Manufacturing Consent Response

Filmmakers Achbar and Wintonick employ many cinematic techniques in their film Manufacturing Consent: Noam Chomsky and the Media in order to emphasize both aspects of Dr. Chomsky’s propaganda model and their own views of how this theory fits into modern culture. Perhaps the most striking technique used in the film is the frequent framing of items related to Chomsky and his theories, such as books either about or by Chomsky and pictures from his life, and Chomsky himself in an entirely empty black background. Such a technique is generally used to imply two things- focus and isolation. Given the title of the film and its content, using the technique to show a focus on Chomsky’s life and ideals is redundant and pointless, thus it’s the second theme- isolation- where meaning can be found.

By using the empty backgrounds when showing Chomsky and the books that detail his propaganda model, the film makers help the viewer to understand the model better; this is not accomplished by explaining the model itself, but rather by explaining where this idea fits into the current media culture- namely that it doesn’t. Achbar and Wintonick attempt to portray Chomsky as a lone soul fighting against the mainstream. The frequent use of black backgrounds offers a stark comparison to the bustling clips from mainstream media, emphasizing just how different Chomsky’s thoughts on how the mass media works are from the media’s view of itself. It’s is also used to garner sympathy for Chomsky’s cause, as the filmmakers see it, by comparison to the romantic notions of an individual fighting the accepted world- this is seen again during their exploration of Chomsky’s media exposure in America.