Watch: "Tower" (2017)
Refer to: Bridging the Gaps & Writing About Film theories & film language.
QUESTIONS:
This is a very creative art film that employs numerous creative cinematic tactics to present a cohesive narrative dealing with both positive and negative ideological norms.
Q1. Choose one unique scene or montage that used a cinematic tactic that amplified a message in this first-ever mass school shooting in Texas. Include the film (time:stamp). Justify via theory and film language. But, keep it to the point!
Q2. Find a credible news story about a recent mass school shooting (past five years) anywhere in the world & explain the difference regarding blame for what happened, as in comparison to yet another credible media story regarding blame in the USA. Was there a difference or not? Why? Justify via theories you should know by now. Include story links.
17 comments:
Q1 (2:21-2:45) When Clair is introducing herself everything is bright and colorful, but as soon as that first shot hits Claire everything is devoid of color. They use color in animation to show the mood and emotions Claire had at that moment. The happiness she had that day and then how a split second takes away all that color and leaves it empty for most of the documentary, showing the fear and hopelessness felt.
Q2 After two mass shootings in Serbia, one of them being at a school, protests started to pop-up all-over Serbia. Both protestors and officials agreed that there needed to be more control, so there would be punishment for those without a permit and for weapon permits to be more closely monitored.
A Wisconsin school shooting, with a 15-year-old girl having a tough home life because of her parents' custody battle, and the motive was said to be a multitude of factors.
Serbians don’t have such a strong passion for guns as Americans do, so when they saw that they could easily put in more gun control they happily accepted. In America, guns are seen as part of America’s culture and to have restrictions set on them feels like their 2nd amendment is being attacked. In the Wisconsin shooting, they mention how the motive is various factors and that’s what often is said about other school shootings, even when there is one factor that connects them all, access to guns.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-65597622
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/wisconsin-school-shooting-suspect-natalie-rupnow-family-life-rcna184917
Caroline Lipscomb
Q1. At 00:35:41, the mise en scene and entire vibe of the film shifts as we see the power of color and precision. As Claire begins to talk about Tom- a person that has obviously brightened her life- the film moves from a constant streak of black, grey, and white, to some of the brightest hues possible as Claire’s joy comes back while speaking of Tom. The color and animation is emphasizing the contrast between life and death.
Q2. At Santa Fe High School, a 17-year-old student fatally shot 10 people. His reasoning was justice and revenge, as he stated he was only shooting the people that had wronged him and/or had been mean to him. This student was easily able to get the guns from his father, sending thousands of Americans in an uproar for more restrictive gun laws.
https://www.cnn.com/2018/05/18/us/texas-school-shooting/index.html
In the shooting at Colegio Cervantes school in the city of Torreón in Coahuila state, an 11-year-old boy shot 1 teacher dead, and injured 6 other people. He then committed suicide by shooting himself. In this case, details- such as how the weapons were obtained, what the little boy’s motives were, and more- remained a mystery for so long that citizens were more heartbroken and confused than anything; anger and justice were on a sort of backburner.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-51069180
1) (01:04:10-01:10:10) The Match dissolve tactic is used as it it shows the animation version of each person and blends in to what the actual person looks like representing the animation version of themselves. This hits home because you are watching the cartoon version but put a real face to the character and see the trauma they went through.
2-A) Earlier this year in Sweden a mass shooting took place killing 10 individuals and the shooter taking his own life. The government of Sweden focuses on system issues and called for a change in the laws to prevent further incidents.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2025/feb/06/angela-merkel-criticises-friedrich-merz-immigration-laws-germany-europe-latest-updates-news?utm_source=chatgpt.com
2-B) In 2022, Uvalde, Texas a mass shooting took place where 19 students and two teachers were killed and all blame was placed on the individuals actions and the police taking too much time to intervene. These two stories have a difference in who was blamed and the actions afterwards. This is likely to how the difference in countries thoughts as Sweden usually takes the systemic approach when fixing all issues.
https://www.texastribune.org/2022/05/27/uvalde-texas-school-shooting-timeline/
Cody Menzies
Q1. The scene where John “Artley” Fox and James Love (42:55) decide to rescue Claire. The scene switches between real time footage and animated footage. Then moves from the animated Artley to the real person.
