Assisted Dying in Documentaries: A rhetorical analysis of the perspective of three documentaries on assisted dying and their connection to the social and political debate in the countries of production

Faculty of Humanities

Assisted Dying in Documentaries

A rhetorical analysis of the perspective of three documentaries on assisted dying

and their connection to the social and political debate

in the countries of production.

Terry Pratchett: Choosing to Die (2011)

Dignitas, La Mort sur Ordonnance (2010)

Nachtvlinder, de laatste dagen van Priscilla (2013)

Supervisor: Dhr. dr. F.A.M. Laeven Second reader: Dhr. S. Scholz Programme: MA Media Studies: Television and Cross-media Culture

University of Amsterdam Date of completion: 26 June, 2015 Name: Britt van Teijlingen

E-mail: brittvanteijlingen@hotmail.com Student number: 10795790

Table of Contents

Preface p. 3

Introduction p. 4

Chapter one: Euthanasia Laws p. 7

Chapter two: Euthanasia Debate p. 10

Chapter thee: Theoretical Framework and Method p. 16

Chapter four: Analysis Terry Pratchett: Choosing to Die p. 23 Chapter five: Analysis Dignitas: La Mort sur Ordonnance p. 35 Chapter six: Analysis Nachtvlinder, de laatste dagen van Priscilla p. 47

Conclusion p. 57

Bibliography p. 61

Appendix one: Segment analysis Terry Pratchett: Choosing to Die p. 65 Appendix two: Segment analysis Dignitas, La Mort sur Ordonnance p. 82 Appendix three: Segment analysis Nachtvlinder, de laatste dagen van Priscilla p. 105

Preface

I would like to thank all those who have contributed to the realization of this thesis. Since it is not possible to thank everyone personally, I will limit myself to those who were most important. First, I would like to thank my supervisor Erik Laeven who has helped me throughout the writing process. His comments and critical eye have helped me constantly to improve my thesis, and his effort and time were very valuable. Secondly, I would like to thank my family and friends for their support, and in particular my partner Tjebbe for his unconditional support, as well as my friend and fellow student Marike for all her help.


Introduction

Last year at the IDFA 2014, the International Documentary Festival Amsterdam, multiple

documentaries on the topic of euthanasia or assisted suicide were shown. It was striking that most of these documentaries were produced in Belgium and the Netherlands; two countries where euthanasia is legalized. This gave rise to some questions. I wondered if the current situation of assisted dying in Europe triggers filmmakers to deal with this social issue. How is the topic of assisted dying approached in these documentaries, and is this the same for all European

countries? I decided to research documentaries on assisted dying to gain insight into what kind of documentaries are produced on this topic and how they are related to the social, political and legal status of assisted dying in the countries of production.

Documentaries have always been used to debate social issues and to provide a distinct perspective on those issues (Nichols 19,101). The philosopher Aguayo states that documentary film has demonstrated engagement with audiences and has sometimes prompted critical

deliberation and activism (33-34). Documentaries have been a source of agitation in the rising tide of social unrest (Aguayo 33-34). Recently, documentaries have often functioned as a springboard for public argument in practice, according to Aguayo (33-34).

Documentaries can be produced in response to a political and social debate. But the documentary itself can contribute to the debate as well. The more closely a documentary film is connected to a social movement, the more effective the documentary is in the process of social change, according to Aguayo (221). Quite often the public debate is put into motion following a provocative documentary. This happened, for example, with the Dutch documentary Dood op

Verzoek (Maarten Nederhorst 1993). The debate on euthanasia was going on for some time

already, but the government tried to stay out of it as much as possible. The majority of the population supported euthanasia, but it was not allowed according to Dutch law. However, euthanasia already happened in secret. The documentary showed the euthanasia of Cees van Wendel. The film approached it from a very supportive perspective. This was a rather radical move at the time and the documentary therefore received a lot of response, both in the Netherlands and abroad. The documentary is still seen as one of the most important driving forces behind the debate on euthanasia in the Netherlands and abroad (npo.nl). This particular case shows that the perspective of a documentary can be heavily influenced by the social and political debate. But in turn, the documentary itself can also contribute to the debate. Therefore, analyzing documentaries becomes very valuable if we involve the social and political debate in

