Feel free to comment thoughtfully about The Interrupters, letting me know what in particular you most liked about it. And as always, please support your assertions with direct references to the material.
Finally, be sure include in your response at least one question you want to ask Zak about the film, about the sound in the film and/or about its making in general. I'm interested to know what you want to ask.
I hope you enjoy the film, and please remember to post your comments - and question(s) for Zak - here and on Moodle by no later than 9am next Wednesday, November 20th.
Something i enjoyed in particular was it's motif on change. Not only is the purpose to change whatevers happening in the community that forces kids to turn to the streets but to also help those already in the streets to change themselves. One of the most intense moments was when the young man ask forgiveness from woman who's shop he robbed previously.
ReplyDeleteI am angry, but not because of what was shown in the film but the way the story was framed. Steve James got a huge gift by being able to use the Interrupters as his in into communities he otherwise wouldn't have access. I loved that aspect of the film and we got to see ground level conditions that exists in many economically depressed communities in the city.
ReplyDeleteWhat I didn't like about the film is the failed opportunity by the filmmaker to go deeper in his exploration in showing what conditions in society exist that allow for what's happening in Chicago and other cities around the country to play out the way it does.
I got the feeling and impression through the way the story was framed that the issues that are affecting the people documented was something they are wholly responsible for and something they brought unto themselves. We can not see those issues presented on the screen and not look at the system in which they exist. It is just not contained to an area and a specific group of people. There are other forces in society that must be examined to give a full picture and to present what I feel will be a much greater narrative.
Out of all the interrupters only Eddie said something about the school system and also during a conference held in some school gymnasium you heard a bit from the people who were there about jobs and education but still the filmmaker didn't take that opportunity to examine. A lot of what happened was repetitive and didn't plumb the depths in a way that was hard hitting. There were missed opportunities but I applaud Steve James on taking on a very controversial issue in the city.
One question that I would like to ask Zak is how did you get involved on the project?
To go a bit further than what I stated in my previous post, I ultimately think that where Steve James failed in his narrative was in explaining why man is the way he is. Why were these young men and women resorting to violence, what was the root of this behavior? What are the conditions of their environment? These questions were never sought by the filmmaker and because of it I believe that he never fully understood the people. He failed to explore the historical and social context and because of this I never believed what I saw on screen. That may have been his truth crafted but I question its authenticity. A film that I would like to reference that goes deeper in a relatable subject is 'Bus 174'. That is a film that asks serious questions in its attempt to understand the created horrors of its society.
ReplyDeleteLately I’ve been struggling as a journalism major. I find myself getting depressed, upset, frustrated. I want to feel like I’m a part of resolving these conflicts, but writing stories I don’t really see a progressive turn around. This film was sad, but it gave me a tinge of hope to see these people positively promoting peace and seeing an actual impact.
ReplyDeleteWhen I went to Iceland it was such a culture shock to see a place with little to no violence. Films like this are perfect windows into what this side of the world is like. I’ve lived in Chicago for years now, and it’s impossible to not know about all the violence, shootings and murders, but this film allowed me to see it in a way where I empathize with who I’m supposed to see as “the bad guys.”
The filmmakers seemed to have a very close connection with the characters because of how open and honest everyone seemed. We were allowed to see them cry and struggle and fail. They exposed their dark histories and let an audience watch as they fight their demons. I give them credit for doing this so we can all learn a lesson.
I’d like to know how the filmmakers were so welcomed into this dangerous environment. I want to know if they ever felt scared for their own safety, and if so how they handled it.
This film was awesome. I enjoyed every minute of it. Before watching it I wasn't aware of the CeaseFire organization and it makes me happy to know there is such a group of people that want to help out and try to stop the killing. Their only mission was to stop gangs from killing other people. I liked how Ameena said she only wanted to stop the killing. She didn't mind if people were in gangs but she just wanted the violence to stop. I really liked how one of the men (I can't remember his name) went and helped out "Flamo." At first "Flamo" was really amped up and upset. I think if I had been there to try and help, I wouldn't have been able to. All he did was yell and complain but the man never gave up and he took him out to lunch and helped him calm down and become a better person. That takes courage and I'm happy somebody goes out and does this.
ReplyDeleteI'd like to know if the filmmaker was ever nervous while filming? Especially in one of the opening scenes when a fight broke out.
