Rabbit_Proof_Fence_Notes

The “Stolen Generations” are half-caste children removed forcibly from their parents, by the law, from approximately 1909 to 1969. The film Rabbit Proof Fence is a film based on the novel, The Rabbit Proof Fence, and directed by Phillip Noyce in 2002; it follows the journey of three half-caste girls from their “assimilation” camp in Jigalong. Phillip Noyce uses specific techniques to evoke emotion in the viewer and to position the viewer to receive the film’s “invited reading”. In the film Phillip Noyce deliberately uses character presentation and foregrounding to provide viewers with “invited reading”. Phillip Noyce uses sound effects to affect the audience and provoke emotion from the viewers. The removal scene in the novel “The Rabbit Proof Fence” is quite different from the removal scene in the film. This is because Phillip Noyce uses specific techniques in the film to position the viewer and evoke emotion from the audience. Phillip Noyce uses character presentation, sound effects and camera angles to great effect in order to position the viewer to receive the film’s “invited reading”. Phillip Noyce presents A.O Neville as the antagonist, using specific privileging methods to position the viewers. AO Neville (in the film) is presented as the antagonist as he always wears black clothing. Noyce’s deliberate choice of clothing (for Neville) foregrounds the notion that AO Neville is actually “ Mr Devil” (as called by the native Australians); he is seen as the antagonist. The clothing positions the viewer to feel intimidated and Neville is seen as an “evil” type character. When the girls are seated in front of the church and Molly is walking up to be inspected by Mr Neville, perspective shots are used to make it seem like a daunting and intimidating task to just walk up to Neville. Neville then “encourages” Molly towards him in a voice that is really sweet and kind unlike the character Noyce portrays. This positions the viewer to see the contrast between the two character types and see the kind action of Neville as “mocking”. Molly also looks up Neville to all the time as he is effectively portrayed as better and intimidating. Phillip Noyce deliberately portrays Mr A.O Neville as villainous in order to foreground the cruelty of the stolen generations Conclusion: IN the Film “The Rabbit Proof Fence”, Phillip Noyce cleverly employs techniques to position the viewer. The main techniques used by Phillip Noyce were the presentation of Mr A.O Neville as the antagonist to foreground the stolen generations, he also used sound effects to evoke empathy from the audience and position the viewer. Phillip Noyce cleverly changes the removal scene to better position the viewer to receive the film’s invited reading. The ‘invited reading’ in the film The Rabbit Proof Fence is to portray that the Stolen Generations was an unnecessary act and that the aboriginal half-caste did not need to assimilate with “white” society to survive.