Koyannisqatsi Film Techniques
The film Koyannisqatsi (1983) had opened the public’s eyes to the possibility of extensive time-lapse cinematography and the non- verbal style of filmmaking. Filmmakers such as Frances’ Jean Painleve made similar films before but nothing had been made such as Koyannisqatsi (1983). The other films where similar but made more towards the experimental film audiences. Godfrey Reggio the director of Koyannisqatsi (1983) and Ron Fricke the cinematographer showed how the modern world was moving from a natural environment to a society occupied and controlled by technology. The film is known for two main things besides its message about technology: 1) its use of time lapse cinematography which was ground breaking and 2) its use of non-verbal style which no actors, or linear narrative structure. Koyannisqatsi is Reggio’s first film that he directed, he had also worked on various other community and educational projects after spending his early years in a monastery.
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Philip Glass composed the music for Koyannisqatsi, which is the most important part of the film as it created an emotion to the visuals.
The music was designed in a way that it takes the viewers on a powerful and lyrical journey. In the non-verbal genre music plays a very important part along with imagery to create an emotional connection and a reaction to the film without the use of narration. Other films in this genre have been very successful such as Winged Migration (2001), Microcosmos (1996), Atlantis (1991), Baraka (1992) and Samsara (2011). The films are of similar genre but the first three films focus more on the natural phenomenon of animals. The rest Baraka and Samsara focus mainly on the human connection to the eternal involving a strong connection to the natural
world.
Koyannisqatsi was followed by two more films (Powaqqatsi, 1988) and (Naqoyqatsi, 2002) which are the trilogy of “Qatsi” films, which are also a ground breaking non- verbal style of documentary filmmaking. Non- verbal films make us see the world in a different way and it changes our perception of the world, which in ways no other style of filmmaking can achieve.
I believe that the non-verbal genre helps us understand and think deeper by ourselves about what is being shown in the visual imagery. We start to think about what is actually going on in these images and absorb information better than to be fed information via narration. We can look at things in a different perspective and sometimes find new reasons to what is happening in these documentaries. The most important part of Non-verbal documentaries is that it eliminates the barrier of language and it can be understood by anyone anywhere.
The main purpose of this study is to learn and show that non- verbal genre can effectively be used in documentary filmmaking. This type of filmmaking offers a different perspective to the traditional narrated, voice-over or interview style of documentary filmmaking that we see in broadcast and theatrical production.
Philip Glass composed the music for Koyannisqatsi, which is the most important part of the film as it created an emotion to the visuals.
The music was designed in a way that it takes the viewers on a powerful and lyrical journey. In the non-verbal genre music plays a very important part along with imagery to create an emotional connection and a reaction to the film without the use of narration. Other films in this genre have been very successful such as Winged Migration (2001), Microcosmos (1996), Atlantis (1991), Baraka (1992) and Samsara (2011). The films are of similar genre but the first three films focus more on the natural phenomenon of animals. The rest Baraka and Samsara focus mainly on the human connection to the eternal involving a strong connection to the natural
world.
Koyannisqatsi was followed by two more films (Powaqqatsi, 1988) and (Naqoyqatsi, 2002) which are the trilogy of “Qatsi” films, which are also a ground breaking non- verbal style of documentary filmmaking. Non- verbal films make us see the world in a different way and it changes our perception of the world, which in ways no other style of filmmaking can achieve.
I believe that the non-verbal genre helps us understand and think deeper by ourselves about what is being shown in the visual imagery. We start to think about what is actually going on in these images and absorb information better than to be fed information via narration. We can look at things in a different perspective and sometimes find new reasons to what is happening in these documentaries. The most important part of Non-verbal documentaries is that it eliminates the barrier of language and it can be understood by anyone anywhere.
The main purpose of this study is to learn and show that non- verbal genre can effectively be used in documentary filmmaking. This type of filmmaking offers a different perspective to the traditional narrated, voice-over or interview style of documentary filmmaking that we see in broadcast and theatrical production.