touching the void unit

1. NAME:________________________________________
Write down a list of every ‘true story’ films you have ever watched that you can remember:
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2. CINEMATIC TERMS AND TECHNIQUES
Types of film
There are numerous types of films. A narrative feature is the feature film that you may often view in a cinema
or on DVD at home. The narrative implies a story with a similar structure to a written narrative. Other films
that you might be asked to analyse include documentaries, short films, advertisements and even film clips.
Many directors begin their careers with short films, advertisements and film clips.
Genre
You should also be aware of genre in films. Most of the films that you view belong to a genre (or type of film).
There are many different types of genres and many different aspects to genres. We will focus on the
differences in narrative (plot) and some of the features according to characters and setting of just some
genres.
Genre Narrative
Action The central concern is a clash or complication between two physical powers.
Horror The central clash or complication is the need to overcome a supernatural power or
monster.
Romance The central clash or complication is one or two characters' desire to win or keep love.
Comedy The central clash or complication results in hilarity.
Adventure The central clash or complication is where characters encounter a new world/s.
Epic The central clash or complication is between great powers or involves changes of historical
proportions.
Science fiction
(sci-fi)
Any film that is set in an imagined world that is loosely scientifically possible.
Drama The central clash or complication involves overcoming injustices of the world.
Thriller The central clash or complication is to overcome a fierce and dangerous character who is
out to kill the main character.
List five of your favorite genres of film – name the films as well:
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3. ________________________________________________________
Film Techniques
“Film techniques” is the term used to describe the ways that meaning is created in film.
Camera Shots
A camera shot is the amount of space that is seen in one shot or frame. Camera shots are used to demonstrate
different aspects of a film's setting, characters and themes. As a result, camera shots are very important in
shaping meaning in a film.
extreme
long shot
An extreme long shot contains a large amount of landscape. It is often used at the
beginning of a scene or a film to establish general location (setting). This is also known as
an establishing shot.
long shot A long shot contains landscape but gives the viewer a more specific idea of setting. A long
shot may show the viewers the building where the action will take place.
full shot A full shot contains a complete view of the characters. From this shot, viewers can take in
the costumes of characters and may also help to demonstrate the relationships between
characters.
mid shot A mid shot contains the characters or a character from the waist up. From this shot,
viewers can see the characters' faces more clearly as well as their interaction with other
characters. This is also known as a social shot.
close-up A close-up contains just one character's face. This enables viewers to understand the
actor's emotions and also allows them to feel empathy for the character. This is also known
as a personal shot.
extreme
close-up
An extreme close-up contains one part of a character's face or other object. This technique
is quite common in horror films, particularly the example above. This type of shot creates
an intense mood and provides interaction between the audience and the viewer.
When analysing a film you should always think about the different camera shots and why they are being used.
The next time that you are at the cinema or watching television, see what camera shots are being used.
Camera angles
It is important that you do not confuse camera angles and camera shots. Camera shots are used to
demonstrate different aspects of setting, themes and characters. Camera angles are used to position the
viewer so that they can understand the relationships between the characters. These are very important for
shaping meaning in film as well as in other visual texts.
bird's eye angle is A bird's eye angle is an angle that looks directly down upon a scene. This angle is
often used as an establishing angle, along with an extreme long shot, to establish
setting.
high angle A high angle is a camera angle that looks down upon a subject. A character shot with a high
angle will look vulnerable or small. These angles are often used to demonstrate to the
audience a perspective of a particular character. The example above demonstrates to us the
perspective or point of view of a vampire. As a viewer we can understand that the vampire
feels powerful.
eye-level angle An eye-level angle puts the audience on an equal footing with the character/s. This
is the most commonly used angle in most films as it allows the viewers to feel
comfortable with the characters.
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4. low angle A low angle is a camera angle that looks up at a character. This is the opposite of a
high angle and makes a character look more powerful. This can make the audience
feel vulnerable and small by looking up at the character. This can help the responder
feel empathy if they are viewing the frame from another character's point of view.
As with camera shots, you will be able to see many examples of camera angles in any film or visual text that
you view. The next time that you watch television or see a film, take note of the camera angles and think of
how they affect your perception (idea) of different characters.
Camera movement
Composers of films also use camera movement to shape meaning. The following are some examples of
common camera movements and how they can be used to shape meaning in films.
crane shot A crane shot is often used by composers of films to signify the end of a film or scene.
The effect is achieved by the camera being put on a crane that can move upwards.
tracking shot
and a dolly shot
A tracking shot and a dolly shot have the same effect. A tracking shot moves on
tracks and a dolly shot is mounted on a trolley to achieve the effect in the example
above. This camera movement is used in a number of ways but is most commonly
used to explore a room such as a restaurant. By using a tracking shot or a dolly shot
the composer of a film gives the viewer a detailed tour of a situation. It can also be
used to follow a character.
