Inconography Influence: Fences

Iconography within Virago: bird

Within Virago we wanted to add specific symbolism that represented new life and almost personified the scene. As for instance within the last scene we chose to add a robin flying towards the camera from being settled on a wooden log. The bird flying off was to represent that Edward had finally passed onto the other side along with his wife. Moreover the underlying meaning was to represent how Elizabeth had also been set been from her emotional discomfort that she was trapped within. Throughout we use natural settings i.e. the wedding being outdoor and the flashbacks being solely set outside to keep the continuity of new life and to also highlight how beautiful and desolate many places within South Yorkshire are. One of our main influences was the film Fences which aided us both in later filming and editing. 

Fences (2016)

Fences is an American drama film directed by Denzel Washington, who also stars throughout as one of the main protagonists 'Troy Maxson'. The film began with a limited release on the 16th of December 2016 before opening wide in 2,223 theatres on December 25th. Throughout the film has numerous objects I.e. there's an emotionally distraught scene that is set within their back garden  between Troy and his wife 'Rose Maxson' (played by Viola Davis). This scene appears at the near end of the film where a rose that was given by Troy's younger brother 'Gabriel' (who is mentally Impaired) drops to the ground without hesitation.  This signified how the love between troy and Rose had declined throughout the film and they had now finally departed romantically. Rose devoted herself to Troy through the vow of marriage, however Troy became unfaithful towards Rose through having another relationship with a younger women who became pregnant.
The significance of the rose not only signifies the love that had vanished but also symbolises how 'Rose Maxson' no longer belonged to Troy. Moreover by the rose falling, it connoted how rose herself had finally let go of her emotional attachment to troy, let go how she devoted her life to troy and was finally set free into the world and was able to breathe the air around her. Rather than being conditioned to cook, clean and devote every part of her body to a male that became over the years confined within a negative subjective box.

CU, deep space background with a shallow focus.

Within our film Virago we wanted to symbolise how Edward was confined within his own conditioned state of emptiness, through the passing of his late wife: Elizabeth. The bird at the end of the film symbolises how Edward has not been set free from the depressive state that had placed him in almost a static motion throughout life life: just stuck in the same position unable to breath, move and compose a single thought. The pain slowly alleviates and by the by flying off into the direction of the sky, Edward too has been set off and can now embrace the light and 'heaven-like' life that awaits him.

Therefore the use of the bird within the end scene was to represent not just Edward but also Elizabeth being set free from they emotional distraught but to also signify how their life had begun again in heaven and they now able to pass fully to the other side that no longer required them to be confined to earth. Stereotypically birds are also synonymous with death but are also seen within a religious light i.e. the black bird is to represent sin whereas the peacock is to represent immorality within Christianity. Within the film we aimed to choose a robin, as they're stereotypically synonymous with new growth and renewal of ones life but also are there to represent one finding contentment, hence why we chose this particular bird as it represents both Edward and Elizabeth in their new adventure in another world.