our research. This knowledge provides a better understanding of the documentary. It also creates the opportunity to place the documentary into a broader context. Especially with documentaries on such a debated topic as assisted dying, we should not separate the documentary from its context. The combination of researching the legal, social and political context of euthanasia and the documentaries dealing with this social issue tells us a lot about the state of affairs on assisted dying in different countries and about the role documentaries can play in such debates. Many analyses of documentaries do not place them in a broader social context, but usually only in the context of other media. Since documentaries and the legal, political and social context often influence each other, it is of scientific interest to include this. Through this research, I hope to provide a different perspective on documentary research and demonstrate the relevance of researching this combination.

During this research, three documentaries on assisted dying will be analyzed. However, not all documentaries cover the same form of assisted dying. There are different forms of assisted dying or ending someone’s life through medical treatment. In the case of euthanasia, a physician administers the means of death, usually through a lethal drug. This is only allowed in the

Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg. Another way of assisted dying is through assisted suicide. In this case the patient carries out the procedure himself, with the assistance of a physician. This often means that medical staff prepares a lethal drug, like a drink, but the patient has to take it himself. This form of assisted dying is allowed in Japan, Colombia, Albania, Germany, Switzerland and in the American states of Washington, Montana, Oregon, Vermont and New Mexico.

With the selection of three Western European countries I will cover all the different legal situations in Europe regarding euthanasia. I will analyze one documentary from each country. I will analyze Terry Pratchett: Choosing to die (2011) from the United Kingdom, Dignitas, La Mort sur

Ordonnance (2010) from Switzerland, and Nachtvlinder, de laatste dagen van Priscilla (2013) from

the Netherlands. These three were chosen as they are the most recent full-length documentaries on assisted dying. Often in media research, a corpus of older films is chosen which makes it possible to place the analyzed films into the broader media discourse. I chose to research the most recent documentaries because I do not intend to place them in the broader media discourse, but in their legal, political and social context. I wanted to analyze the current social, political and legal situation since this context is constantly changing. And as I witnessed at the IDFA 2014, this current context led to a large amount of documentaries in the past few years. A

corpus of the most recent documentaries is the most suitable for providing information about this current situation.

Since assisted dying has been a heavily debated subject in Europe for decades, with a lot of documentaries having been produced on this subject, it is interesting to research what kind of perspective on assisted dying those documentaries provide and how this is related to the legal, political and social situation. Therefore, my research question is: How do documentaries on

assisted dying from the United Kingdom, Switzerland and the Netherlands persuade the viewer to adopt a certain perspective on assisted dying and how does this position these documentaries in the social and political debate on assisted dying in the countries where they were produced?

To understand how the documentaries position themselves in the social and political debate, I have to set out this debate through a discourse analysis, which is done in chapter two. However, we cannot have a clear view of this debate without knowing the legal situation of assisted dying in the different countries. Therefore, I will first analyze the legal situation regarding assisted dying in the different countries in chapter one. After researching both the legal status and the social and political situation, a hypothesis on the perspectives in the documentaries will be formed in chapter three. In chapter four the theoretical framework and the method for the film analyses will be set out. I will use a rhetorical framework to analyze the different documentaries. I will approach the documentaries in this research as rhetorical instruments that provide a certain argument on assisted dying. However, I am aware that documentaries are certainly not always rhetorical instruments, but for analyzing the perspective of the documentary rhetoric offers a very valuable framework, as will be explained further in chapter four. In chapters five, six and seven the documentaries will be analyzed. Finally I will provide a conclusion in which the findings on the different documentaries will be connected, which will be linked back to how documentaries and the social and political debate are interwoven. In the conclusion the research questions will be answered, and some recommendations for further research will be made.

Chapter one: Euthanasia Laws

To analyze how the social debate on euthanasia influenced the documentaries on assisted dying that we will analyze later, the social debate on assisted dying in these countries has to be set out first. However, we can only understand the social and political debate if we know the legal

situation of assisted dying in these countries. The documentaries to be analyzed later on will very likely deal with this legal situation in a certain way. They might be produced to change the laws, or maybe they support the legal situation. Therefore it is important to understand the different legal situations to get a better understanding of the documentaries.

