Evaluation of 'Beyond Words: The Dyslexia Dilemma'

 My Documentary Evaluation

After creating the documentary, it made me realise just how difficult it is as a genre as you cannot predict what your interviewee will say and whether it helps argue the message of your documentary. I found it particularly hard as you cannot storyboard and plan a documentary which I would with a film. However, I loved every minute of creating my documentary and would do it again as it challenged me and allowed me to explore a whole new element of filming. It also allowed me to shed light on a truth that many students experience and hopefully make a difference. 

 

My documentary clearly demonstrates my opinion and perhaps encourages the spectator to feel the same way. This is due to my connection to the topic and having gone through very similar experiences as some of the students interviewed. This also allowed for me to clearly articulate the students' struggle. I decided only in the editing process that I would ultimately focus on the negativity associated with dyslexia. I think to some extent teachers are aware that dyslexic students struggle in the learning environment, and I wanted to explore a more profound issue which is the results on mental health and the students’ perceptions of themselves. The main consensus being that they feel “stupid” in lessons as the strengths of the dyslexic mind is not known to teachers. In my documentary I aimed to offer solutions to the issue so that it would not be critical without being educational. 

 

I decided against having teacher interviews as the questionnaire I requested them to complete answered all the questions I needed and provided me with honest information which was instrumental when creating my documentary and highlighted the key areas teacher’s information about dyslexia was weaker.  

 

I feel the balance of fact and feeling was what allowed for my documentary’s message to be so impactful. My interview with a dyslexia specialist gave my documentary credibility and provided truth and statistics to the students' struggles. The strong feeling from the parents was also very impactful. The juxtaposition between the dad’s blunt and candid responses and the mother’s articulate responses was able to capture the different emotions for parents creating more of a voice to those who are affected by the lack of support. I feel with more time I would have been able to better edit my documentary as I struggled to condense my 3 hours of footage in the timeframe. This meant that lots of the footage I wanted to add in I was unable as otherwise it would have been too long and not flowed as smoothly together. 

 

 

Nichol’s Modes

 

In my dyslexia documentary I used the expository mode to present statistics about the prevalence of dyslexia in schools and how it can impact students’ learning experiences. I feel this mode allowed for me to articulate the seriousness of dyslexia and may invoke a sense of responsibility for improving support for dyslexic students. I found both the observational and reflexive mode hard in this documentary. For observational I filmed students interacting around school showing that neurodivergent brains are in every classroom which helps articulate the need for greater neurodiverse awareness. The camera was able to observe interactions between students providing an unfiltered look. With more time I would have liked to capture classroom interactions however this may have been an issue due to not being allowed to film without permission which would take away from the observational element and change the interactions in the classroom. This shed light on the question on whether observational filming is observational and not a performance. This is questioned a lot in the Act of Killing. For reflexive I only added in a short duration scene. In more time I would have liked to perhaps added my motivations for making the documentary which would also perhaps encourage spectators to think more critically about the negative portrayal of dyslexia. For the interactive mode I conducted a series of interviews with students and parents discussing experiences with dyslexia. These personal narratives create emotional connections and offer insight of daily realities of students with dyslexia which aren’t always recognised. To achieve the performative mode, I asked anyone willing to participate to stand in front of the camera and stare down the lens. This allowed for me to create a montage of students' faces which evoked a strong emotional response due to the confrontational gaze on the serious faces of the pupils. It also helped promote a sense of urgency about a need for increased support for students with dyslexia. I felt this mode was powerful in driving home the importance of understanding neurodiversity in a more emotional way.

 

 

Act of Killing Comparison 

 

Capturing the right tone and message was particularly difficult when creating this documentary as I wanted to avoid it seeming as though it was blaming teachers and staff for the way students with dyslexia have struggled at school. This was something I had actively on my mind when editing my documentary together. I hoped it would make people feel as though a change needs to be made without blaming people for the current awareness and support around dyslexia. Throughout the process of creating my documentary I changed and edited my plan as I decided to change the approach of the documentary. Both documentaries, Beyond Words: The Dyslexia Dilemma and the Act of Killing, use narrative techniques to convey their anticipated messages. In my documentary I have utilised narrative techniques to convey the message of change. I also include personal anecdotes of individuals as well as interviews to humanise the experiences of individuals with dyslexia. However, the Act of Killing uses a mixture of re-enactments and interviews with perpetrators to explore the complexities of guilt and morality. Although contrasting outcomes both aim to change societal understanding. One about learning differences the other about historical atrocities. Both documentaries are advocating not just for awareness but for the systematic change in how society treats and perceives groups. My documentary encourages recognition and support for neurodiverse individuals. Oppenheimer’s Act of Killing acts as a broader commentary on the importance of confronting and acknowledging historical injustices. Both giving a voice to marginalized voices. Ultimately both narratives challenge spectators to reflect critically on societal perceptions and compel the spectator to question existing norms and encourage conversations that can lead to greater change and understanding. 

 

I feel the quote at the start of my documentary gave a context to the documentary which encouraged the spectator to think a certain way. This is also done in the Act of Killing which encourages a critical viewing to the documentary and to think deeper about what is seen on screen. 

 

Both documentaries are an exploration of the complexity of identity. This complexity can create a greater empathy as the spectator can see past dyslexia itself. One spectator said, “the end made me cry. I found it very emotional as it affects real people and isn’t just a statistic in a book.” I feel my documentary about dyslexia inspired hope and understanding among spectators as well. Many commented that they believed it would lead to change and one spectator said, “I think this will really help my sister feel better about her dyslexia.”

 The Act of Killings normalisation of violence and the psychological effects of the perpetrators’ acts leave the spectator feeling more devastated than hopeful. The Act of Killing may challenge spectators’ ability to empathise as it confronts the darker aspects of human nature and moral ambiguity. Both documentaries aim to provoke thought and emotional engagement resulting in differing levels of empathy and understanding towards the experiences of individuals with dyslexia and the historical and collective trauma depicted in the Act of Killing. 

 

I am pleased with what I achieved for my documentary and am hopeful it will bring change in the school environment. It has also allowed me to have a greater understanding of Nichol’s modes of documentary and how they help conduct meaning. It has also allowed for me to think deeper about Oppenheimer’s construction of the Act of Killing.