Theeta Rojnkureesatien.. Power of persuasion in a documentary film : a case study of "An Inconvenient Truth". Master's Degree(Language and Culture for Communication and Development). Mahidol University. Mahidol University Library and Knowledge Center. : Mahidol University, 2013.
Power of persuasion in a documentary film : a case study of "An Inconvenient Truth"
Abstract:
The objectives in this research are to study the rhetoric in the documentary film An Inconvenient Truth and the influence of the film on the audiences attitude. This study is a qualitative study using focus groups as a method for collecting data and content analysis in interpreting the data. There were 7 focus groups with 35 participants in this research, which were from Mahidol University and Silpakorn University. The results from the study are divided into two parts: rhetoric in the film and the films influence on the participants attitude. In the part of rhetoric in the film, the three pillars of persuasion (ethos, pathos and logos) were used to analyze the films content. The ethos or characteristics of Al Gore (documentary narrator) from this research indicated that he is a caring and trustworthy person. The reason that the ethos of Gore is presented this way comes from logos or logical reasoning (scientific facts) the narrator (Al Gore) presented in the film. Furthermore, the scientific facts about global warming and the examples given to support them also create a sense of fear for the participants or sense of pathos. The attitude of the participants toward global warming did not change due to their prior attitude that global warming is a problem of great concern. The two pillars of persuasion of the film that influence the participants were logos and pathos whereas the ethos does not. The examples of logical content that trigger participants emotion are the most influential in creating a sense of fear and arousing awareness.
Mahidol University. Mahidol University Library and Knowledge Center