The selection of countries for this thesis is mainly based on the legal situation of assisted dying at the moment the documentaries were produced. This is between 2010 and 2013, depending on the country. There are three different legal situations of assisted dying in Europe. First, there are countries in which all forms of assisted dying are prohibited. Then there are countries in which assisted suicide is allowed, but euthanasia is prohibited. The third legal situation is when euthanasia is legalized. To create a representative conclusion, I will analyze documentaries from different countries, each with one of the three legal situations. First, I will analyze a documentary from the United Kingdom, where assisted dying in general is prohibited. In Switzerland, only assisted suicide is legalized. Therefore the analysis contains one documentary from Switzerland as well. And finally, I will analyze one documentary from the Netherlands where euthanasia is legalized. In the following paragraphs I will provide an overview per country of the laws that determine the legal situation regarding euthanasia. This overview is constructed by researching the penal codes of each country and, if existent, the specific laws on assisted dying. Two different books on the history of assisted dying have also been taken into account. 1

§ 1.1 United Kingdom

In the United Kingdom there is no special law on euthanasia. The provision for murder from the penal code is applied in cases of euthanasia. Article 149 (1) states that “Any person who, of malice aforethought express or implied, causes the death of another person by an unlawful act or

No laws on assisted dying have been established on a European level. Some cases from different

1

European countries were directed to the ECHR, The European Court of Human Rights. Some proponents of assisted dying claim that the denial of a right to release oneself from unbearable pain amounts to inhuman and degrading treatment (Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights). Opponents of assisted dying often claim that article 2 of the European Convention on Human Rights, ‘the right to life’, also means that we should protect life by not allowing assisted dying (Puppinck and de La Hougue).

omission is guilty of murder” (The Penal Code United Kingdom art. 149(1)). Article 151 states that “Any person who is convicted of murder shall be liable to imprisonment for life” (The Penal Code United Kingdom art. 151). In the United Kingdom, there is a specific law on assisted suicide or, more specifically, aiding and abetting suicide. Article 158 (1) states: “any person who aids, abets, counsels or procures the suicide of another, or the attempt by another to commit suicide, shall be guilty of an offence and liable to imprisonment for fourteen years” (The Penal Code United Kingdom art. 158 (1)).

§ 1.2 Switzerland

In Switzerland, euthanasia is prohibited. However, assisted suicide is legal. Article 115 of the Swiss Criminal Code, which came into effect in 1942, is dedicated to inciting and assisting suicide. “Any person who for selfish motives incites or assists another to commit or attempt to commit suicide is, if that other person thereafter commits or attempts to commit suicide, liable to a custodial sentence not exceeding five years or to a monetary penalty” (Swiss Criminal Code art. 115). This means that if there are no selfish motives involved, assisted suicide is not prohibited. If any selfish motives are involved, article 112 for murder is applied: “Where the offender acts in a particularly unscrupulous manner, in which the motive, the objective or the method of commission is

particularly depraved, the penalty is a custodial sentence for life or a custodial sentence of no less than ten years” (Swiss Criminal Code art. 122). Active euthanasia is not allowed. Article 114, which was established in 1937, focuses on killing on demand. “A person who, from respectable esp. merciful motives, kills someone who seriously and urgently demands to be killed, will be

sentenced to a term of imprisonment of up to 3 years or a fine” (Swiss Criminal Code art. 114). It is thus only allowed to assist someone in committing suicide, not to perform active euthanasia. Also, Switzerland is the only country that does not ban foreigners, which leads to many foreigners coming to Switzerland to have an assisted suicide (Humphry 8).

