In June this year, Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo apologized after being caught influencing the result of the national elections. A video of her apology can be seen if you click "View 24 Oras Video" in this site: http://news.inq7.net/common/related.php?site=16&story_id=41682 Several things I notice here: 1)The initial shot is medium-wide angle, showing the symbols of political authority: the seal, the flags. 2) Ten seconds before she says "I am sorry," the lens makes a zoom-in, until Arroyo's face dominates the screen. The symbols of political authority almost disappear. Arroyo looks to me now more as an ordinary, wounded human being than a person in power. 3) The zoom-in starts after she says "NAMFREL", a reference to a private organization that monitors elections. It gained fame during the Marcos snap elections, which installed Cory Aquino. The motto of NAMFREL is "It is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness." 4) The magnification of Arroyo's sad face lingers for two minutes. 5) When she starts talking about her political achievements, the photographer makes a zoom-out, beginning with the word "investments." The symbols of political authority reappear. 6) She ends the speech with a confident smile and an invocation: "God Bless the Philippines". 7) In four minutes, two minutes is spent on showing a sad face -- including the uneasy movement of the lips and throat when she translates her apology in Tagalog. The rest of the time shows her relatively calm. 8) Behind Arroyo is a thick bar that appears to pierce her head from ear to ear, like a sword, apparently a subliminal attempt to induce sympathy on the part of the viewer. I am told this video is directed by an award-winning professional: Lupita Aquino Kashiwara. So, the "piercing" could be intended, because an arrangement like this is avoided in portrait photography, unless there is a purpose. 9) Arroyo is wearing blue -- the designers' symbol for propriety and loyalty. Research on colors indicates light blue induces the brain to produce melatonin, the calming chemical. What do you think? :) __________________________________ Yahoo! FareChase: Search multiple travel sites in one click. http://farechase.yahoo.com
