Visual Arguments

As you have learned from Chapter 15 of Everything's an Argument, visual arguments can be very powerful. Most of the examples in the chapter are photographs or screenshots of websites. If those static images can present a compelling argument, imagine what power films might have in communicating a message effectively.

Please watch The Meatrix, a 4-minute film that serves as an intro to an advocacy website. Tell us what argument it makes. Which visual elements make the message convincing? What do you think about the use of text? How does the metaphor of The Matrix (I mean the real movie) influence your reactions to the brief film? What role does humor play in communicating the message? Feel free to comment on anything else you find interesting about the film.

Posted by hristova on October 07, 2004 at 10:40 AM
Comments

Hello all,
Well when they were making the point about the living conditions for the pigs. They would show the pigs all cut up and made them look unhappy. Compared to when in the opening scene the pigs look all happy when they were on the "family farm." Well the text was not very memorable thinking about it I can not recall more than one use of it and it was the name above the machine that was taking over all the farms. It does not because The Matrix had a better theme and that was more devolved that related to the person in the movie and in this cartoon I do not believe they had the same message. I say this because in the movie we are lying to our selves. And in the cartoon we as the audience are lying to our selves. So it is close but no cigar. They try to make it a little humorous with the use of talking cartoon animals and the use of a parody of the flying part in The Matrix. This actually made it seem stupid and lose credibility to me.
Jonathan

Posted by Jonathan Carrillo on October 7, 2004 08:11 PM

Hi;
I enjoyed the movie very much and I think it is quite effective in giving the message it is supposed to do so; support family farming products instead of factory farming ones...
I think that humor used was really entertainig and attracking attention and at the same time making you to think about the issue. The "visual" difference (i.e. happiness) between the family farm animals and factory farm animals is very effective especially on children causing them to react the factory farming products. The movie avoided to use text but the name "MEATrix" sounds quite interesting and is succesful in gaining the attention of the audience. Since I haven't watched the real movie (matrix), I can't compare it with that one.

C'ya tomorrow.
Halil

Posted by Halil Saka on October 7, 2004 11:43 PM