§ 1.3 The Netherlands

In the Netherlands, deliberately killing someone is punished by imprisonment of up to fifteen years or a fine of the fifth category, as stated in article 287 of the Dutch Penal Code (Wetboek van Strafrecht art. 287). If the killing is intentional it is called murder, which is punished with

imprisonment for life or up to thirty years or a fine of the fifth category, as stated in article 289 of the penal code. Article 293 (1) states that ending someone’s life on his explicit and earnest

request will be punished with imprisonment of up to twelve years or a fine of the fifth category (Wetboek van Strafrecht art. 293 (1)). Article 293 (2), however, states that this is not prosecutable if it is done by a doctor who fulfills the requirements as stated in article two of the law on the

termination of life upon request and assisted suicide (Wet toetsing levensbeëindiging op verzoek

en hulp bij zelfdoding) and if the doctor informs the local coroner (Wetboek van Strafrecht art. 293

(2)). This law on euthanasia was enacted on 12 April 2001 (Wet toetsing levensbeëindiging). The law gives strict conditions that a doctor has to meet in order to allow euthanasia (Wet toetsing levensbeëindiging art. 2 (1)). It is only allowed if the doctor:

a. Is convinced that the patient’s request is voluntary and deliberate.

b. Is convinced that it is a case of hopeless and unbearable suffering for the patient. c. Informed the patient about the situation of the patient and his prospect.

d. Arrived, together with the patient, at the conviction that there was no other reasonable solution for this situation.

e. Has at least consulted one other independent doctor who saw the patient and has given their written judgment on the requirements, as stated in ‘a’ to ‘d’ above.

f. Has carried out the procedure of euthanasia or assisted suicide with medical care.

Thus, in the Netherlands, both euthanasia and assisted suicide are allowed. This is the case for both physical and psychological suffering. The patient has to be a competent adult or a

Chapter two: Euthanasia Debate

Now that we know the legal situation of euthanasia in the countries concerned, we can set out the social debates on this topic. This is very important in order to understand our analysis of the documentaries later on. A chronological overview of the social debate up to the moment of documentary production is provided below, including the most influential cases and events. This overview is constructed through a discourse analysis. Archives of newspapers have been

important sources. The archives of the most influential newspapers of each country have been searched for as many articles on assisted dying as possible. Then, a selection of articles was made, based on their topics. The cases and events that stood out in the newspapers, and were therefore likely to be of particular importance, are included in this overview. Besides newspaper articles, two important books on the history of euthanasia have been used: The Good Euthanasia

Guide (2008) by Derek Humphry, a British-born American journalist, author and past president of

the World Federation of Right to Die Societies, and Een Weloverwogen dood (2002) by James Kennedy, a historian. Both these books offer a good picture of the debate over the past centuries in different countries. Because these books were produced several years before the

documentaries, the period not covered in the books has been given extra attention in my current research. Finally, television programs and films, both documentary and fiction, have been taken into account. Analyzing how many and what kinds of films and programs have been produced on assisted dying provides insight into the position audiovisual media take up in the debate in the different countries. Information about earlier produced audiovisual media on assisted dying has been found through the Ergo organization, the euthanasia research & guidance organization, to which Derek Humphry also belongs. Their website gives a clear overview of most of the films and television programs on assisted dying (finalexit.org). The Dutch website thisistheend.nl also provides a clear overview of documentaries and films on assisted dying (thisisitheend.nl). § 2.1 The United Kingdom

In the United Kingdom, where assisted dying is prohibited, there is a lot of debate going on surrounding the subject of assisted dying. This already started in the thirties, when assisted dying movements were founded (Kennedy 63). This debate continued and in the sixties the first

legislative proposal to allow euthanasia was submitted to the House of Lords. This proposal was rejected (Kennedy 63). In 1962 the first film on assisted dying was released (thisistheend.nl). The thriller I Thank a Fool by Robert Stevens is about a doctor named Christine who is prosecuted for

murder after helping someone end their life. In 1996 the docudrama Goodbye my Love by Richard Signy, about journalist Derek Humphry, was released (thisistheend.nl). Derek Humphry, as stated above, played a big role in the debate on passive and active euthanasia. The film is about his life during the time when his wife becomes terminally ill. The film mainly focuses on the negative aspects of his life. Humphry distanced himself from the film and accused the film of mistakes and over- simplifications. In 1978 the play Whose Life is It Anyway played in London. It was about a young artist who became quadriplegic (Humphry 134). The play raised questions about the right to die. In this same year the book Jean’s Way was published by Derek Humphry. In this book he describes how he helped his terminally ill wife to die (Humphry 134-135). In 1983 Arthur Koestler, a famous author, committed suicide a year after publishing his reasons. He was terminally ill with leukemia. His healthy wife decides to commit suicide with him (Humphry 136). In 1980 in Oxford the World Federation of Right to Die Societies was formed. It was comprised of 27 groups from 18 nations. The debate went on for years, and became very intense in the last few years.