Panning Panning is used to give the viewer a panoramic view of a set or setting. This can be
used to establish a scene.
Lighting Lighting is a very important aspect for shaping meaning in films. What kind of
atmosphere is created in a room lit by candles? Have you ever heard of mood
lighting? A room that is brightly lit by neon lights might seem to be sterile or a
shadowy room might be eerie or scary. The lighting technicians in a film crew have
the task of creating lighting to suit the mood and atmosphere of each scene in a film.
Cinematography Cinematography is the combination of the techniques described in this chapter. This
includes camera shots, camera angles, camera movement and lighting. Use the term
cinematography to group all of these together, for example, 'The cinematography in
that film was exceptional.'
Mise en Scene “Mise en scene” refers to all the objects and characters in a particular frame. More
specifically, it refers to the composition of the frame. When you use the term mise en
scene, you are discussing where the composer or director has placed all the elements
of the scene within the frame.
Special Effects 'Special effects' are often referred to as 'FX'. Special effects are used when a
sequence or scene in a film cannot be achieved through the usual techniques.
Examples where special effects are used are when Superman flies or when an
explosion is too big or expensive to be filmed in reality. Advances in computer
technology have made special effects a central part of many modern films. Two of the
more common types of special effects that are used today are outlined below.
Computer (CGI) is three dimensional (3D) computer graphics that are used to produce special
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5. generated
imagery
effects for all types of film. Some famous examples of where CGI has been used
include Shrek, Ice Age and for Gollum from The Lord of the Rings. It is important to
note that CGI is not only used to construct virtual characters but can also be used to
alter colour and lighting. Where a director feels that there is not enough colour in a
scene, CGI colour grading can be used to brighten it up.
Bluescreens Bluescreens in a lot of circumstances have been replaced by CGI. You will still see
examples of special effects using bluescreens used every day. The bluescreen is an
actual object. Actors are filmed acting in front of a bluescreen and then, during
editing, the background is replaced. This is how the original Superman films created
the effect of superman flying. Television weather presenters use a bluescreen.
• http://www.skwirk.com/p-c_s-54_u-251_t-647_c-2412/nsw/english-skills/skills-by-text-type-film/film-
overview/special-effects-and-sound - #
Sound, Soundtrack and Music
The sound, soundtrack and music in a film are very important to the impact of films and play a major role in
shaping meaning in the text. Next time you view a film try to imagine a suspenseful scene without the music.
Does it have the same effect? There are a number of factors to consider when analysing sound in a film.
Diegetic sound Diegetic sound is sound that occurs in film that is natural. These sounds include
doors opening and closing, footsteps, dialogue (the voices of the actors if they are
talking on screen), any music that comes from radios in the film or played on
musical instruments, thunderstorms, tyres screeching and explosions. Any sound
that is caused by actions or actually happens in the course of the film is diegetic
sound. Imagine that the film is real. If you could hear that sound in real life, it is
diegetic.
Non-Diegetic sound Non-Diegetic sound is sound that is added to the film during editing. These sounds
include music and songs that are added to the film, music that sets mood for films
(such as screeching violins at suspenseful moments), narration (voiceovers) and
sounds added as special effects, especially in slapstick (comedy using exaggerated
physical violence) sequences. (the "boing!" sound as a character is hit over the
head - The Three Stooges is a classic example of this kind of sound). Any sound that
would not occur if the film were real is non-diegetic sound. For example, when you
are sad, violins do not suddenly start playing! Sound can also be enhanced.
The difference between sound, soundtrack and music is as follows.
• Sound is what is generally referred to as diegetic sounds.
• Soundtracks are any songs used during the film.
• Music is the incidental mood music known as the film score.
Think about the influence sound has on the impact and meaning of film.
Editing
The final process of film creation is editing. When shooting is finished there will be hours and hours of footage
- most of which will never be seen or used. It is the editor's role to ensure continuity (that the film flows from
one scene to another and that plot and character development makes sense throughout the film). The
editorial team is also responsible for sound editing. The editor in charge of this needs to ensure that both
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6. diegetic and non-diegetic sounds are synchronised and help to shape meaning as much as possible. There are
many editing techniques and rules and we will cover the basics here.
A Cutaway A cutaway in a film occurs when a scene that is shot continuously is interrupted by
another piece of footage. For example, a character driving a car down the street may have
been filmed all in one shot, but half-way down the street a piece of footage of the
character spying on the driver has been edited in.
A Dissolve This occurs when one scene slowly fades into another. This is often done to show the link
between two scenes or the passing of time. For example, footage of the school hallway 30
years ago might dissolve into footage of the same hall today. This would emphasise the
fact that it is the same hallway while still focusing on the changes that have happened
over 30 years.
Wipes There are a variety of wipes. Wipes are used as transitional techniques between scenes.
The following are examples of wipes. Pay close attention to how these wipes link scenes
and therefore help to shape meaning.
A clock wipe is used to connote time passing between two scenes.
