Pre-Video Assignment, Dress

I chose to watch the video project "The Waypoint" by the Washington Post. I was so immensely impressed by the project, I even teared up a bit. It was a very deep, intimate and emotional project that followed the lives of refugees from their countries--Syria or Afghanistan--to the Greek island of Lesbos and, finally, to Europe.

The project provided a unique compilation of text, images, photos and videos--but the captured footage told and propelled the powerful story the most. It started at the beginning of their journey, with footage of them crossing the sea in rubber dinghies and landing on the island. Then, it highlighted the dangers of the journey and mixed in dramatic music when they told of the fatal catastrophes that occurred; when the boats flipped in the water or were capsized by storms. On the island, the Post showed interviews of the refugees, offering their perspective on the journey, as well as the perspective of those who are helping to shelter and aid the refugees on their flight. Children are also captured in the footage, telling their stories and struggles in the journey. The wide array of interviews allows the audience to view the entire story from many viewpoints, and provides information from many sources. Although, I would say, some interviews seemed to capture a lot of wind and outside noise that could be a little distracting for the audience.

The footage is also silent at some points when it shows slow, real time video of the refugees: the children playing sports, the adults smoking cigarettes, the dingy camps and makeshift tents scattered across the island. This allows for a more dramatic and emotional appeal. The camera also pans in close, so the audience can really see the faces of these refugees, to see the emotion and fear within the children. The long, close shots made me feel closer and more intimate with the refugees. The Post also captured a wide range of video--from rough security guards barking at the crowd, to a father huddled with his family in the boat as it crosses the ocean. These additional scenes allowed me to visualize all aspects of the journey and attracted my emotional side, once again.

Toward the end, the Post even captured video of Iranian photographers shooting photos of the refugees as they are shipped onto boats, headed to Europe. This unique concept was nearly breathtaking, as I was able to see, in real time footage, what exactly these photographers saw through the lens of their camera, and what they deemed was important enough to document.

 Together with the beautiful, artistic images, this project allows the audience to gain a full picture of the plight of these refugees. The compilation offers a unique concept to show one of the most dire crises in modern history, and allows for a breathtaking, sentimental piece of art that stands as a testament to the power of multimedia.