In 2008 Mary Warnock, one of Britain’s leading moral philosophers, called for liberalization of euthanasia laws (Syal). Warnock is a peer of the House of Lords, the upper house of the

Parliament of the United Kingdom (parliament.uk). This happened after the death of the 23-year-old Daniel James, a paralyzed rugby player. His parents took him to a clinic in Switzerland for assisted suicide. Afterwards, the parents were interrogated for their actions and it caused debate on whether they should be charged or not. Eventually the parents were not prosecuted because “such a prosecution is not in the public interest”. There were no further actions taken against them (Starmer). Warnock argues that “we have a moral obligation to other people to take their seriously reached decisions with regard to their own lives equally seriously” (Syal). Her arguments on euthanasia are rather rebellious. She claims that people suffering from dementia should

consider ending their lives through euthanasia because of the strain they put on their families and public services (Beckford). These statements were not received lightly. She was called

irresponsible and unnerving (Beckford).

The case of Daniel James is not the only case in which a patient went to Switzerland for assisted suicide and caused a debate upon his death. Up until 2009 more than 100 people from the UK went to the clinic of Dignitas Switzerland, which opened in 1998, to end their lives (Morris). Research in 2009 showed that 82% of the general public was in favor of the legalization of

in the United Kingdom in favor of the legalization of euthanasia, and 35% in favor of assisted suicide (Boseley). All these cases put a lot of pressure on the government to act, especially when former health secretary Patricia Hewitt called for a change in the law (Boseley). There were also a lot of opponents, many of whom were religious people.

The first documentary on assisted dying, I Helped my Daughter Die by Ray Tostevin, dates back to 2010 (thisistheend.nl). This is a short documentary about Kay Gilderate who helped her daughter Lynn of 31 die after 17 years of extreme illness. Kay was accused of murder and the documentary follows her to court and speaks with her about the night she helped her daughter die. The documentary won three awards. From 2010, Terry Pratchett played a big role in this debate. He wrote a lot of blogs on assisted dying, and eventually he worked on his own documentary in 2011 (Pratchett). After this documentary the comedy series Way to Go by Jeff Greenstein was released (thisistheend.nl). The series exists of six parts and is about the brothers Scott and Joey and their friend Cozzo. When Scott finds out that his neighbor wants to end his life, Cozzo and Scott decide to help by building a suicide machine. This series found a lot of resistance from the Care Not Killing Organization. They accused the BBC of applauding assisted dying. The London Daily Mail also reported on hundreds of complaints in response to the BBCs positive approach of assisted suicide in the previous years.

There are explicit arguments in favor of and against euthanasia in the United Kingdom. The same arguments rise in every debate. The NHS, National Health Service, sets out these arguments very clearly (nhs.uk). Arguments in favor of euthanasia and assisted suicide include the ethical claim that people should have a freedom of choice, including the right to control their body and life. The pragmatic argument is also used intensively: euthanasia is allegedly already a widespread practice, so it is better to regulate euthanasia properly. Arguments against euthanasia and assisted suicide include the religious claim that ending someone’s life is against the will of God and is sinful. There is also the Slippery Slope argument, which is based on the concern that legalizing euthanasia could lead to unintended changes in the British healthcare system and society at large, that people would later come to regret. According to the medical ethics

argument, asking doctors, nurses or any other healthcare professional to carry out euthanasia or to assist in suicide would be a violation of fundamental medical ethics. Lastly, there is the

alternative argument: there is no reason for a person to suffer either mentally or physically because effective end-of-life treatments are available. Therefore euthanasia is not a valid

treatment option, but represents a failure on the part of the doctor involved in a person’s care (nhs.uk).

