This document contains notes from viewings of the documentary film Senna (2010) directed by Asif Kapadia. It discusses the film's narrative structure, use of footage, and techniques for manipulating spectator responses. The notes analyze how the film tells the story of Brazilian race car driver Ayrton Senna in a way that is similar to a fiction film, with Senna as the protagonist and identifiable scenes of drama and action. Key questions examine the relationship between the spectator and screen, the effect of point-of-view filming, the impact of including an antagonist in the narrative, and how the use of archive footage and non-diegetic music shape emotional responses to Senna and the inevitable conclusion of his life.

1. April 09, 2014
Senna
(2010, Asif Kapadia)
How is the story told?
How similar to a fiction film?
Are you manipulated?
SCREENING NOTES
Filming techniques
Narrative Structure
Spectator Responses
Important Scenes
What was used when?
Who tells the story?
How are we supposed to feel?
Influential moments?

2. April 09, 2014
Asif Kapadia talks about
making the film.
How is Senna similar to a fiction film?
1. Protagonist versus Antagonist
2. Scenes of drama and action
3. Identification with a character
4. Non-diegetic music to create atmosphere

3. April 09, 2014
KEY QUESTIONS
1) What is the relationship between the spectator and the screen during the
film?
2) There is a clear POV in Senna, does this affect our reading of the
film?
- What does this depend on?
- Does this change?
3) Discuss the type of footage used and how it is used.
- Domestic footage
- Publicity footage
- Races
- Drivers' meetings
4) How do you feel as we move towards the inevitable end?
- How is this built up?
- How does the film maker handle the end of the film?
5) Discuss the use of sound in the documentary as powerful storytelling device.
Individual
questions:
1. Provide
speci6ic
examples
of
what
you
felt
when
and
why.
2. Which
scenes
provoke
emotional
responses
and
why?
3. Respond
to
this:
this
is
a
very
boas
and
romanticised
view
of
Senna
4. What
impact
does
including
an
antagonist
have
on
the
narrative?
5. What
are
your
feelings
towards
the
protagonist
and
how
is
this
shaped
by
the
6ilmmaking?
6. Do
we
need
to
be
interested
in
the
subject
matter?
Why?
Why
not?
7. If
this
6ilm
was
constructed
in
a
different
way,
how
could
this
effect
the
spectator?
8. What
is
the
impact
of
including
only
archive
footage?
9. How
are
spectators
responses
manipulated?
Give
examples