The most obvious example is the scene where Vanda (being drunk) tells Paul about the monsters in her head, even though she did not want to talk about that when she was sober. The problem suddenly doesnt become the alcohol, but their mental state, which is something I learnt from the film. In one scene we hear Watson as whether or not the information he is receiving from one of the subjects would be appropriate to include in the finished product. It is true that these patients are probably not fully capable of realising the whole process of the documentary, however they are aware that a camera is always present and they are sometimes asked by Watson if they prefer it to be switched off. Although the documentary is very intimate, in both its setting and the framing of the subjects as the yellow-y and fatigued skin of the subjects is shown through close ups. I think this leads them to be manipulated easily. In making Rain in my Heart I would need to film people with troubled psyches; people within which gremlins and monsters lurk producing psychological pain and miseries, miseries that often push them to self-harm. I personally believe that the word exploit is quite a harsh word to put on the filmmaker without full justification, its made clear that the subjects wanted to be filmed, Watson treats this permission with a good amount of respect both for the subjects and the topic of the documentary whilst at the same time sustaining his role as the stand back and sympathetic-ear presence. Rain in My Heart I thought was a very dark, powerful and hard hitting documentary. This is getting a lot more personal. Ive found this good review of the film on the internet: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1661761/. What is interesting about this documentary is that when Paul Watson went to visit Vandas home and saw that she had relapsed, he admitted that he does develop emotional ties to the subjects that he is filming, but that he has the ability to stand back. Rain is a natural phenomenon that has extreme importance in human society. He never appeared to be controlling or interregative in a dominant sense, he remained calm when interviewing his subjects and took their replies without expresing his personal opinion. I want to quickly point out that, I didnt like the parts in the film where he became the self-reflexive type and centered the documentary on his own emotional state. Paul Watson does a good job at creating face and gives the appearance of being genuinely interested and sympathetic so in that way it is easier for us to lower our defensive walls and absorb what the documentary is trying to tell us. He explains himself, he is aware of what he is critised for, but overall has achieved an importantly informative film about alcohol and its effects. He is exploiting Nigel as he was only continuing to cover the story because he thinks that he will benefit out of it, when the focus should really be concentrating on capturing the truth and reality of the situation, therefore I believe that Paul Watson was exploiting his subjects in this documentary. http://www.theguardian.com/media/2006/nov/20/mondaymediasection4. Its an accrtate reflection of the film, filled out with music (sometimes exciting rock) atmospheric and stylized dramatic reconstruction of events, and many many many self-conscious and elaborate shots. Are you satisfied by his attempts within the film to deal with such accusations? Music Video BOWY Rain In My Heart Featured In Album Beat Emotion BOWY Listen to RAIN IN MY HEART on Apple Music. (http://www.theguardian.com/media/organgrinder/2006/nov/05/sheffielddocfestaredocument) It is important to understand that Watson is doing his job as a filmmaker and how this certainly does not make in inhumane to the situation. Overall, I believe that it is good to make the public known about situations like these, especially when it can have an impact on your image of alcohol. This for me was an awkward introduction to have with a subject you are going to see go through an emotional and dark period. Also, later on the film when he asks of the liability of the life experiences she has told him, I felt it was very unnecessary to show her breaking down. Rain In My Heart, was a very touching and eye opening film. That is a very emotional documentary that began in the hospital with 4 characters and ended in each of their homes- some of them were drunk, the rest are dead. He first asks for consent to film them, telling them that he cannot interfere with anything that theyll do, but in return pushes them to the limit by asking provocative questions. Another point in this film is when Paul Watson films a drunk subject who discusses the, monsters in her head, which she previously was not ready to do. I realised after I posted this! This is a scene which perhaps does challenge the idea of ethics by posing the question of how FAR can we go to observe? Filmed in 2006 the film. He found the only four people that were willing to take part in this film not to paint them in a bad light, but rather to show the general public what excessive consumption of alcohol could do to a person and how it can affect them physically and mentally, as well as their families. On the