This clip chosen to be PG
Clip description
After the title of the film, a man and a woman establish the conflict over what they would like to make a film about. A dramatic scene follows showing the use of a pram in a terrorist kidnapping. The film then cuts to a long scene in hospital about motherhood.
Curator’s notes
This sequence graphically captures the clash of ideas between a man and a woman about what is an important story to tell. She wants to make a film about childcare but he’s more interested in terrorism.
The power of the sequence is in using a pram as a symbol of maternity which disrupts a terrorist kidnapping. The scene is high action, using fast cutting and action-packed shooting. It visually reminds us of the use of the pram as a symbol in Sergei Eisenstein’s historical Russian epic Battleship Potemkin (1925). The whole sequence is laden with visual, political and historical references.
The cut to the next scene – a woman’s starkly simple and intimate account of new motherhood – is extremely dramatic. This voice is laid over a long tracking shot in a hospital corridor. It is the contrast between these two scenes, each using different cinematic devices, that sets us up for the rest of the film. The pram remains a recurring motif throughout.
Thanks to the generosity of the rights holders, we are able to offer The pram from the documentary Serious Undertakings as a high quality video download.
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This clip is available in the following configurations:
| File name | Size | Quality | Suitability |
|
serious1_pr.mp4
|
Large: 22.1MB |
High |
Optimised for full-screen display on a fast computer. |
|
serious1_bb.mp4
|
Medium: 10.4MB |
Medium |
Can be displayed full screen. Also suitable for video iPods. |
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australianscreen is produced by the National Film and Sound Archive. By using the website you agree to comply with the terms and conditions described elsewhere on this site. The NFSA may amend the 'Conditions of Use’ from time to time without notice.
All materials on the site, including but not limited to text, video clips, audio clips, designs, logos, illustrations and still images, are protected by the Copyright Laws of Australia and international conventions.
When you access australianscreen you agree that:
- You may retrieve materials for information only.
- You may download materials for your personal use or for non-commercial educational purposes, but you must not publish them elsewhere or redistribute clips in any way.
- You may embed the clip for non-commercial educational purposes including for use on a school intranet site or a school resource catalogue.
- The National Film and Sound Archive’s permission must be sought to amend any information in the materials, unless otherwise stated in notices throughout the Site.
All other rights reserved.
ANY UNAUTHORISED USE OF MATERIAL ON THIS SITE MAY RESULT IN CIVIL AND CRIMINAL LIABILITY.
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