Q2. October 7, 2023, attack at the Nova Music Festival in Israel has largely attributed responsibility to Hamas, the Palestinian militant group. Said to be the worst civilian shooting in the history of Israel, with 260 dead and an unknown number taken as prisoners.
https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-gaza-hamas-music-festival-6a55aae2375944f10ecc4c52d05f2ffe?utm_source=chatgpt.com
On February 4, 2025, a mass shooting occurred at Campus Risbergska, an adult education center in Örebro, Sweden, resulting in the deaths of 11 individuals, including the shooter, 35-year-old Rickard Andersson. The media is seemingly torn as to the motives, some reports say it was racial due to most of the victims were immigrants. While others say it was a political act of terrorism.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/feb/05/orebro-school-shooting-was-one-man-operation-police-say-sweden?utm_source=chatgpt.com
Q1: (01:14:25-01:15:25) The combination of the ending snippet from Walter Cronkite and the montage of multiple news coverages of school shootings since then. Especially Cronkite’s ending remarks about how society failed Charles Whitman by romanticizing such violent acts in popular media while it stood and turned a blind eye. While also having the soft rock in the background rise up on the last wide shot of the tower on campus.
Q2: A gunman in Sweden targeted students at the Campus Risbergska, a continuing education school. The gunman and become a recluse in his public life, which led to his sanity being broken down.
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cvgp43j4l92o
A female student targeted a Christian school in Wisconsin a couple of days before winter break. The same thing applies: she had outcast herself, become a recluse, and reached a limit.
https://apnews.com/article/wisconsin-school-shooting-498c8ad26d299602553201ad639a4a5c
Both of the situations have the similarity of the shooters being outcasted, whether it was due to their outlooks or themselves. Just like what Walter Cronkite talked about in the ending, society had failed them, and they wanted to return the favor.
Q1. When 5:20-5:30 when the boy doing his paper route is shot he is with his cousin and they both go down. They show this by going from color to a silhouette of them and the bike. When we get back to a “normal frame” we see the bike is the only thing in color. Showing that the only thing that matters is the boys on the bike. By having the bright colors against the muted background we focus our eyes on the bright colors.
Q2. A 14 year old boy was charged with 4 counts of murder after shooting at his classmates in a Georgia Highschool in September 2024. His motives are still unknown but we do know that he is facing charges. There is a possibility for his father to also be facing criminal charges. What we know about the shooting at Georgia's Apalachee High School | AP News
March 2025 a shooting at a pub in Toronto Canada injuring 12 people and killing no one. The pub was just opening when this occurred and this is still an ongoing investigation. Although this happened the people in the area are not letting it stop them from living there lives. Gunmen in Piper Arms Pub mass shooting were 'young, professional,' Toronto councillor says | CBC News
1. At 00:19:00 the film shows the Claire Wilson’s shooting. The film uses rotoscopic animation to help bring the film to life in a way older film footage might not have been able to.
2. Comparing the September 2024 shooting at a Georgia high school to a shooting at a Russian high school in Sept of 2022. For full disclosure this is not a direct comparison because the Georgia shooter was a 14-year-old boy, and the Russian shooter was a grown adult male. In the Geogia shooting the news concentrated on the shooter’s mental health and his access to the guns, whereas the Russian shooting concentrated on the shooter ideological views. In both cases the media were just trying to find somewhere to place blame, who or what is to blame for this. The “causes” or motivations may have been different, but the result is still the same and the response to try and make it a bigger philosophical issue are the same. Personally, I think in both cases you can’t blame the instrument of the action but the actor using it. The issue, I believe, in an issue of mental health and human nature, not one of gun control. People have been violent to one another for a millennia take away the guns and people were still using knives, sticks, rocks.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-63032790(russian)
https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/2024/09/05/georgia-shooting-suspect-youngest-mass-school-shooter/(american)
Q1. (26:17-27:45) The scene where Claire is shot and left on the pavement is amplified by slow-motion animation. This tactic highlights the chaos and feeling hopeless which enhances the emotional impact.