positive side of the argument I agree that Watson, through the cut away shots he includes throughout the film, allows himself to be more personal with the audience. This is also made clear later in the film when he spends some time filming at one of the female patients, Vandas house. This shows how relationships are built up when filmmaking and how subjects and even the interviewer forms attachments. Frank SinatraCycles 1968 Frank Sinatra Enterprises, LLCReleased on: 1990-01-01Producer: Don C. For one the subjects were extremely vulnerable which raises the question on whether they were in the right state of mind to consent to being filmed and telling their story. Rain in my Heart is a powerfully, touching film. However, from what I saw in the film, Watson does take advantages on his subjects. I think that I am pretty satisfied with his attempts of dealing with the subject of alcoholism, he has shown a shocking but well-needed documentary to educate all kinds of audiences the effects of alcohol. Thus exploiting their vulnerability to further push their weakness and end up with footage that will strike the audiences attention and maybe even get better ratings. Firstly, if you are an Alcoholic to the extent the four patients were, it is not possible to have a clear judgment or make a legitimate decision. It is true that his documentary can be judged and considered as an observational one: the filmmaker lets the interviewee talk about his or her problems and express all his or her weaknesses. Rain in my heart is very clinical in its approach to a very tough subject matter, as if Watsons approach matches that of the grief caused by alcoholism for his subjects. Shop unique custom made Canvas. It is complicated to say if Paul Watsons techniques were successful in the making of the film, as there are arguments from both sides. One ethical issue that could be introduced at this point is how certain filmmakers victimise their subjects. This means as subjects they must think the documentary will help. It was graphic, saddening and an uncomfortable viewing but I was overwhelmed by its message. Although it could be argued that this footage is showing Vanda what she is like when she is drunk, I would say that her answers might have been different if she was sober when she was asked them. One particular scene is the funeral of Nigel, a man who lost his life due to the addiction. Nervous about designing and ordering your card online? For someone to say that Watson exploited the people in the film is to say that he harmed them in some way, which I dont think he did. Finally, the article posted below discusses Rain in my Heart alongside other documentaries of Paul Watson. This powerful documentary from fly-on-the-wall pioneer Paul Watson provides a raw account of four alcohol abusers from the impoverished Medway towns of north Kent. Voyeurism this is not. I personally feel that Paul Watson did not exploit his subjects in the film. He is a quite good interviewer, especially in the interaction between him and the characters. Also just to confirm Gillingham is a pretty shitty place to grow up in, so the documentary comes across as very sincere. Change), You are commenting using your Twitter account. "My heart is aching. Even though there is not exact evidence of Kath saying this to Watson, I believe that if she had thought differently the scene would be cut out since it is such a dramatic and personal event. A prediction such as this can alter the way she behaves and this documentary is no longer just an observation of her progress. As the director said himself My job is to explain, not entertain. Some of you may felt that Sunday's documentary was a bit light, a little bit like eating candy floss, no substance. 22/11/06 - 10:57 #8. (steering away from the public filming location of the hospital) and can we film them in such a vulnerable and dazed state? If the subjects are happy to be filmed then I dont see the problem as long as they have a stable state of mind. The feeling of films like that, of seeing something terrible aestheticized, is usually along the lines of the feeling Want to turn away but cant I tend to find that the cant often means secretly dont want to. Overall I felt as if Paul Watson didnt exploit his subjects, they all consented to being observed and he used that to create a telling and shocking encounter with those suffering from alcoholism. Nonetheless, I think that Paul Watsons work is justifiable and I do not consider him to be selfish. Rain in my heart is a really educational and impressive documentary film for me. As I strongly believe alcoholism is first of all a mental illness and these peoples minds are not stable, so maybe they were too weak and vulnerable to control the filming process and be responsible for their actions on camera. Seeing the filmmakers process on screen is great when theyre doing something that you need to see. This scene is perhaps one of the more uncomfortable in the film as Watson is merely documenting Vandas relapse back to alcohol and the range of mood swings she encounters. he felt that to put this material in the same documentary as his musings about the problems of getting the film made seemed glib and