A star wipe is used to connote an added value or something special occurring.
A heart wipe is used to connote a feeling of love or romance.
A matrix wipe can consist of a variety of patterns that form the transition between scenes.
It will be up to you to decide why a composer has used a particular matrix wipe.
Types of Documentary
MIND MAP TASK - Brainstorm all the documentaries you may have watched, from formatted
television programmes such as Tonight with Trevor MacDonald to individual films such as Bowling for
Columbine. Once you have done that, try to match them up in terms of their similarities and differences.
You should start observing that there are a wide variety of documentary formats and styles.
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TYPES OF
DOCUMENTARY

7. Documentary Modes
The Scottish filmmaker John Grierson was first to use the term ‘documentary’ for a number of films,
which featured ‘real’ people and places. Robert Flaherty’s films Nanook of the North (the Inuit of
northern Canada), Moana (a Polynesian family) and Man of Aran (a fishing community off the west coast
of Ireland), all of which depicted marginal and fast disappearing cultures, are early examples of the
form.
In a famous phrase Grierson defined documentary as the ‘creative treatment of actuality’. While
documentaries deal with different areas of ‘actuality’ or ‘real life’, their ‘creative treatment’ of the
subject matter has varied enormously.
Documentary filmmakers have developed a range of modes of shaping and presenting their material. It is
worth noting that television continues to develop new variants of non-fiction programmes – from reality
TV shows such as Big Brother to ‘docusoaps’ like Vets in Practice.
Lisa and name as many reality television programs that you can think of on television that you have
viewed:
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8. ________________________________________________________
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9. 9

10. TASK - It is rare for a documentary film to make use of only one mode. In the documentaries watched in class
there are employed a number of documentary approaches. Indicate which ones you can identify and discuss their
likely purpose and what effects they create in the table below as we watch them in class.
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11. Motivation - is a theoretical construct used to explain behavior. It gives the reasons for people's
actions, desires, and needs. Motivation can also be defined as one's direction to behavior or what causes a
person to want to repeat a behavior and vice versa.
Motivation can be described as why we do things like why is Sammy is motivated to run.
Intrinsic motivation is when you do something because you enjoy it or find it interesting.
Extrinsic motivation is doing something for external rewards or to avoid negative consequences.
Name two times when you have been intrinsically and extrinsically motivated
Intrinsic motivation
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2._______________________________________________________
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Extrinsic motivation
1._______________________________________________________
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2._______________________________________________________
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Describe what motivation means to you?
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What are the reasons you think people are motivated by in life?
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Why do you think people are motivated to tell their stories?
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12. ________________________________________________________
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HUMAN CONTINUUM
STRONGLY AGREE or STRONGLY DISAGREE 
No strong feelings either way. 
Read the list of statements and place yourself within the imaginary continuum according to your
values and the strength of your beliefs. Now place a symbol above that corresponds with how
you feel of think of each statement:
VALUES STATEMENTS
1. School canteens should sell nothing but healthy food
2. There should be no School Certificate or Higher School Certificate exams
3. Smacking of children under 10 years of age should be made illegal
4. The wearing of school uniform should be optional
5. Australia should withdraw all troops from Afghanistan immediately
6. “P” plate drivers should have a curfew between midnight and 6am
7. The smoking of marijuana should be decriminalised
8. Australia should accept all asylum seekers
9. The death sentence should be re-introduced for violent crime
10. The use of mobile phones, I pods and MP3 players should be allowed in class
11. Watching a game of wheelchair basketball would be as exciting as any game of basketball
12. There should be a limit on the use of technology to keep very premature babies alive
13. If a pregnant woman knows that she is carrying a foetus with a severe disability she and
her partner should be able to arrange for an abortion
14. There are too many disabled car spaces in car parks
15. The Disability Support Pension should be harder to get
16. The Para Olympic Games and the Olympic Games should be combined together and not be
run as two separate competitions
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13. 17. Sporting Clubs should not be required to provide disability toilets when they may not get
a lot of use
18. There should be a limit on the amount of money that should be allocated to modify a
school for the inclusion of a disabled student
19. People with disabilities should be able to contribute as much to our society as people
without disabilities
20.We can learn a lot from the experiences and the life journeys of people with disabilities
who have overcome obstacles to succeed
In response to the Human Continuum activity, students record your attitudes to people with a disability:
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NO Arms No Legs All HEART the Dustin Carter Story
This is a YouTube video and is a trailer for the documentary. Duration is 4:00
minutes.
Watch the trailer:
1. What is the purpose of this trailer?
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2. Who is the intended audience?
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Describe your reactions or experience of watching the Dustin Carter story trailer?
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How did Dustin Carter become disabled?
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Do you think anyone could do as Dustin Carter does in the story? (Given his physical condition)
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14. ________________________________________________________
Explore and Discuss the statement “Never give up” what does it mean to you?
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Consider this: The film was made in 2007 have the ideologies or thoughts around disability
changed do you think?
