Notes on a film - Tim Hetherington
Here’s my notes from the film “Which Way is the Front Line from Here? The Life and Time of Tim Hetherington”
“I don’t really care about photography. I’m interested in engaging people with ideas and views of the world,”
No neat solutions. Connect with real people. Document their lives in extreme circumstances. Personal reasons and objective truth. Addictive.
Find a way of working that suits you. Bring out what’s important. He becomes deeply embedded in subject. Immerse himself. Personalisations. Individual stories. Individual lives.
Moral outrage is a motivating factor but is not a useful tool to get people to engage. We need to build bridges.
You’ve gone too far. You’ve let everyone down. For what? For a picture? It’s the ultimate loss of control.
Theatrics of war. To instill fear and make bravery.
Some photographers never talk to people - objectivity.
The square camera. Look down into viewfinder. Different layer. Pause and see contemplative moment in chaos.
We are all very privileged. You are very rich. Can control life. Avoid worst.
War is hardwired into young men. Young male psyche. Great place to be - “man eden”. Combat as a form of bonding. War - opportunity for unconditional male love.
The role of witness carries great responsibility.
Reaching people with ideas and engaging them with views of the world.
Look to be as close to the subject as possible. Look for the cracks where the machine breaks down.
War machine — not just technology and systems. Group of young men — kill and be killed.
Deep trauma comes from the pain of others and being part of the machine that’s causing it.
Loose the needle — what is too graphic? What is too far?
Deepest fear — don’t want to be alone.
2011 - the Arab world on flames. Get close to events. To understand.
Soldiers in war. Theatre of war. How do young men see themselves at war and why?
Don’t compromise. Fully realised human beings.
Truth about war — not that you are going to get killed but that you are going to loose your friends.