Approaches to "Twilight", Anna Deavere Smith
Use these questions to help you formulate responses to Twilight, and bring next week for discussion.

1. In Finding Your Writer’s Voice, the author defines voice as, the way you project yourself artistically (pg 5). The writer describes this as the words you choose, the pauses in your breath, whether you told the story quickly, slowly, angrily, gently, etc. She also states that, “To speak from your voice means confronting your world, your dreams, your entire life raw and unsoftened by explanations." (pg. 6)

In what ways does Anna Deavere Smith use her "voice", as described in the Finding Your Writer's Voice?

2. "Twilight" is a group of individual narratives which make up a larger story. Recount some of the individual stories which are most memorable to you, and explain why. However, how do these stories build the larger story-what is Twilight about? This is the difference between the subject matter (LA Riots) and the subject, or meaning of the video.

3. Why do you think it is important that ADS tell the story of the LA riots through these manifestations of voices? After all, she did interview her subjects and record the interviews. Why not just edit together the interviews? What effect does this manifestation have on you as a viewer and your understanding of the story?

What is the effect of having the story of the LA riots told from multiple points of view?

Where are you positioned in the story? Why?

4. What is the narrative "frame" ADS uses to tell the story? Dramatic? Documentary? Fictional?

4. Mise-en-scene is the "staging" of the visual information in the story. It may include props, colors, locations, lighting, etc. What elements of mise-en-scene in Twilight stand out to you the most, and why? How do they function to move the story forward?