Analyzing and Teaching Albatross (a note from CJ)
We are proud to say that Albie is increasingly being used as a teaching tool for students of all ages, in the areas of environment sciences, literature, filmmaking, humanities, and activism. Toward that end, here are some notes to help you explore the many layers that this story contains. One place to begin is to see that Albie is not a standard documentary about ocean plastic. It contains no interviews, lists of “solutions,” action items, calls to actions, and very little information about plastic of the type you would expect in a typical documentary. Despite this, it is viewed through the lens of standard documentaries by many, who miss the many opportunities for deeper exploration that the film offers. In making Albie, one primary intention I started with was to break the factual documentary paradigm in as many ways as I could, and create instead an experience that is more like being on the island: permeated with symbolism, feeling, poetry, beauty, empathy, love, and the transformative emotional/spiritual experience that Midway—and that life in general—invites us into when we are open to it. Ocean plastic is an entry point, but it is not the main point.
I studied literature in college, and one professor used an amazing teaching tool that changed the whole way I look at storytelling. He had us all read a literature classic, then he gave us an assignment: we each had to read the book again, with a particular theme in mind, and take notes on how that theme is developed throughout the story. One example that I remember was the weather: one student got the assignment of reading the whole book paying attention only to the weather. When is the weather bad, when does the sun shine, how do weather terminology and weather metaphors arise, and how does this relate to what is happening to the characters at that moment? He gave everyone an assignment like that, and we all went back into that book with a specific lens with which to examine the storytelling.
When we presented our findings in class, it was fascinating to see how deep of a reading it is possible to give a piece of well-constructed literature. Each of the themes had multiple ways of showing up through the book, in ways that made the story feel deeper, more cohesive, and more powerful. This was all invisible to us before we did this exercise. Seeing how the author shaped these themes taught me to see what is good storytelling, and the magical power that unconscious symbolism/archetype/metaphor has on the reader. That exercise was probably the single most influential piece of teaching I had in all of my schooling; it has stuck with me ever since, and helped me find layers of poetic and lyrical meaning in the world and in my own life.
In the construction of Albatross, I built a long list of those themes into the film. One possible teaching approach would for a class to watch the film together the first time, and then the teacher hands out a list of these themes for the students to choose (or you could just assign them, as my literature prof did, based on what he know about the students’ interests). Each student can then rewatch the film alone, following their theme and taking notes. Then there could be a class period where each student presents what they found, including screenshots where applicable. Watch for how the themes appear in multiple sense channels: the narration and music (sound), the picture (visual), and the editing rhythm and structure of the story.
Students also could be paired up to work on it too, so they could share the experience of discovering the layers of meaning. However you do it, here is a list of some of the primary themes that are built into the story of Albie:
Some of the themes in Albatross, with prompts:
-Solid giving way to liquid; releasing, letting go, moving into flow: how many ways can you find this happening (visually, in the narration, in the storyline)? Why is this important, what does it represent? Study the psychological principle of non-attachment and explore its relationship to this story.
-The role of female energy throughout; note how female energy appears in the visuals, story, narration, and music. As part of this theme, note the role of the mother— when does the mother appear, in how many different scenes and ways; and how is mother energy depicted? How does female/mother energy function in the story? Why does that matter in our own lives and culture, and how does this relate to archetypal or divine female energy?
-Male energy/father energy: same as above, but with male/father energy. Father sitting on the egg: male energy serve as loving patient container, rather than dominator/ruler.
-Symbols in general: how many different kinds of symbols can you find in the picture and the narration, and what do they mean? And on a deeper level, why is symbolism important, what role does it play in individual and collective consciousness? Follow the name of the island as a hint.
-Yin/yang: do some background research on the yin/yang symbol and understand its meaning. Then watch Albie and see how many times you can find this symbol appearing. Each time it appears, what are the yin/yang relationships being illustrated?
-Symmetry/centeredness: this is a major theme that appears visually and in subtle ways in the narration and story. What is the role of symmetry/balance; how does it affect our minds and experience? How does this theme relate to the name of the island, and its location in the Pacific?
-Fairy terns: what do the adult fairy terns represent, when/how do they appear, and why are they important? The baby fairy terns play a different role; what do they represent, when/how do they appear? Hint (adults: angels; babies: inner child, the most innocent part of all of us). Why does this symbolism matter in our own lives?
-Empathy: this is a central theme, but it is subtle. Follow the film with empathy in mind. How is empathy developed in the narration, and how is it expressed through the photographic and storytelling approach? Is an “under the radar” approach to empathy more or less effective than talking about it directly? Note the progression from horror to fear to curiosity to love early in the film. How is this related to the development of empathy? How many times does the narration invoke empathy, and in what ways?
-Military symbolism? What does all the military infrastructure represent? Pay attention to symbolism every time the military structures show up, especially the concrete bunker, the shipwreck offshore, and the pier that looks like a tunnel (all 3 of which make multiple appearances)? What does each one of these symbols mean? The last time the bunker shows up, what is different about it than all of the previous times, and what is the significance of this?
-How is time manipulated throughout the film (speeding up, slowing down, playing in reverse, flashbacks)? What is the effect of this and why does that matter? What is the relationship between time, consciousness, and presence? What happens to time when we become present or mindful? How is this reflected in Albie? Did the film’s relationship with time help you feel more present? How did this happen?
