Pointing Out Point of View

Point of view is something we have heard about our whole lives. In my experience, point of view was usually brought up in an English class in relation to a novel or poem we were reading at the time. I would have to decide, it is first person, third person, second person in the "you" form? While I admit it was never the most exciting thing to learn about, point of view is very important in all aspects of life. It is crucial to know whose point of view a story is being told from, what it is supposed to mean, and who it is supposed to target. In the article The Art of Technique by John Douglass and Glenn Harnden, chapter 3 is titled Point of View.

While this chapter deals with the same first, second, and third person lessons we have been taught over and over again in classes past, I particularly enjoyed the portion on point of view and attitude. It brings to light phenomenon that we as consumers of media deal with everyday - conflicting point of view pieces and texts addressing the same topic. The chapter referenced conflicts such as depictions of the Catholic church and French Colonial occupation of North Africa and how they might be received differently based on different points of view. However, being a 20 year old female, the example that stuck out to me the most was that of the portrayal of love. To me a perfect example is the popular Nicholas Sparks novel-based film, The Notebook. The article beautifully balances first and third person narration as well as plays to different audiences with different points of view. Again to me, the girl that falls too quickly, loves a good cry, and likes to hope that fairytales do exist, the movie appeals perfectly to my point of view and attitude. However, show The Notebook to a 20 year old male and the sentiment might be quite different. The point of view and attitude just might not line up.

After looking at this example, it is easy to see why we should be thanking our high school English teachers for hammering point of view into our brains. As a producer, or in our case, the creator of a class video, it is crucial to understand point of view to not only know how our work will be taken but also how are specific audiences will be touched.

What are some examples of effective use of point of view? Can you think of other popular movies that may reach audiences very differently? Can you appreciate movies and texts even if they don't line up with your specific point of view or attitude?