The first thing I noticed in this film was that the director Steve James really missed a huge problem when talking about violence, and that is why man (or woman) are violent. The film puts emphasis on the city needing to fix itself (the rallies, and Q&A with the politician) and did not really address the missing part of what makes us what we are now. While some trends are discussed (talking about peoples connections to older gang members) I think that it looked to much at the city of Chicago to fix Chicago's problems, when that will never happen. Outside help is going to be needed. The talking about violence as a disease, and having the expert in the film was a great look at violence I think. I have a deeper understanding of peoples lives after jail (my sister spend more than half of my life locked in prison for Assault with a deadly weapon, armed robbery, and fleeing the police) so I understand how that does affect the family, especially my mother who was there in the prison everyday. I knew violence like this existed growing up in Detroit I have seen a lot of violence, especially in my high school after DPS failed and schools started shutting down. The parallels of Chicago and Detroit are stunning. I've attended more funerals than most people will go to in a life time already and Im only 21. I would have really liked to see the film touch on education as a tool and an escape from violence, because it really is. Getting to school, and setting goals really makes you feel special, important and I think that would have helped the film. It did a great job of just letting the story be told though, and never forcing or over dramatizing it. It let real life play out in front of you, and it let the tension and emotions build from real life. I think that not having wall to wall score was perfect for this film, and having modern music when there was really put it in perspective that this is happening right now, in our time. The use of silence (after the phone in the van when the two brothers are fighting in particular) was also a great way of the film just letting raw emotion come out in your self.
ReplyDeleteMy question would be, how did you gain the trust of the streets, and the people to let them get so personal with you? Did you know the extent of the violence and the hold it had on kids before you started this project, or was it way bigger than you imagined?
Living in Chicago made watching this doc a strange experience. It's crazy to think about the different worlds that reside in this city. It was so weird to see these heartbreaking stories that seem so surreal to me and my privileged upbringing and then see a Redline stop in the background, or hear them talk about street names that I'm on all the time. Before this year, I had only ever lived in Iowa-- where you can count the number of murders in your town per year on one hand. If I had watched this film a year ago, it would not have had the same effect on me because Chicago and the stories of these people seemed so far away. Honestly, the B roll of everyday Chicago was the thing that connected me to this film the most.
ReplyDeleteI felt that the strongest character in this film, by far, was Ameena. She was so interesting and so intelligent and so altruistic and so inspiring. She was good at impromptu speaking, but she didn't ramble just to hear herself like many people her age who think they're inspirational. It was gripping the way young people would stare at her with their full attention and everyone in the community respects her. I'm also glad the film was laid out in a way that let us see The Interrupters codeswitch for the camera. It helped me understand the truth of the characters. For instance, it would show Ameena speaking proper for the camera in a sit-down-interview, then it would cut to her talking in street cadence with kids during an interruption. Showing the different sides to a person in different situations is difficult and important.
My question is: How did the crew prepare for each outing that could be potentially dangerous?
The Interrupters is a film that really had a tremendous undertaking. There are so many characters, and each had a very unique story as to why they are intervening to prevent gang related violence in some of Chicago’s “troubled areas.” The stories were very entertaining, and it was mind boggling to see, and hear some of the tragic events that have taken place. It really highlights some key players in the interrupter group, and displays how they help kids and adults who are in the immediate threat of violence. The access the crew was able to get is impressive. I was also impressed by how little the characters seemed to care about the camera being present. My main question is: how much awareness has been raised about the group as a result of the film? It would seem the group is vastly better off because of this documentary.
ReplyDeleteIt is so weird living so close to stuff like that but never seeing it. Downtown is a pretty safe place to be but just outside it is a whole new world. It’s such a bizarre feeling, something I’ve never felt living anywhere else. I am incredibly thankful that I grew up in a place where hearing gunshots meant it was hunting season. I can’t image what life would be like living in the scary parts of Chicago. Strange enough, I think this all plays into why I liked the film. In life I’ve never seen anything like this, and in film I haven’t either. I can’t remember any kind of documentary that showed gangs in this kind of light. It was much appreciated.
ReplyDeleteThe interrupters are doing crazy awesome things that I don’t think many people could do. My favorite part of the film was watching Ameena. She is an amazing women and an incredible character for this film. I loved watching her getting in peoples faces. I love her sassiness. Untimely I love how she’s fearless. She definitely got us access we wouldn’t have seen without her. For example, the 19-year-old woman, all of their conversations were really interesting.
Access in this film is crazy. There were things that I couldn’t believe I was watching. Right in the beginning there was a fight outside on of their meetings and we saw kids yelling along with their mom at this man who was ready to fight. Later in the film a guy comes back to a salon to apologize to the family he held up when he was fifteen. When he originally went in to say sorry you could tell he didn’t know how much of an impact he left of this woman’s life until after the fact.
Additionally, I appreciated the focus going out to the people they were helping. Steve James could have easily made the interrupters look like super heroes that are doing these amazing things with the focus all on them. Instead focusing on the people they were working with was more powerful for me and showed more of what they were doing which made me love the interrupters (the people) and the interrupters (the film) more.
I don’t really have a specific question. I’m mainly just wondering what the biggest challenges were while getting sound for this film.
