Visual Argument

As an example of a visual argument analysis, I will show a brief public service announcement (PSA) produced by the Ad Council for a campaign to prevent or reduce domestic violence.

While the producers depend on the voice-over text to carry much of the argument of the piece, we’ll be concentrating in class on the part the visuals play in reinforcing the message of the announcement.

Your Challenge

Before our WED JAN 28 class (the deadline is 11:59pm TUE JAN 27), you’ll select any visual you like from the library of  Ad Council PSAs and use it to produce your own visual analysis: a non-formal piece of rhetorical writing you can format any way you wish. What appears below is not meant to guide you in constructing your own analysis; it’s merely notes on my impressions as I watched the PSA a few times. My analysis is fairly thorough but not exhaustive. Even as we talked it through in class, I found and shared obvious additional commentary. Still, it’s useful as a guide to get you started.

http://youtu.be/Q_Y9Tg1TqF8

Notes on the Visual Argument

• The “ad” begins with a view of the ceiling of the couple’s apartment. They must spend quite a bit of time looking up at that ceiling, trying to imagine (or afraid to imagine) what the neighbors are doing just a few feet away from their heads.
• The shot establishes that the sounds come from upstairs, not next door. This quickly indicates that the couple does not share a two-bedroom apartment with the abuser and his victim. Pay attention to camera angles and points of view (POVs) for clues like this one that contain important narrative material.
• The politics of the couple’s relationship is critical to this argument. When we first see them, the man is reading while the woman is sitting upright, stiff with discomfort, riveted on the sounds from upstairs that the man is trying to ignore.
• They are in bed, the ultimate setting for domestic comfort and security, but she feels anything but safe. What about the man next to her in the bed is bothering her?
• She gets under the covers—to feel safe? to indicate that she does not intend to go anywhere? to get closer to her protector?
• When she looks at him, is it with sadness? Yes, but also guilt? Yes, but also pleading? She might expect him to do something. She might be wondering how much she can trust him if he can listen to a man beat a woman and NOT do something. She might just be feeling helpless herself.
• They are not poor. They live in a good-looking apartment with good linens and nice furniture. The implication is that violence can happen anywhere.
• When the man does nothing, she turns away, not toward him. Has their failure to act (his failure to act) damaged their intimacy? Does she not want to be near him? Does she not feel as safe as she wants to feel when she’s near him?
• When he puts down his book, we see his wedding band. They are married. Whether she expects his protection or not, they are making this choice together, to ignore what is going on above them. The telephone is inches away from his hand as he turns out the light. No doubt the noises from upstairs will sound even louder in the dark.
• It is their business, says the slogan on the screen. And there is no excuse. For domestic violence. And no excuse not to place the call to find out how to report it.

The purpose of the ad and the argument is to reinforce an ethical appeal, to anyone aware of domestic violence, to take responsibility and at least not ignore it.

ASSIGNMENT SPECIFICS

• Find a visual argument worth your while among the PSAs produced by the Ad Council.
  • To find them, open the video in this post in YouTube.
  • Notice in the right-hand sidebar of recommended related videos a large selection of 30-second Ad Council PSAs. Browse until you find one that speaks to you or one that uses visual techniques you think you can analyze effectively.
• Write your Analysis of a Visual Argument (Moving Image) post.
• For a sample visual analysis, study the post Thai Life Insurance in which your instructor breaks down 10 seconds of video.
• An informal piece of rhetorical writing you may structure any way you wish: as a series of notes, categorized impressions, a timeline analyzing what occurs second by second, a diary of your changing attitudes toward the argument over several days, a script of the conversation you had with someone else about the ad, or any other approach you wish to take.
• Do consider though that the piece will become part of your Portfolio and will therefore be a component of your 75% portfolio grade.
• The Draft you publish this first week of class, while important, is merely your first draft. It WILL NOT be good enough for your Portfolio, no matter how brilliant and accomplished it is. You will be revising it considerably before the end of the semester.
• You may even respond visually, if you wish.
• Include a Works Cited if you quote or cite sources.
• Title your post Moving Image—Username.
• Publish your definition essay in the A02: Visual Rhetoric category.

GRADE DETAILS

• DEADLINE: Midnight Tuesday (11:59 pm TUE JAN 27)
• Customary late penalties. (Late less than 24 hours 10%) (24-48 hours 20%) (48+ hours, 0 grade)
• Major Portfolio Argument(Complete Portfolio is 75% of Course Grade)
• This week’s draft is a First Draft Assignment (All First Drafts together equal 15% of Course Grade)