Philippine E-Journals

The Manifestations of Sympathy Call Messages in Reel Time presents: Salat

Marschelle G. Cordero | Czaryllita C. Undang

 

Abstract:

This study focused on the depiction of local poverty and the manifestations of sympathy call messages within “Reel Time presents: Salat”. The purpose of this study was to: 1) identify the existing themes; 2) describe how poverty is depicted; and 3) identify the message/s in “Reel Time presents: Salat”. The researchers relied on Erving Goffman’s Framing Theory to support in its attempt to study shots, establish themes, and determine manifestations within the chosen documentary. This documentary in the Philippine setting was selected for analysis through purposive sampling based on the 3Rs: Recency, Relevance, and Recognition. After gathering the necessary data, the researchers analyzed them through Krippendorff’s methodology on content analysis. The results of the analysis showed that there were 13 emerging themes related to absolute poverty. There were repetitive styles in camera manipulation and manifested depictions of poverty by utilizing the 12 elements of mise en scene within its shots. Through these manifestations of poverty, the researchers identified meanings behind the execution of the said 12 elements. Overall, the documentary mainly addressed child poverty. More so, the documentary contained implications on power relations between the documentary’s subjects, and expressions on glumness and melancholy through specific elements of mise en scene. Since the researchers identified that the messages implied within the documentary induced sympathy, all the identified messages within the documentary were found to be sympathy call messages.