Rabbit Proof Fence Film Analysis

Acting For Film

Acting on film may look easy from an outsiders perspective but rather, it is a complex and confusing process which is extremely different to on-stage acting. Different actors and directors may take different approaches when taking part in the making of a film. There are techniques and processes which need to be taken into consideration before filming, which can be vital to putting on a good performance and taking a realistic approach. Two Australian films which use various acting techniques are ‘Looking for Alibrandi’ and ‘The Rabbit Proof Fence’.

‘Looking for Alibrandi’ is a film which delves into the slightly messed up life a seventeen year old girl. A certain scene from this movie looks at Alibrandi’s home life and
Alibrandi has just realized that her grandmother has been lying about who her real grandfather is and goes home to confront her. At first Alibrandi has higher status than her grandmother and is in control of the situation as she acts aggressively towards her. However her grandmother wins the scene over in the end. The actor who plays the grandmother definitely had developed her character well, perhaps using ‘The Actors Questions’. Her character was extremely strong and truly believable. The relationship of the two characters was adapted exceptionally. Her objectives were fairly obvious; to make Alibrandi forgive and understand her side of the story. She had figured out her obstacle which was Alibrandi’s stubbornness and took a good approach in getting what she wanted. She made herself look fragile and helpless by dropping what she was holding in her hands. This made Alibrandi sympathies for her and forget why she was angry in the first place. Throughout the scene the camera angle is mainly a close up on the grandmother reminiscing about her old lost love. The reason why they don’t show as many reaction shots in this scene is because the main focus of the scene is supposed to be what the grandmother is saying. The intensity of the shot pulls the audience’s attention and creates visual imagery for the viewer. You start to feel what the grandmother is feeling and empathies with her. Of course this isn’t all to do with the camera angle. The acting has a significant affect which could only truly be affective if the actor prepared her character. The actor used an acting technique called emotional memory and abstracted real memories from her personal life, which then was portrayed through her character’s