Q2. Kazan, Russia (2021): In this case, the Russian media primarily blamed the shooter’s mental instability and lack of gun control. The shooter had legally obtained his weapons, and after the attack, the Russian government moved to tighten gun regulations. Authorities also pointed to the shooter’s social media activity and radicalized views as contributing factors.
Uvalde, Texas (2022): The U.S. media debate often centers on gun access and law enforcement failures. While mental health is discussed, the predominant narrative focuses on the easy availability of firearms and police inaction during the attack.
In the U.S., blame is often placed on gun laws, mental health, and police response. The debate revolves around systemic issues like access to firearms and delayed police action.
In Russia, the focus is on gun control and the shooter's mental state, with an emphasis on external influences like the shooter’s online activities.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-57069589
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/03/us/uvalde-police-response.html#:~:text=A%20New%20York%20Times%20examination,years%20of%20police%20preparations%20for
Author: Jaylen Galvan
Q1. (22:20) “That was the moment that separated the brave people from the scared people.” The camera slowly zooms in on Brenda Bell's reflection as she looks out from the window and admitted that she was a coward for not helping those in need. This scene utilizes camera panning and the symbolism of self-reflection to capture the fear and reality of horrifying situations people have to put themselves in when caught in a situation like this.
Q2. Worldwide article:
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-51069180
In 2020, an 11-year-old boy in Torreón, Mexico shot five students and a teacher and killed one teacher before killing himself. The article states it was unclear how he obtained the two guns, but that he was a good student. Some classmates reported that he said, "today was the day," before the incident.
US article:
https://6abc.com/post/nashville-tennessee-shooting-alleged-antioch-high-school-shooter-posted-photos-before-opening-fire-police-say/15833872/
In January 2025, a 17-year-old student in Nashville, Tennessee shot one student and killed another before killing himself. The article states that the shooter had a Pinterest account featuring past school shooters and belonged to other groups online that promote violence and extremism.
There was a clear difference in both articles in that the people in Mexico weren't used to that kind of senseless crime as opposed to crimes committed by criminal organizations. However, the article from America clearly attributes the shooter falling victim to online hate groups and glorification of past school shooters.
Q1. (16:20-18:00)
In this scene, a montage with music from that period is used to show and make the viewer feel the uncertainty of chaos. As the victims are shot, they are converted to a white silhouette on a red background. This conversion lasts a few seconds for each individual shot. This quick succession shows the uncertainty of who is going to be next. The music chosen helps us create an image based on our knowledge of the past. It helps create in our minds what it was like in the 1960s.
Q2.
On October 06, 2022, a man in Thailand walked into a daycare and killed 36 people. This incident is known as the Nong Bua Lamphu massacre. It is believed that the motive of the man was because he was recently fired from his job, experiencing martial and financial problems.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2022_Nong_Bua_Lamphu_massacre
On May 14, 2022, a man walked into a supermarket and killed 10 African Americans. This incident took place at the Buffalo, New York Tops supermarket. The killings were racially motivated.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2022_Buffalo_shooting
Q1. (10:19) When the police officer arrives by the tower and the scene is all in bright colors, he thinks that everything has passed by (all of the chaos). As he is driving more towards the scene and he realizes that something is not right and something serious is happening, the animation turns white and black and the music stops. They used a cinematic tactic starting from his face, it was the first image that turned black and white signifying what he came to realize.