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Consider the statement “Don’t dis my ability” what do you think it implies?
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What do you think you of Dustin Carter’s determination to live a normal life?
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Give a summary of what Dustin Carter does in the clip? How does he live his life?
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Watch the trailer again and complete the table for film techniques used within the film
FILM TITLE:
Film technique Examples from the film
Re-enactments of the events by
actors
Or
Use of still photographs or
archival footage
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15. Direct-to-camera interviews
Camera shot size
( including use of close-up, mid
shot and long shot)
Camera angle
(including use of eye level shots,
high and low angles, point of view
shots)
Camera movement
(including pans, tilts, zooms or
tracking shots)
Camera speed
(including fast or slow motion)
Non-diegetic sound
(including mood music, sound
effects and voice-overs)
Diegetic sound
( including voices of characters,
sounds made by objects in the
film, source music)
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16. Transitions between shots
(including fades, wipes, dissolves
and cuts)
Special effects
Superimposed titles and captions
We Live This - a short documentary
Watch this YouTube trailer for the documentary. Duration is 7:35
minutes.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5nkZ2TLPBlE
View the film to the opening title (1:29). Stop the video
Make a prediction about what the subject matter of this film might
be about, based on your viewing to this point.
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What film techniques have been used in this clip? (Add your answers to page 9 table of booklet)
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What is the purpose of this film?
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17. ________________________________________________________
Who are the intended audience?
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Are particular types of film techniques used within this clip?
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Have the particular types of film techniques used, been used because they are popular and
identifiable to the target audience?
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Write a summary of this video clip:
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The Passion to Play - a short AFL documentary
What is the purpose of this film?
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Who are the intended audience?
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What film techniques have been used in this clip? (Add your
answers to page 9 table of booklet)
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How do the camera techniques create a sense of intimacy with the AFL players (subjects)?
Refer to techniques in your answer: hand-held camera, slow motion effects, sustained point-of-
view shots, e.g. cleverly used to heighten a connection between viewers and a rookie AFL player
in the second section of the film as the narration develops.
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18. ________________________________________________________
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How does this film represent AFL players; as heroic and/or intimately? What techniques within
the film shaped your response?
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Write a short summary for this clip:
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TOUCHING THE VOID –
feature film
View the poster for the film above: What
ideas or themes do you think the image is
representing of the film?
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19. Looking at both the poster and the DVD cover; use them to predict what the film’s narrative or
plot might be?
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What visual techniques
are used here to
promote the film within
the images?
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Touching The Void (Kevin Macdonald, 2003; Duration 106 mins)
SYNOPSIS
Director: Kevin Macdonald
Producer: John Smithson
Actors: Joe Simpson - Brendan Mackey
Simon Yates - Nicholas Aaron
This is a film made in the documentary style, with a re-
enactment of Joe Simpson and Simon Yates’ disastrous
and near-fatal climb of the 6,344 metre Siula Grande in
the Peruvian Andes in 1985. It features regular addresses to camera by Joe and Simon who
relive the story of their experience.
Joe and Simon were the first people to ascend the summit of Siula Grande via the almost
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20. vertical west face. Disaster struck them on the descent. Joe slipped down an ice cliff, and
landed badly, smashing his tibia into his knee joint and breaking it. Their climb had already
taken longer than expected because of the onset of bad weather during the ascent. They ran
out of fuel for their stove, which they needed to melt snow for drinking water.
At first Simon helped Joe to climb down. They tied two 150 feet ropes together and tied
themselves to each end. They worked out a system to try to help Joe down the mountain. Simon
dug himself into a hole in the snow and then lowered Joe down the mountain on the 300 feet of
rope. However, because there was a knot in the middle of the two ropes, the knot wouldn’t go
through the belay plate. Joe had to stand on his good leg to give Simon enough slack to unclip
the rope, and thread the rope back through the lowering device, with the knot on the other
side.
This system worked for a while until a second disaster occurred. When Simon was lowering Joe
down the mountain he unknowingly lowered him over a cliff. Simon was wedged into a snow seat
higher up the mountain, and could not hear Joe calling out to let him know what was happening.
Simon could feel Joe’s weight on the rope. Joe couldn’t climb up because of his broken leg, and
Simon could not pull Joe back up because his belay seat was crumbling. Neither Joe nor Simon
could do anything to save the other.
Simon had two choices. If he waited for his seat to break they both would have fallen to their
deaths. Simon had no idea what situation Joe was in. If he cut the rope, Simon thought he could
go down and see what had happened to Joe. Unfortunately when Simon cut the rope Joe fell
down the cliff and into a crevasse. The next day Simon carried on descending the mountain by
himself. When he reached the crevasse he called for Joe, but he was convinced that Joe was
dead. He continued down the mountain alone and reached safety, convinced that Joe was dead.
