In Haiti, Close-ups Heal
By Judith Parker Harris
Block: Or.
Buster: Why not and?
In television production long ago we learned that a close-up has more emotional impact than a wide shot. Why, because the eyes are the windows to the soul, and if you can see inside someone’s eyes you have the story. We’ve gone through a decade of pride in multi-tasking and are now learning that single tasking well done is the way to go, in order to do both – or more. Yes, this all has to do with the forest and the trees, because once again, it’s all about focus on the close-ups and the task at hand.
In Haiti after the horrific earthquake just days ago, people worldwide are responding due to the close-ups. The close-up introduces you to a person just like you. The wide shots are foreign. Eyes full of tears or fear or horror shoot the emotions straight to your heart and allow you to focus on what action you can take to be a part of the healing.
Today, I read an article in the Los Angeles Times about journalist/doctors, conflicted over whether to tell a story or to practice medicine due to the terrible shortage of medical personnel. Most are doing both, and that is, indeed, the answer. The simple truth is that THE ACTION IS THE STORY.
As a world now, we are analyzing ourselves to death by numbing feelings due to an over-exposure to wide shots when the close-up tells the story and the story is what unites us by connecting our hearts and minds. When my husband and I have an argument, I always feel a need to go on and on in order to analyze a resolution. He’s done way before I am, because the only thing he will believe is action based on the discussion. The words (the wide shot) are meaningless to him…the actions (the close-up) are everything.
So, Doctor/Journalists…bring us the stories one life at a time as you reach out to help and take action, the analysis is clear. People care about other people. When we are down, there will be those who help. As we rise up again, it will be one person at a time and that person will help another and those people will help others, and those will help others and the soil will be rich from the world’s tears that come to heal one tree at a time so a forest can eventually stand.
Hurrah for the doctor/journalists who choose “and” over “or,” as they focus on one step at a time and then another.
Topics: Blogs | 1 Comment »
January 21st, 2010 at 2:42 am
I agree Judith,
It used to be that Journalist via shots taken during crisis’ like these didn’t seem to care. It’s was all about the ‘action’ and the sensationalism of the moment. However, it’s a great thing that our world is changing. Like you said we are witnessing humanity and I feel in doing so, whether conscious of it or not, lift ourselves to a higher ‘love’ frequency. This is what is going to take us into the ‘rapture’. We will be so deserving of this gift. My hope is that everyone rises. However, if they are not ready I hope they will learn a lesson by looking into our ‘eyes to our souls’ and witness their own potential.