I shot Ron Hassell in he studio last week. Ron is 86. We spent about an hour and a half together. Below he writes about his experience in the studio, of being asked to express ’emotions’ in front of the camera. Earlier in the week he wrote to me about an article in the guardian – “Extract from an article in today’s Guardian, (no, not the Independent), about an exhibition at the British Museum. Thought you might be interested”.
Tina Gonsalves – the ariticle writes about the exhibition at the Natural History Museum, which these project is currently part of. “After Darwin: Contemporary Expressions”
Ron Hassell. “Scientists also saw the benefits of photography and there are grimly fascinating portraits of the French neurologist, Guillaume Duchenne de Boulogne using electrical stimulation to activate individual facial muscles and forcing his patient to look happy or angry”.
Ron Hassell : Recollecting incidents
Recollecting incidents in one’s past that gave rise at the time to feelings, and often expressions of, sadness anger, etc., does not necessarily mean that these earlier reactions will repeat themselves. This does not imply that these reactions were in any way ‘wrong’ or ‘false’, merely that life has moved on and that whilst these memories remain important they no longer evoke the same physical responses.
There arises then the situation that should one be asked to recall some of these earlier incidents, in order to portray various emotions, one feels obliged to simulate or act them. This does not imply duplicity in any way. But the ‘director’ may feel the need to encourage, or illustrate to, the ‘interviewee’ a little, as did Tina, if the acting abilities of the subject are limited. It is a very fine point as to whether these expressions are true or accurate or genuine.