However, Joe was still alive. He had landed on a ledge inside the crevasse. He pulled in the rope
and he realised that it had been cut. He abseiled down to the bottom of the crevasse and
managed to crawl back out onto the glacier.
After three days without food or water, and by crawling and hopping in great pain, Joe reached
the base camp just a few hours before Simon had intended to leave the camp and return to
civilisation.
View the trailer at:
https://www.symbaloo.com/home/mix/13ePQL0KKP
What is the purpose of this film?
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21. Who are the intended audience? _____________________________________
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What is a documentary? Build a list of features that you think describes this type of film.
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Reflect and write: Predict what you think your enjoyment level and experience will be of viewing
the film “Touching the Void” will be like?
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Resource Information/Background Context Sheet
Peru and the Siula Grande (6344 metres)
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22. Touching the void is based on a true story that took place in Peru in South America. Peru has a
population of 24 million, and the capital city is Lima. The official languages spoken are Spanish,
Quechua and Aymara. The third largest country in South America, Peru lies entirely within the
tropics. Geographically Peru is made up of three major regions - a narrow coastal belt, the wide
Andean mountains and the Amazon rainforest. The Andes rise rapidly from the coast. In fact heights
of 6000 metres are reached within 100km inland. Most of Peru’s Andes lie between 3000 and 4000
metres, with jagged ranges separated by deep, vertiginous (dizzying) canyons.
Peru has a varied geography, from long coastal deserts, to glaciated mountain ranges, to vast tropical
rainforests. Therefore, it hosts one of the world’s richest collection of plant and animal life. An
example is the Andean condor, which is among the largest flying birds in the world.
Half of the population of Peru live in the narrow coastal desert, and almost half live in the highlands.
These people are mainly camperinos, rural people who practise subsistance agriculture. Only 5% of
the population live in the Amazon basin.
Mountain climbers Joe Simpson and Simon Yates climbed the Siula Grande in 1985. It is 6344
metres high and is just one of the peaks within the Cordillera Huayhuash, a mountain range in the
Andes Mountains that also contains several lakes. This mountain range is only 30 km long, and is
barely populated, with some small hamlets below 4000 metres. The snowline is found at
approximately 4800 metres.
The Cordillera Huayhuash is noted for trekking in the form of the Huayhuash Circuit, which is quite a
challenging walk of ten to fourteen days. Most of the walking and most of the campsites are above
the 4000 metre tree line, with rugged landscape and spectacular views. There are glacial lakes, and
hot springs. Condors, llamas, alpacas and viscachas can be seen. Trekking is most popular in the dry
winter months of May to September.
Trekking is quite safe now, but before 1992 the Cordillera Huayhuash was the base of a guerrilla
group called the Shining Path, and some trekkers had been harrassed and attacked.
(adapted from “South America, a Lonely Planet shoestring guide”, by J Lyon et al(1997) &
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cordillera_Huayhuash)
Mountain climbing vocabulary – words and definitions
WORD DESCRIPTION
alpine Anything to do with high mountains.
alpine style Lightweight climbing that emphasizes the role of speed to take advantage of good conditions. Climb
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23. climbing straight up and down a mountain in one day with only a backpack.
AMS (acute
mountain
sickness)
Having symptoms of low blood oxygen level due to high altitude: headache, loss of appetite,
nausea, vomiting.
anchor The point where the rope is secured to the snow, ice or rock with either fixed bolts, rocks or trees
providing protection against a fall.
avalanche The sudden movement down a mountain of snow, rock or both, in a situation that was previously
stable.
belay A safety technique where a stationary climber provides protection by means of ropes, anchors and
braking devices or techniques, to an ascending or descending partner.
bivouac
A high camp, not always a planned overnight stop.
bolt
A large metal pin drilled in the rock to provide permanent protection.
carabineer
Forged aluminum devices of various shapes (oval, D) with a spring-loaded gate through which a
climbing rope can be threaded.
cornice
Wind-sculpted snow overhanging a ridge; a hazard to avoid by not walking on or in the fall line
below it.
crampons
Spiked metal devices that attach firmly to climbing boots to provide reliable footing on ice and firm
snow slopes.
crevasse A crack in a glacier surface. Crevasses vary in width and depth and are often concealed by surface
snow. Hidden crevasses are a hazard for climbers on glaciers.
fall To involuntarily lose one’s position. Short falls on to protected rope are silent since there is not
time to call out. A screamer is long enough to allow vocal panic! A whipper is similar to a screamer,
but ends as the rope breaks the fall. A crater ends when the climber hits the ground.
fall! What climbers nearby yell to protect their team and others when someone is falling.
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24. harness A strong belt with leg loops made of nylon webbing used to secure the climber to the rope, often
with loops to hold climbing gear.
hypothermia Low body temperature caused by cold ambient temperature; the most common cause of death in
the wilderness.
