"The Protective Hand" is an artistic research project where I delve into exploring the challenges I face as a film editor, in relation to the cultural impacts. Throughout the years, I have encountered difficulties in working with and representing explicit content due to cultural expectations. During this creative process, I have conducted analyses and comparisons of various scenes I have worked on. I have also taken notes from meetings with actors regarding their experiences with explicit material.
In this video essay, I aim to present myself as a person and provide insights into some of the challenging material I have encountered on. Additionally, It includes interviews with well-established film editors and my own thoughts on how to work with my struggles.
Strategic documentation methods.
During this process I chose to apply methods to document my process such as screenshots, audio recordings of conversations (with permission), and taking notes.
In addition, I discussed the topic with Hogir Hirori, the director and editor of "Sabaya" 2021.
Mr Hirori explained that it is important to be able to set aside formal cultural thinking in order to portray someone else's vision. Otherwise, one might limit oneself and miss out on something unique and valuable.
In my conversation with Adi Omanovic, he agrees that these cultural barriers can affect the examples he Mr Hirori mentions in the following conversation.
Censorship or artistic choice
In an interview with Hayedeh Safiyari (Holy Spider), she talks about a car scene where a character performs oral sex on a man. During the process, she explains that she did not want to cut into the car to show the act, even if the external angle from outside the car still reveals what is happening. Ali Abbasi argues that he does not want to censor himself and that the audience should feel the character's anguish and shame. Hayedeh continues in the interview to explain that she respects the director's role and that they have the final say, but if she were to edit it differently, she would not let the audience experience the sexual act from inside the car because it was not justified. If something is not justified, why expose it?
This made me think about the line between censorship and artistic choice. What is called censorship can also be an artistic choice to create tension. If we go back to the short film I edited, "Golan," in the kissing scene, if we had only shown the father's reaction and not the kiss itself, tension would have been created solely through his reaction for the audience. In film, I perceive censorship as a protective hand. Like my father protected my eyes from witnessing intimacy at a young age. I think when films are made, we need to consider the ones perceiving it to account.
I wonder if something is censored but the message is clear and conveyed, would it still be censorship?
The degree of censorship or non-censorship is justified by the narrative and the target audience range that the message is intended to reach. Can we still deliver a message without explicit material? What do we gain from from arousing and inspiring things that could be received as bad for others?
My dual cultural background allows me to have a deeper understanding of the Kurdish and Sweddish cultures to create art that can be received by all audiences. It can also present challenges and barriers that need to be addressed.
To further my research, I continue on exploring the impact of cultural influences on my work as a film editor. The nature of this impact can be both positive and negative. It becomes a valuable challenge between myself and the director to evaluate and analyze our respective barriers, creative thoughts, and intuitive processes throughout a project.
I want to establish and create room for conversations among creators who experience similar or nonsimilar barriers.
By continuing to explore these aspects, engaging in critical discussions, and seeking insights from fellow professionals and experts, I can deepen my understanding of the cultural impact on my work as a film editor and develop strategies to navigate or overcome any challenges that arise.
Bibliography
Video
Golan 2018, Dewen Myrza
https://www.dropbox.com/s/sdjaxb1w2fi8lm9/Kissing%20scenes.mp4?dl=0
Killing R, SKH, Irene Lopez
https://www.dropbox.com/s/9xy30dyugz2a2jq/Uppkl%C3%A4dnad.mov?dl=0
Peshmerga, Solin Bakircian
https://www.dropbox.com/s/b4rfgfr8w665ijx/Happy%20Resho.mov?dl=0
Spring Uje Spring, Triart, 2020
SPRING UJE SPRING av Henrik Schyffert | trailer | TriArt Film
Litterature
Bill Nichols, (ntroduction to Documentary, Third Edition (p. 66). Indiana University Press) ,2001
Pearlman, Karen. Cutting Rhythms (p. ix). Taylor and Francis. Kindle Edition.