-What is the emotional arc of the story? Hint: it starts with horror and ends with love. What are the steps in between? how many layers can you find? Why is it told in this order? Hint: horror / fear / passage through fear / curiosity / empathy / waves of grief and love.
-Visual framing: watch the whole film just paying attention to the visual framing and reverse-engineer a set of principles that were followed in the composing of the frames. How are these principles different from standard “rules” of composition? And how do these principles relate to the name of the island? Hint: “mid-way.”
-Plastic as a metaphor. How does the plastic in the film serve as a mirror for our culture? What does it reflect back to us? Pay attention to the specific ways it shows up; how it is delivered to the babies, and the fact that it is invisible to the birds. What properties does plastic have that are particularly symbolic for unconscious human process? How about the fact that plastic is made from oil—literally the fossil remains of our most distant ancestors? Is it too much of a stretch to see plastic as an unconscious manifestation of our fear of death? What is it about plastic (think plastic bottled water versus tap water), that makes it so attractive to us?
-Documentary formula: How many ways does Albatross break the standard formula for documentary films? Hint: no interviews; no charts or graphs; very few “facts,” no call to action; no “solutions.” What else can you observe about the timing of the cuts, rhythm and pacing of the scenes, and the focus of the narration? Scan the rest of this list as well for additional ideas/hints.
-The island’s name “Midway” as a central theme: how many different kinds /channels of mid-way symbolism can you find? (things held in balance, the viewer standing between two viewpoints). Hint: every frame of the film is visually centered, in ways that break all of the standard rules of photographic composition. How many mid-way compositions can you find? And in what other ways does the story stand between opposites, holding them in balance?
-Music: Most film music is composed to a finished picture. Albatross was made the opposite way, like a music video: the film was edited to pre-existing pieces of music (all chosen by CJ). Every piece of music is played at its full length, following the full arc of each piece of music. How does music affect the experience of Albatross? What else can you observe about the musical choices? What are your personal favorite and unfavorite musical moments?
-Music 2: Take a look at the music credits, and follow this thread a bit. Who are the musicians whose work appears in the film’s key moments, and what are the names and histories of these pieces? There are some messages built into the music choices that to date no one has noticed. What can you discover?
-Horror and beauty: what is the relationship between horror and beauty in this film? How many times does the perspective switch between them? What is the effect of this juxtaposition? And how does this relate to the name of the island and the film’s overall philosophy? Why is it important for the mind to be able to switch between these opposites?
-Mandala imagery: what are mandalas (do some background research) and what layers of meaning do they carry? Note when mandalas show up in Albatross, what do they represent, what can you describe about their role in the experience of the film? Hints: cosmic perspective, sacred geometry, reference to the absolute, juxtaposition of the divine and the mundane. Why is the mandala colored the way it is? It’s okay to get all cosmic with this assignment : ) [hint: the mandala is made from the opening photo of the dead bird filled with plastic; if you look carefully at it you can see the blue of the bottle cap, and the colors of the bird around it].
-Waves: what is the role of waves, and how/when do they appear? Watch for actual waves, and also waves in the structure of the story. The story is told in a series of waves (like chapters) that amplify in intensity, especially the several dying sequences. How many waves can you find in the storyline, and what is the function/form of the story’s wave structure?
-Pacing: Albatross is intentionally paced slower than most films, with longer shots, slower transitions, and extended scenes. In doing this I took the risk that viewers would be bored and click off before the end; it is the same kind of risk an author takes when they write a longer book. But is there something to be gained from slowing down and looking more deeply? What is it? Watch Albie with pacing in mind, and notice places where it feels particularly slow. At moments of most slowness, what comes immediately after? What is the effect of this? How is time manipulated (sped up and slowed down) throughout the film to support this experience?
-Narration: focus only on the narration and see how many metaphors you can find for human life, activities, behaviors. Hint: after the “introduction” scene, almost every line of the rest of the narration is metaphoric.
-Grief: is a central theme of Albatross. Track the narration to its climax, and look deeply at the last few lines of the narration. What do they mean? How does this differ from how you might have previously thought about grief? Is there something liberating about thinking of grief in the way that the narration suggests?
-Albatross and the Rime of the Ancient Mariner: Read the Rime and compare/contrast with Albatross. What do you find as common themes, symbols, and core message?
-Albatross as archetypal messenger: What makes albatrosses uniquely suited to carry the message of love that is the core of this story? How would the film be different if the birds filled with plastic were ducks or seagulls? Look at albatrosses in literature, poems, and their history in human stories. Why are they called “the most legendary of all birds?” and how does this affect their message in this story?
-Witnessing: witnessing is a crucially important theme in Albatross. Witnessing is the experience of being present for the suffering of another, without any ability to help them or relieve their suffering. In that moment, the only thing we can offer is our own presence, without turning away. The experience of witnessing can be a transformative for both parties. How is Albatross a film about witnessing? What is being witnessed, and what is the effect on you of being in this experience?
-Death as teacher: Death is a primary theme of Albatross, perhaps the most important. When we confront death, we can arrive at insights that can change the way we see everything. How is death confronted in Albie? What is the role of the failed hatchings scene (in which plastic is not a factor)?