Ice axe A mountaineering tool, pointed at the base of the shaft and with a head consisting of a pick and an
adze. An adze is a tool for cutting away the surface of the ice.
ice screw A threaded piton designed to bore into ice securely enough to be an anchor.
piton A metal spike that can be hammered into rock cracks for protection.
rappel (rap,
abseil)
To descend a fixed rope, usually by means of a braking device.
scree Small loose rocks, difficult to ascend but often chosen for descents.
spur A rock or snow rib on a mountain; a lateral ridge.
traverse Moving laterally (sideways) across terrain instead of ascending or descending.
RUNNING SHEET for Touching the void
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25. 1. Main title
The film begins with the sound effects of exertion. Simon and
Joe explain their motivation for climbing. They climb because
it is fun, it is anarchic and irresponsible. Joe and Simon explain
that they wanted to climb the west face of the Siula Grande,
because it had not been climbed. They meet up with Richard
Hawking, a non-climber who agrees to look after their gear at
their base camp while they make their attempt. Joe and Simon
knew that the climb was a difficult one, but that is the
attraction- the fact that it had been tried and people had
failed. Joe was 25, and Simon was 21, and they felt invincible.
2. A question of trust
Joe and Simon were climbing Alpine-style. This meant that
they were setting off from a base camp with everything that
they needed in their rucksacks. There was no line of retreat
and no margin for error- they were to go up and down in a
short period of time, relying on one another for their safety.
Day 1: Once they began to climb they had a rope tied between
them. Simon thought of climbing as a combination of ballet
and gymnastics. Joe gained a sense of freedom from climbing.
Their method of climbing meant that they were reliant on
their partner to the extent that if one of them fell, the other
one would go with him.
Day 2: They realised they did not have much spare gas, which
was a problem, because it took an hour to melt sufficient snow
for two cups of water. However, they both believed that it was
the risks of climbing that made you feel alive. They were very
cold, and their hearts were racing because of the altitude. It
was very cold, and there were powder snow avalanches
pouring down the slope. It was so cold that snow was freezing
on the outside of their clothes. They stopped for the night.
3. All the way
Day 3: The weather was clear. After dangerous climbing
because of the fine powder snow, they reached the summit.
On the descent the climbing was horrendous and things began
to get out of control. They became lost in a whiteout. After a
cornice (an overhang of snow and ice) collapsed on them they
stopped for the night, and their gas ran out.
4. Broken
Day 4: They had descended the worst part of the ridge when
Joe had a fall and broke his leg badly. The impact had driven
his tibia through his knee joint and into his upper leg. Simon
and Joe realised that there would be no help for them.
5. One step at a time Simon and Joe worked out a strategy for continuing the
descent. They tied their ropes together. Simon anchored
himself, and lowered Joe. This involved unclipping the rope
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26. after every 150 feet because of the knot in the middle of the
two ropes. Joe was in shock, and they were both dehydrated.
They had no gas left and no way of melting snow for drinking
water. They pushed on and were almost off the glacier when
Joe felt they were going too fast. Because of the horrendous
weather conditions Simon did not hear Joe’s pleas to slow
down. Joe slipped off the mountain and was dangling on the
rope over a crevasse.
6. Helpless anger
Simon was very cold, and had no idea what had happened to
Joe. He could not work out why it was taking Joe so long to get
his weight off the rope. Joe felt helpless and angry and felt
that he was “stuffed”. Joe tried to climb up the rope towards
Simon but this became impossible. It involved using his frozen
fingers to tie and untie a rope.
7. Waiting to die
Joe was hanging onto the rope and he was sure that he was
going to die.
Simon was losing his footing on the mountain. He felt that he
had no choice but to cut the rope with his penknife. Joe fell.
Simon spent a very cold night wondering what had happened
to Joe.
8. The crevasse
Joe was surprised to wake up alive. He had fallen 150 feet. He
felt unnerved and vulnerable. He pulled on the rope thinking
that it would come tight onto Simon’s body; it was then he
realised that the rope had been cut. He was convinced that he
would die; but he was pleased that Simon was probably alive.
Joe lost control at this point. He felt alone and scared. He was
25 years old, ambitious and fit, and this situation had not been
part of his game plan.
9. Off the mountain
Simon started to walk off the glacier. He felt guilty and
worried, but was convinced that Joe was dead. He thought
about making up a story to cover what had happened, i.e. his
cutting of the rope. He reached the camp in a horrendous
state, dehydrated and with frost bitten fingers. He told Richard
what had happened. Richard was not judgmental.
10. Crawling towards the sun
Meanwhile Joe decided to lower himself further into the
glacier to search for a way out. 80 feet down he saw a beam of
sunlight, and began crawling towards it. All of his movements
were excruciatingly painful. He made it out into the sunlight.
11. Miles to go Joe realised that he had miles to go to get off the glacier and
make it to the camp. He set himself small targets in 20 minute
blocks for motivation. For a while Joe followed Simon’s tracks,
but then he lost them. On Day 6 Joe reached the rocks.