Q2. December 5, 2024 in Oroville, California, a man accessed Feather River School and shot two children by the age of 5 and 6 years old. They found writings about taking actions towards the "counter-measures" against the schools response to violence in the Middle East. They are not really sure if that was the only motivation for him to have gone to those extreme measures.
https://apnews.com/article/butte-county-california-school-shooting-1a183fcd1670d47dedeff81d9f1ce492
1. At around 00:09:40 in "Tower (2016)," the film shows a rotoscoped overhead view of Claire Wilson pregnant and injured on the hot pavement, hit by bullets. The elevated angle replicates the sniper's view, highlighting Claire's isolation and vulnerability. By using animation rather than straight live-action, the film bizarrely heightens the emotional realness: crisp, graphic edges draw attention to crucial details—her injuries, the heat glare—without "noise" from live footage. Taking on Bazinian realist theories, this stylized form heightens the viewer's psychological identification, and the dramatic imagery makes her predicament direct, enhancing pity and fearfulness in a fashion that more customary documentary images potentially undermine.
2.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-65468404
In May 2023, Vladislav Ribnikar Elementary School in Belgrade, Serbia, was the location of a school shooting that shocked the nation and drew immediate attention from international media. In early coverage, accounts from such sources as the BBC placed enormous emphasis on the shooter's mental history, family background, and potential lapses in parental oversight. Although a couple of stories did mention the accessibility of the handgun involved—though overall gun legislation in Serbia tends to be tight—the main focus was on individual circumstances and the social need for greater mental health treatment. This wording is in line with parts of the documentary Tower (2016), which highlighted how individual stressors and neglected warning signs can contribute to violent acts of tragedy, and that interventions on the community and psychological level are typically considered core in preventing such future events.
In contrast, when examining media news reports out of the U.S. during the 2022 Robb Elementary School massacre in Uvalde, Texas, it isn't hard to see a new source of culpability. Reporting outlets such as CNN and The New York Times tended to make the greater systemic issue its point of concentration, specifically most prominently the use of guns and the politicized political debate around gun laws within the United States. Although the perpetrator's mental health was also debated, the majority of U.S. politicians, media, and the public called for stricter gun control as the most effective way to prevent such mass shootings. This dichotomy highlights the manner in which cultural context and media framing influence attribution: in Serbia, blame was more likely to focus on family life and mental health interventions, whereas in America, blame more centrally incorporated systemic policies regarding firearms. As attribution theory and social constructionism would have it, they are shaped by the past experience of guns in each society, the political climate, and prevailing media narratives factors that Tower (2016) also enlightens us about when it discusses how a single tragic event can fuel debates on individual vs. collective responsibility.
https://www.cnn.com/us/texas-robb-elementary-shooting
Jayden Thompson
Q1) (33:17) In this scene it shows the pure panic and hopelessness that Claire felt after being shot as someone walked by having no idea of what was going on, telling her to get up and continue on to class until they are then shot as well.
Q2) https://www.cnn.com/us/school-shootings-fast-facts-dg/index.html This article covers a school shooting that occurred in Uvalde Texas. While sharing the statistics of where most school shootings are happening in south Texas.
https://news.vcu.edu/article/2022/06/why-do-school-shootings-keep-happening-in-the-united-states This article speaks up about the reasonings behind school shootings, that being gun violence. They go on to talk about how we are literally outnumbered by fire arms in the U.S and how this is causing major gun violence issues.
Q1. (00:09:23) This scene is unique and emotionally powerful. Earlier, we saw the moment she fell after being shot, but at nine minutes and twenty-three seconds, a new layer is revealed through a close-up shot that shows she is pregnant. This delayed reveal is impactful—it recontextualizes the violence and heightens the emotional stakes. This scene reinforces the film’s message that anyone on the school grounds was a target, regardless of age, identity, or circumstance.
Q2. 2022- Robb Elementary School in the city of Uvalde.
