Use of Cinematography in My Winnipeg

 My Winnipeg is certainly a film that would lose its spirit without the precise use of cinematography within it. Right away it is noticeable that the film style is black and white, which always adds a different effect than a film in color. It fits in well with the use of Maddin's constant flashbacks of the days of old, adding continuity to the story. In addition, it adds the gritty industrial feel the city is known for. The heart of the heart of the continent is known for it’s train yards and therefore enhancing the industrial feeling is a smart stylistic choice. As we are constantly reminded of in the film the snow is ever present. Other movies can make snow seem wondrous and a joy of the winter. By choosing to opt out of the “color” of snow we get to see the effect this eternal blanket has on the city. The grey slush is a constant reminder of the fact that the seasons never change, and provides a perfect backdrop to the depressing feelings that ensue. Another advantage to the black and white comes from the contrast it creates when the few color shots come about. These are the scenes from “the present” or whatever contemporary event Maddin is choosing to show in its vivid colored splendor. These shots make the mockumentary seem real at times, and not just a drawn out memoir from a seemingly mentally unstable person. 

      Something else Maddin does which would bug most people but seemed perfect for the film is he creates the dreamlike state Winnipeggers seem to live in by the movement of the camera. With this movement he makes things disorienting, as one would imagine it is like sleepwalking through random places. These shots are instrumental because it creates the scene for most of the time he is on the train out. By constantly moving the camera he is showing that even he is in this dreamlike state. The ‘sleepiness” created by it is a huge aspect of the film. It also adds an extra touch because the constant movement is what one would expect on a train, so it makes the viewer feel that headache of being on a long train ride. In these scenes the use of saturation is also evident. His face is always very brightly lit, and it makes the shot a bit more confusing still. Another use of the camera is when he takes those long panned out shots of people just walking about. He is taking them from a voyeur type of angle, and it gives the viewer again another sense of reality, as if they could be that person wandering aimlessly about. The film is made by the cinematography since it gives it the feeling Maddin is trying to evoke. Still and normal shots would not work in this film because it is not ordinary, and needs a quirky sense of vision.