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27. Meanwhile back at the camp, Richard was concerned about
Simon’s health and wanted to leave but Simon wanted to
delay this for a day or two to regain his strength.
Joe dumped his gear, wrapped his broken leg in foam, and
began crawling and hopping over the rocks.
12. Insanely stubborn
Joe made painstaking progress. He was thirsty, and could hear
water running beneath the rocks, but could not reach it. His
behaviour became more irrational. On Day 7 Joe woke up, lay
in the sun, and wanted to die. His sense of loneliness and
abandonment was overwhelming. What kept him going was
the desire to be with someone when he died. Meanwhile
Richard and Simon burnt Joe’s clothes as a symbolic gesture
and were going to leave for civilisation the next day.
13. Refueling
Joe found a stream and refueled by drinking litres of water. He
could feel himself getting stronger.
14. Nothingness
Joe felt that he was “nothing”, that he didn’t exist. He saw
footprints and imagined that Richard and Simon were
following him at a distance. When he realised that this was an
illusion he was shattered. Then at 4pm he reached the lake
which he remembered had a moraine dam at the end of it,
and realised that once he reached that he would be able to
see the tent. He then had a dreadful fear that Simon and Joe
would not be there.
15. In and out
The weather deteriorated and Joe started to fall apart
mentally. He couldn’t get a “Boney M” song out of his head for
hours that night, and drifted into and out of consciousness. He
could smell something foul, and realised that he was on top of
the camp latrine, which meant that he was very close to the
tent. He began calling for Simon but no one answered. He was
incapable of going any further.
Richard was woken by a noise. Could it be Joe? Hadn’t he died
three or four days before? Simon woke up as well and Joe
heard their voices. After searching for 200 or 300 metres
Richard and Simon found Joe. Joe remembers the wonderful
feeling of being held. Joe thanked Simon for trying to get him
down the mountain after he had broken his leg. Joe reassured
Simon that he would have done the same thing in the
situation- he would have cut the rope.
16. A human being / end credits Joe had lost one third of his body weight during his ordeal.
Two years and six operations later and he climbed again, and
he is still climbing today.
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28. Simon returned to England to face intense criticism from many
in the climbing community for cutting the rope on his partner.
Joe has always staunchly defended him.
No one has ever successfully repeated Joe and Simon’s climb
to the summit of Siula Grande.
Viewing the film
View Chapters 1-2
Have the climbers been fool-hardy in their decision to climb this mountain?
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How has the director used specific film techniques to influence you to think and feel this way?
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Describe the potential dangers and challenges theses climbers might face:
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What do you think are the motivations of the climbers?
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View Chapters 4-8
Tension is created for the viewer in this documentary through a variety of film techniques.
Complete the following table by describing examples of these film techniques. Complete the
Summary sheet for Touching the void on the next page 27.
Summary sheet Touching the void
Technique Specific Examples from the film
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29. Re-enactments by actors to
recreate the events on the
mountain involving Joe Simpson
and Simon Yates.
An example when this happens is
Direct-to-camera interviews of
the mountain climbers
A time when this happens is when Joe tells us about
Another example is when Simon describes
Voice-overs where the
mountaineers narrate events as
we watch them re-created
An example when this happens in the film is when
Long shots Are used to show us the wild environment or to make people look small
within it. Examples include
High angle and low angle camera
angles
In High angles shots the camera looks upward at something above. A time
when this is used is
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30. In low angle shots the camera looks down ward at something below. A time
when this is used is
Close-up shots These help the viewer to see facial expressions or the actions of the
climbers. Examples include,
Mood music (non-diegetic sound) Music is used occasionally in dramatic moments such as
Diegetic sounds help the viewer
hear what the mountaineers hear
in this environment.
Examples of these mountain or weather sounds include
View chapters 10-15
Summarise in brief the journey that takes Simon from the crevasse to base camp.
The summary will be useful for completing the assessment task.
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31. ________________________________________________________
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What are the conceptual connections that can be made between this part of the film and Text
1: the documentary film trailer about the Dustin Carter story?
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Share your opinions about connections between Touching the void and The Dustin Carter story
with another student in class and mind map them below in the ven diagram.
31
DUSTIN
CARTER
TOUCHING
THE VOID

32. View the final scenes and credits
At the conclusion of the documentary, the audience is told that Joe Simpson forgives Simon
Yates for cutting him loose and leaving him for dead: Reflect on it and decide: Do you think you
would be as forgiving as Joe was of Simon?
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Describe how the mountain was challenging for the climbers?
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Describe the settings used within this film in descriptive detail:
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Reflect: What types of individual challenges such as they face in “Touching the void” would you
like to attempt in your lifetime?
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We are also told that on returning to England, Yates was severely criticised by the climbing
community for his actions.
Imagine you are Joe. Write a BLOG defending Simon’s behaviour based on the insights you have
gained from viewing this documentary. In constructing this response, you should make
appropriate use of some of the vocabulary learned about mountain climbing from the activities
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33. completed before the film.