inappropriate. (http://www.theguardian.com/media/organgrinder/2006/nov/05/sheffielddocfestaredocument). However, Watson once again denies accusations of exploitation for when he arrives at Vandas to see the door open and clarifies his reason for waiting by stating of course you wait, you dont just go in and more importantly, when the action begins to unfold with a drunken Vanda, Watson says that he must regain his job as someone there to just film what they do to their selves and reassures her that when she begins to talk delicately about her abusive past, that he will not use this footage in the future if she does not want to. In the moment where Vanda passes out from over drinking, and we see Watson check her pulse, to me I felt as if he was concerned, he didnt sit back and observe her in a blackened out state, he checked on her, he was her responsibility at that moment. This is just one example of the reaction that Watsons Rain in My Heart provoked; Not something that is watched and easily forgotten about. Explaining hell it is. It affected me emotionally and made me understand what an alcoholics reasons might be for drinking, and sometimes it might not just be that they want a drink. And it tells us a lot; it is educational, eye opening and informative. That both are now vulnerable because they/we are putting ourselves forward to talk about something that is often bypassed. This sort of fly-on-the-wall documentaries and even reality tv shows have created are becoming more accepting of intruding on other peoples most intimate and private moments. The card is easy to customize with your wording, font, font color, paper shape options and choice of six paper types. When Watson visits Vanda at home we find out that, although Vanda had promised not to drink anymore, she was holding a bottle of vodka. Filmed over the course of a year, Paul Watson's camera follows them from Gillingham . However I think that this documentary can appear that way simply because it is so intimate and explicit. But I dont appreciate so much. In order to inform and have an impact on the audience, enough to make them think before undergoing any dangerous activity illustrated in the documentary, the use of empathy is crucial. This gives the impression that Paul Watson is only interested in the success of this documentary. White envelopes included. I mean most people wouldntHer reaction to his question is also an example as she seemed to be in pain by his disbelief and lack of trust.she even said why else would she be in the state she is in if not because of the trauma she had been through? Alcoholism is a very sensitive subject for some and as a viewer I felt he was exploiting his subjects; to a certain extent. During the film one of the subjects Mark says If I am not a advert for not drinking then I dont know what is. Vanda, 43, has been drinking since the age of 12. But there is no evidence of this happening. However, I dont think you should abuse the power and trust given by the four patients. Half a bottle of vodka on the train to work at the age of 17 began Mark's journey into alcoholism. Rain in my Heart (Full). For Watson asks: What would you class as an alcoholic? Toni replies: Someone who cant go a day without a drink. Once this is said, Watson slowly zooms in on her face and responds: but you told me there are days where you cant go a day without a drink. Watsons response to Tonis statement could be stated as being overly dramatic for the audiences benefit, therefore, compiling with Ellis and most documentary critics argument that the director is always more concerned with how the potential audience will perceive the subject and story than the subject themselves. He says My job is to explain, not entertain. Play online or download to listen offline free - in HD audio, only on JioSaavn. When he asked Toni to call and talk to his family, for example. Get up to 5 months free Indeed, there are many moments when one questions the ethics of his filming, however I believe that it is simply a matter of distinguishing whether or not the capturing of such harsh realities is in itself, exploitative. No one feels comfortable at the hospital anyway without a camera crew to be there watching your pain and destruction (essentially). It becomes less objective, and much more personal between him and Vanda. Also when he went to Vandas house and interviewed her, he didnt stop her to drink alcohol. So I didnt think that he has exploited his subject at all as this is what we as viewers needed to see. This bereavement card features rain only over a tree with a figuring sitting beneath it. And youd be a hypocrite if you didnt think it. I can understand how to other viewers, this film may be seen as a breach to ethics within filmmaking, with how Watson gets so close with his vulnerable subjects, however, I feel that Watsons approach is what makes this film such a powerful observation. At one point it says: This type of documentary is not the best way to explain or explore alcoholisms origins. We ask a lot of our hunters as many times we will pass 200 inch deer to pursue true giant deer. Therefore, maybe his techniques did actually work quite well, although flawed and subjective in places. But theres a film within and around the