Steel Homes

"Self-storage units are windows into human histories: the silent cells with their myriad objects and dust-covered furniture are inscribed with past dreams, secret hopes, and lives we cannot let go of. ‘Steel Homes’ explores the fragmented nature of memories, set in the starkly beautiful aesthetic of our modern industrial world."

1. Identify the themes; what is the director's primary aim? The main themes seem to be memories, death, human connection, holding onto the past, and contained spaces. The director only focuses on one aspect of deep storage, and does not cover a broad spectrum (there are many reasons why people may choose to use it). A rather negative viewpoint is portrayed; I feel there are tones of cynicism embedded in this film.
   
2. What is the film's main focus? Holding on to the past; negative nostalgia, and emotional attachment to materialistic objects.
   
3. Do you like/dislike the film? Why? Personally it is not something I would choose to watch. While it is visually interesting from a filmmaking point of view, it has a very cold feel to it, and while it is good as a documentary it is fairly depressing, and seems to have biased personal views.
   
4. How successfully did the films deal with it's subject matter? It successfully portrayed the subject matter negatively; the sound and images are edited to support the director's views. Hints of cynicism are prevalent throughout.
   
5. What is an element that particularly stood out? Voyeurism; long shots of people's backs, round corners, as if we are watching them without their consent. No face-to-face interviews, very impersonal feel.
   
6. How do structure and style relate to content? The structuring - especially the detached voices from the images - relate to the cold, metallic storage facility.
   
7. Name two interesting techniques. Why do you think they were used? Detached voiceover (coldness and impersonality) and the voyeuristic shooting style - the storage containers are impersonal, but the things inside them are personal: it's almost as if the viewer is sneaking around peering into people's possessions.
   
8. Is the use of sound appropriate? The sound is very quiet and echoey, mirroring the storage facility. The detached voiceovers fit the subject matter well, linking what may be very unrelated shots without the interviews for context.