The Reflection

For many people, identifying and sharing a compelling story that they want to deliver faithfully, is an incredibly daunting task. For me, there was no exception. I was initially so caught up in the idea of delivering a worthwhile film that had enough content, that I struggled early-on choosing a topic. “Something close to where I was living would be good”, I thought, “something I can film over and over so as to get the perfect shot”. The realisation then came to me that the perfect shot does not exist after you’ve filmed it 100 times, it comes only once, the first time, in its most real state. Thus, in accordance with Jean Rouch’s style of documentary filmmaking ‘Cinema Vérité’ (the approach of observational cinema, with certain artistic choices made in an effort to highlight certain truths) (Rouch, 2003). I decided to document the early life stages of my niece, Clover, and her impact on those surrounding her. By taking a step back (not trying to directly input my views) and recording the real reactions to questions and goings on, I felt I would produce a thought-provoking, informative and impactful documentary.

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The film became a commentary on what having a newborn is like in the early stages and what is important to a British mother during this time. I felt privileged in telling this story, not only because I held a unique position as both filmmaker and uncle, but also because of the lack of documentary style content that I had uncovered through my research- I felt like a pioneer. Embracing my new position, I knew I needed to deliver the right kind of piece from an anthropological perspective. Something that balanced a suitable amount of content with an appropriate amount of reflection. The film needed to be not too complex so that it appealed to a wide audience, but also so that it informed those who could not identify with the subjects of the ways in which a British mother and her family react to a newborn baby, and the aspects that were important in this. British child-rearing is unique in the world and “marked differences are found in the areas of discipline, feeding, sleeping arrangements and toilet training” (Hackett, 1994). My intention was not to alienate, but to inform those who could not identify with the way in which Clover was being nurtured and raised.

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This is not to say that my film is solely intended for a wider audience. What must be understood about my film before viewing, is that I made it for the participants in it. Producing a film about an infant girl, such as Clover is, and an infant girl that is my niece, such as she is too, means that I cannot pretend that the film does not mean more to me than sharing information. The film is a documentation of the early life of a young girl whom I will know and love for the rest of my life, a reminder for my sister and brother-in-law of the life-changing experience they had when raising their first child, a unique perspective for Clover’s extended family to relate too. Indeed, much like the films of Jean Rouch, I wanted Ellie and Oli’s input on the film’s drafts, I wanted them to receive the documentary they most wanted- their collaboration was incredibly important to me. The film’s title is as it is because to them, any other title would have seemed systematic and mechanical, something that is not portrayed in the film at all. The film is for all to enjoy, but for my family to treasure.

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Clover has been an absolute joy to film, edit and produce. I hope you enjoy it.

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Bibliography

Hackett, L. H. a. R., 1994. Child-rearing Practices and Psychiatric Disorder in Gujarati and British Children. The British Journal of Social Work, 24(2), pp. 191-202.

Rouch, J., 2003. Ciné-Ethnography. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press.