film, one that Steven Spielberg didnt make but that he or someone else should have made: Spielbergs List, the story of the casting call for the actresses who would be getting undressed and going into the gas chamber that turns out to be a shower. RAIN IN MY HEART BOWY Rock 1,125Shazams play full song Get up to 5 months free of Apple Music Share OVERVIEW LYRICS PLAY FULL SONG Connect with Apple Music. Join Date; 14th June, 2011. Rain In My Heart raises many ethical issues as a documentary yet highlights many health and social issues current in our society. I thoroughly enjoyed this weeks viewing, I felt that it was very informative and educational to those who dont have much knowledge about alcoholism. Penny recalls being so scared. Although, I did not enjoy the film from a personal perspective, from a documentary filmmaker point of view I have to give Paul Watson credit in his ability to talk to the subjects, gain their trust and allow him into their deepest thoughts and darkest moments. However, many critics point out how these subjects are all vulnerable and incapable of really understanding what they are signing themselves up for. Critics also believe that the tragic scene of when Nigel dies in front of the camera is too much to be shown to the public eye and that he took full advantage of the emotional situation for his own benefit. Rain in My Heart was Paul Watson's good deed in this naughty world. Currently, Penny Parker's life was great. Two of the participants in Paul Watson's Rain in My Heart died during filming. There are a few scenes that stand out as being the most exploitative. This however does not detract from the fact that I believe some of what Watson did, did push the boundaries on what is ethical and moral within a documentary. Because the participants in the film are always in a very fragile state because of their problems, it makes the audience question can they actually give valid consent? I feel that Paul Watson did exploit his subjects to some extent. It may be their escape from their issues, and what I think is also important to keep in mind is that if they are using alcohol for this reason, then it could have easily been any other drug. He is good at capturing facial expressions and touching moments, though he constantly replays repeated footage to create a moment. My point being, Watson could have constructed his Documentary in a more ethical way (probably without capturing the outstanding footage he managed to get) or could have been completely unethical by being dominantly intrusive and not taking into consideration personal boundaries, I do believe he has balanced these to an acceptable standard. Rather, this extreme showing of suffering is an eduction, to open the spectators eyes to this disease and its effects. I have noticed that many people discuss this film on various alcoholism-related websites and quite a number of people stopped drinking after watching it or at least took it into serious consideration, and even if one person was/ will be saved by this film than it was definitely worth it. Watson, in one of his cut aways does explain his moral debate about whether to include Claires grief. To apply this aestheticized approach to documentary, look at the trailer for The Imposter https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LuFOX0Sy_o You can watch a short reminder of their stories via the links below. Firstly, there was given consent from all parties that took place. In terms of consent, yes, the subjects were not in a stable state of mind to give fully informed consent, but I think Watson had to work with what he had. The film charts the traumas faced by the alcoholics as they bounce between Gillingham Medway Maritime Hospital and their homes, and highlights the emotional impact their struggle has had on those around them. The truth of this film is that it brings attention to parts of life that as a society we tend to stay quiet about and so by being a representation for people who go through something so scary, life changing and threatening it can never appear wholly ethical. Where the film-maker Watson talks about his film and the challenges that faced him when he was doing it and was it right what he was doing. To illustrate, each of the documentary objects have had their own monsters in their heads, to my mind, they are in a sense weak or have a big weakness- alcohol, therefore Pauls use of characters (Vandas) confession about her monsters or at the same time the reasons why she might be came to drinking helps not only the filmmaker but us in getting closer to this unfamiliar woman and her story. For I'm just a fool Who clings to his pride But when I'm alone I can hear The sound of rain In my heart Of the tears that I hide And it tears me apart 'Cause I keep them inside I can't get away From the sound of the rain In my heart How could I know, my love I was a toy Only a game to you? Trivia Goofs Crazy Credits Quotes When watching the film, there various moments where I felt Paul Watson over stepped the mark, and exploited his subjects. This I feel undermines what his role as a filmmaker is as it shows his intentions for the direction of this documentary. 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