It was my first time watching the interrupters and wow, such a powerful Doc. Steve James really gave us Chicago violence in a nutshell. The content shown I feel was appropriate, while watching this I wasn't thinking well why are these people violent and where does the violence come from, the stories of the young women and men they interact with says it all. It's due to poverty, no work opportunity, lack of police presence the list can go on.It was surreal that this occurs just on the other side of town. Steve James wasn't trying to give you evidence to why this happens I believe, but he was trying to show life in these violent areas and the people who can't escape it or throw into a violent cycle.an example is that guy FLAMO, when they arrested his brother and mom, he wasn't thinking rationally trying to go and shoot the snitch, he didn't have a plan to get his family out or what to do other than retaliate because that's all he saw was fit, luckily Kobe was there to talk sense into him. As mentioned zak piper did the audio and I think that definitely pushed the doc forward because although sometimes we don't see it as important for this it was, being able to get every sound bite without having a sit down interview was extremely courages especially in the beginning we see the fight on the street emerge and a rock is thrown and a knife drawn. Also to go with the audio the camera work was also great always getting different angles and never feeling like I oh man I wish they would've got that from there. The most extreme one for me was like mentioned in the beginning that fight that emerged but another one was when we are with the girl at the youth house and we see those other guys outside and they stab a rod through the window. It was extremely crazy to see that happen on camera and seeing the girl take it as it goes and not afraid, as mentioned before that shows the violent culture that we see in these neighborhoods and how as simple as 5 dollars being owed can cause a violent up roar. I couldn't help but get a bit emotional towards the end, this really spoke to me being born and raised in Chicago and knowing what they are talking about when they mention gang violence and gun violence only not to the extent and frequent action we see here. I've been a victim to having lost friends to gun violence and going to a school in the city gangs have also been present. I think I've been lucky because I've grown up in a good neighborhood without so much activity as see in the doc and went to a good school. Unfortunately as a Chicago resident over time I've seen that this isn't just a south side issue anymore. We are starting to see this gun violence all over the city as well.
ReplyDeleteMy question for zak piper is was there any moment when things got extremely dangerous and you felt like you shouldn't be recording but you did ?
And also I was wondering when dealing with docs on issues like this what is the best way to approach this as an audio recordist? Things to be safe yet getting what you need?
The Interrupters was an incredibly powerful film. I watched it last night after work and was almost positive that I would be asleep by the end, but to my surprise, I was so wrapped up in the story that I made it through the whole thing. I was initially drawn in by the sound bite that stated "we have over 500 years of prison time in this room, that's a lot of wisdom"..this line gave the film credibility almost immediately. But things really got real when the fight broke out right in front of the Cease Fire neighborhood office. I read a few of my classmate's blog posts saying that Steve James doesn't identity where/why this violence stems from...HELLO?? Did you not notice the 5 year old child immediately involved in a knife-weilding fight? This type of behavior is taught in this community, it's gotten to a point where it is not even their fault anymore..it's literally all they know..it's embedded in them. The first time Steve James really puts focus on a Cease Fire march, the father of a son who was shot twenty two times was incredibly upset. It was to the point where he became even more angry at the boy's aunt for simply chiming in with a fact about the incident. You could tell that he was battling a myriad of emotions that had overcome him. He was scared. He didn't know what to do. He was agitated. All he knows is that he wants a solution but is unsure of what that solution is..the typical march and news camera deal wasnt working for him..and i guess it's not working for the community either. I cant exactly put my finger on why, but for some reason seeing the Cease Fire march from James' camera perspective was much more moving than seeing it on a news channel. What I found chilling was that during that march, a police car flies off with it's sirens on in response to another homicide. It goes to show that the killings never stop. What I really liked about this film was the access that we were given as viewers. It's kind of hard to wrap your mind around the concept that this is all happening just miles away from us. We always hear about this huge violence problem that Chicago has, but I feel like the majority of us never have/will see it. It's sad to say, but this film reiterates the phrase "out of sight, out of mind". The title of the film (and the group itself) is incredibly fitting, and it made me realize that the only way our city's violence problem will be fixed is if the people of these communities themselves step up and repair it themselves. People like Ameena are capable of doing things that would simply be impossible for the authorities to accomplish. Even though The Interrupters' reach is small in comparison to Chicago's violence problem, they are still standing up for an extremely worthy cause and will continue to impact as many lives as possible- and that is where the problem solving begins..people helping other people.
ReplyDeleteMy questions for Zak:
1) Obviously you found yourself in some pretty heated environments. Have you ever been on any other projects where you felt more in danger than on this one?
2) Were you personally ever confronted by anyone (whether it be positive or negative) from the communities that you were filming in?
3) What kind of gear did you use and what was the approximate size of your sound rig?
The Interrupters
ReplyDeleteThis is a great film that I really enjoyed watching. Not being from Chicago and coming from a small town I always find these sorts of issues interesting. What I liked most about it is being able to get a small glimpse into the lives of these young people that live in Englewood and what they have to go through and do in in order to survive a day. My favorite character that the interrupters tried to help is the young man who robbed the barbershop at gunpoint. The filmmakers were able to get so close to these people and catch some really intense scenes. When the young man came into the shop to apologize face to face with the victims is really an intense moment that I’m surprised the filmmakers were able to catch. I want to ask Zak how he prepared for that scene. They were in the car with the boy as they were going to the barbershop. Obviously he didn’t know what would happen but he had to be prepared for anything. Was he nervous? What equipment did he used and was prepared to use?