(Auto)mise-en-scène in home movies

From photographic pose to spectacular one

Abstract

In this article, we aim to answer the following question: how did people represent themselves in home movies, at a time when cameras that record movement were not as accessible as they are today? As specific objectives, we present concepts about private life and characteristics of home movies, analyze how people act in front of the family cameraman and create categories of the types of acting found in this subgenre. In bibliographical references, we mainly use the authors Roger Odin (2005, 2007, 2010, 2014), Jean-Louis Comolli (2008), Jacques Aumont (2011) and Erving Goffman (1985). The research methodology adopted was the empirical analysis of amateur films made on Super 8 in the 1970s. We categorized the types of staging in these films into seven types: photographic, normal, simulated, elusive, shy, gestural and spectacular. We argue that the way each character acts in front of the camera depends on their own personality, the level of intimacy with the cameraman, the degree of familiarity with the cinematographic equipment and who will watch those films. We hope to contribute to reflection in studies on home movies and cinematic self-representation.