On May 24, 2022 a gunman opened fire at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, Killing 19 students and 2 teachers, and injuring several others. The shooter was an 18-year old and former student. The 18 year old entered the school and barricaded himself in a classroom. Law enforcement faced heavy criticism for delaying action, takin over an hour to stop the shooter. The tragedy became one of the deadliest school shootings in U.S. history and sparked national debates about gun laws, school safety, and police response protocols.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-61573377
2023- Vladislav Ribnikar Elemetary School School
On May 3, 2023, a 13-year-old boy opened fire at his school in Belgrade, Serbia, killing 8 students and a security guard. The 13 year old had created ketches of the classroom and created a list of children he intended to target in a meticulously attack. The weapon belonged to his father, who legally owned it.
https://apnews.com/article/serbia-shooting-school-57a13ad01f4ae2377e6a9bbd88cc652f
Both shootings were devastating and involved young perpetrators connected to the schools. However, the blame narratives were very different. In the U.S., the media focused on law enforcement and systemic failure. In Serbia, the media emphasized parenting, cultural influence, and societal breakdown.
Q1. At (01:09–01:10), the film shows Claire and Artly reuniting for the first time since the UT shooting. Artly expresses the lingering guilt he’s carried for years, showing the long-term emotional impact of trauma. The scene uses continuity editing and follows the 180-degree system, with over-the-shoulder shots from behind Claire to create an intimate point of view. Shot/reverse shot techniques highlight each character’s emotional reactions, reinforcing the lasting psychological effects of gun violence.
Q2. (Part 1): In December 2023, a mass shooting occurred at Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic, leaving 14 dead and 25 injured. The shooter, a university student, had posted on Telegram about wanting to carry out a school shooting and take his own life. He was reportedly inspired by a previous shooting in Russia. Authorities confirmed the act was not linked to any organized group and largely attributed it to his mental health. News coverage in the Czech Republic focused heavily on the victims and the shock of the event. Since school shootings are extremely rare there, the media did not center blame but instead emphasized grief and uncertainty on how to respond.
Q2 (Part 2): In November 2021, a mass shooting at Oxford High School in Michigan left 4 dead and 7 injured. The shooter, a high school student, had drawn violent images and looked up videos related to shootings and ammunition. Authorities blamed his parents for giving him easy access to a gun. The school was also blamed for allowing him to stay that day despite clear warning signs and not checking his bag. There was also mention of neglect toward his mental health.
Q2 (Part 3): Unlike the Prague case, media coverage in the U.S. focused more on pointing fingers and discussing who should be held responsible. Since the shooter was a minor, more of the blame may have shifted onto the adults around him. In contrast, the Prague shooter was a university student pursuing his master’s degree and doing well in school, which may be why the focus was more on shock and his mental health than on blaming. Overall, it was something new and unfamiliar for the Czech community. This connects to Bridging the Gaps (p. 21), which explains how culture plays a huge role in our lives. In the United States, there is a strong gun culture and a long history of gun violence. Because of this, our reaction often centers on finding someone to blame, since it’s become an ongoing problem. In contrast, the Czech Republic experienced something much rarer and more traumatic. It had such a deep impact that they even canceled a New Year’s firework show out of respect, since the shooting happened just days before.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/czech-prague-mass-shooting-dec21-1.7066443
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/michigan-teen-gets-life-in-prison-for-oxford-school-shooting
Q1:Time 28:25--30:00 The film uses slow-motion rotoscope animation as students run for cover during the shooting. This tactic amplifies the terror and chaos, allowing the viewer to focus on the emotional weight of the moment rather than just the violence. It highlights the personal impact on the survivors, making the scene more visceral and emotionally charged.
Q2: A mass school shooting in the United States, the 2023 Nashville school shooting, occurred on March 27, 2023, at The Covenant School in Nashville, Tennessee. The shooter, 28-year-old Audrey Hale, killed six people before being fatally shot by police. Investigations revealed that Hale had a history of mental health issues and had planned the attack meticulously, including detailed maps and journals. The Metropolitan Nashville Police Department concluded that the shooting was motivated by a desire for notoriety and media attention .
https://www.the-sun.com/news/13961437/audrey-hale-nashville-school-shooter-diary/?utm_source=chatgpt.com
Post a Comment