can cause. Another aspect of the film that gives America a negative portrayal is the
difference in responses of the Americans and French woman featured in the vox pops.
For example, the Americans admit to eating fast food ‘once every two weeks’ while
the French woman also admits to eating fast food but not in America. She justifies this
by saying that the proportions are too large. The smallest size drink in America is the
largest size in France. Because of this, she struggles to consume the food.

7. During the documentary, Spurlock tells us about two girls who attempted to sue
McDonalds for making them obese as they ate three meals a day, 7 days a week of
McDonalds. Spurlock introduces this with a graphic of two girls increasing in size to
show their extreme weight of their age. The negative portrayal also provides the shock
factor for the audience. Another example appears closer to the end of the film when a
montage Gene Grabowski shows all the food companies including his own, that
contribute to obesity. This helps to emphasise how serious the situation is and how
Grabowski is making an understatement. This technique is also sued to explore the
other end of the spectrum within America. In order to show that the experiment and
exploration is fair and un-bias, there is also a montage featured over a teenage girl of
all the pressuring images the media forces onto young people.

8. In conclusion, I think the majority of the representation of American society is
showing a negative portrayal. However, there are several positive factors in the
documentary film also. The use of graphics and montages was a prominent technique
used in Supersize Me. These were used to re-enforce the issue being raised as well as
the song choices which include Shimmy she Wobble, Rock n Roll McDonalds and Fat
Bottomed Girls. Also, the use of vox pops and formal interviews with professionals
helps to provide clear evidence for the fact that fast food is harmful. The techniques
are evidently successful and I hope to use this in my final production.