Dear Public; ________________________________________________
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34. ________________________________________________________
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_______________________________________________Signed Joe. . .
Visually Plot the film “Touching the Void” on the table below:

Notes:
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35. ________________________________________________________
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FILM REVIEWS
Read examples of existing Touching the void reviews. A wide selection is available here:
http://au.rottentomatoes.com/m/touching_the_void/
Note the features of content, language and style in each paragraph of these reviews.
Vocabulary tool box
In Pairs write a list of synonyms for words describing both the setting and challenges of this
mountain climbing experience. Synonyms are words that have the same or nearly the same
meaning.
mountain climbing
Documentary Film - Analysis Worksheet
Task:
Write a film review for inclusion in a school or teenage magazine. The film can be a
documentary, feature or short film viewed and studied in class. Use the scaffold for writing a
review which has been provided on pages 34 - 37.
The task will be written, edited and published in class time from prepared study notes within
this booklet. This task can be included in your portfolio.
Criteria for assessment:
 Composes a written film review using personal voice and the language of film
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36.  Shows evidence of understanding ideas and techniques used in film
 Recognises intended audience
 Includes personal response and reflection on aspects of film
Title of Documentary:_______________________________________________________________________
Date Released:_____________________________________________________________________________
Principle documentary maker(s)_______________________________________________________________
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Why did you select this particular documentary for this assignment?_________________________________
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What do you think you will see in this documentary? List three concepts or ideas that you might expect to
see based on the title of the documentary or list what you already know about this documentary:
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Step 2. Viewing
Type of documentary (check where applicable):
__________ Advocacy for social concerns
__________ Biography
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__________ “How To”
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___________Skits & Spoofs
__________ Travel/tourism
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37. Physical qualities of the film: Describe all that apply.
Music
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39. Note how camera angles, lighting, music, narration, and/or editing contribute to creating an atmosphere in
this documentary.
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Circle the things that you listed in the previewing activity that were validated by your viewing of the
documentary, and then answer the following:
What is/are the central message(s) of this documentary? Be specific. Use examples from the documentary
to support your choice.
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Write a question to the filmmaker that is left unanswered by his/her documentary. Do you believe the
question was left unanswered purposefully? Why or why not?
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43. _________________________________________________________________________________________
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Now use the written information in your template from pages 34 – 37 to write a formal film
review for submission as your assessment in the pages provided:
Formal Film Review: Name:______________________Class:_____________
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TASK:
Planning your own documentary and creating a marketing or promotion campaign
poster for your film. (In pairs or small groups of 3, NOTE you must each complete planning
in your own student booklets each)
Complete the planning template below for your DOCUMENTARY:
Name of Documentary:
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Topic of Documentary:
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Duration: ___________________________
Other Notes:
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Cast of Documentary:
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Setting of Documentary:
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Narrative: Types of camera and film techniques to be
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48. __________________________________
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Complete the planning of two scenes for your documentary: in the storyboard table provided
below.
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49. Example: look at this for inspiration….
Now design a Promotional Poster for you film.
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50. Write a peer evaluation of your group: (be honest too…)
Group Name: No.__________
Write a feedback comment for each member on your ratings section….
Reflect: What could your group done to have improved their work?
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Extension Activity
Bowling For Columbine was written, produced and directed by the American satirist and filmmaker
Michael Moore following on the events of April 20th 1999, when two students at Columbine High School
in Littleton, Colorado, went on a killing spree, shooting to death twelve of their classmates and a teacher
and injuring many
others before killing themselves. This feature-length documentary, which has received numerous awards,
including the Oscar for Best Documentary Feature and the Special Jury Prize at the Cannes Film
Festival in 2003, is a wide-ranging and provocative investigation into the possible causes of such
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52. tragedies.
‘Are we a nation of gun nuts or are we just nuts?’
Michael Moore
The widespread overreactions to children’s misbehaviour and the demonisation of the singer Marilyn
Manson in the immediate aftermath of the Columbine massacre seem to bear the hallmarks of a ‘moral
panic’. The term was coined by the sociologist Stanley Cohen in his study Folk Devils and Moral Panics
that examined media coverage of the mod and rocker ‘riots’ in the 1960s. Using the diagram below as a
template trace the process post-Columbine to see if it could usefully be described as a moral panic.
THE ARCHETYPAL MORAL PANIC
An incident or problem occurs media reports Problem confirmed concern grows Authorities (parents,
schools, police, further sensationalist media politicians, courts) respond to crisis reports In recent
decades the world has witnessed panics over dangerous dogs, alcopops, drugs, asylum seekers and now,
arguably, terrorists.
Do you think this type of documentary has led to terror type activities being mainstreamed to promote
public fear?
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CREATIVE WRITING TASK
Re write the journey that takes Simon from the crevasse to base camp with a new ending.
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