§ 2.2 Switzerland

In the beginning of the 20th century, Ernst Hafter, a criminal law expert and Zurich professor, considered that assisting in suicide should only be penalized if it was done with a selfish motive (Burkhardt and La Harpe 410). In 1918 the text of what is now Article 115 was implemented in the draft of the Swiss Penal Code, representing Hafter’s statement (Burkhardt and La Harpe 410). The Parliament did not make any amendment to this provision, which entered into force in 1942 (Burkhardt and La Harpe 410). Ever since, assisted suicide has been legal in Switzerland. At this time assisted suicide was still forbidden in all other countries and sometimes it was not even a topic of debate yet. But even before the law was passed in 1942, assisted suicide already took place without prosecution (Burkhardt and La Harpe 410). Once the law came into force, more and more people decided to end their lives through assisted suicide (Burkhardt and La Harpe 410).

The organization Exit, ‘Die Vereinigung für humanes Sterben’, was founded in 1982 with the help of lawyers, doctors and nurses (Shapowal 13). The main argument of Exit is that in 10% of the cases even the most modern medicine or surgery cannot offer sufficient pain relief, causing unbearable and inhuman suffering (Shapowal 13-14). Exit receives a lot of criticism. Opponents claim that the duration of the dying process is too short. In 23% of 43 cases there were no more than seven days between the first contact between Exit and its patient and the day of the treatment. In 9% of these cases, the decision was taken only within a day (Shapowal 14-15). The population of Switzerland is in favor of assisted suicide, and even of euthanasia, as long as it is regulated and monitored. A survey carried out in 1999 showed that 80% of the population approved assisted suicide (Burkhardt and La Harpe 412).

The political debate on assisted suicide started around 1990 (Burkhardt and La Harpe 413). Throughout this period several governments have tried to have the law amended with regard to assisted suicide, either in favor of or against this practice (Burkhardt and La Harpe 413). In 2006 the first film on assisted dying was produced, the documentary Exit: Le Droit De Mourir (Exit: The

right to die). The documentary focuses on the relationship between the patients and the

volunteers of Exit (thisistheend.nl). In 2007 the fictional drama Hello Goodbye by Stefan Jager was released. The film is about Melina and her terminally ill father (thisistheend.nl). On 17 June 2009 the Bundesrat, the federal Council of Switzerland, organized a debate on euthanasia. This

debate was on the topic of legal restrictions of euthanasia, and especially on banning

organizations such as Exit or Dignitas (humanrights.ch). In response, Exit argued that according to a study conducted in April 2009, 74% of the respondents support the current regime and the legalization of assisted suicide (humanrights.ch). The Federal Council then decided not to modify the Swiss Penal Code concerning assisted suicide (Burkhardt and La Harpe 410). At this time, in 2010, the documentary Dignitas, La Mort sur Ordonnance was released, which will be analyzed in this study.

The main debate in Switzerland focuses on ‘suicide tourism’ (Belluck). The organization Dignitas allows foreign patients to commit assisted suicide at their clinics. Most suicide tourist clients come from the United Kingdom, Germany, and France (Belluck). The resistance to assisted dying in Switzerland mainly originates from other countries, such as the United Kingdom. Up until now, Switzerland has not changed the rules on assisted suicide for foreigners, despite foreign criticism. Although there has been some debate on the topic of assisted suicide, direct active euthanasia has not yet been on the agenda in Switzerland (Belluck).

§ 2.3 The Netherlands

The debate in the Netherlands has been going on since long before the euthanasia law was introduced. However, compared to the European debate, which was going on for almost a century, the Netherlands was relatively late. This was partly a result of the religious pillarization, which started to diminish in the second half of the sixties (Kennedy 62). The debate really started in 1969, after the publication of Medische macht en medische ethiek by psychiatrist Jan Hendrik van den Berg (Kennedy 63). From this moment on, the debate grew more and more in the Netherlands. In 1975 the Dutch Voluntary Euthanasia Society (NVVE) launched a Members’ Aid Service to give advice to the dying. In the first year they already received 25 requests for aid (Humphry 134). In 1997 the organization had more than 90,000 members. 900 of them requested help in dying from the Members’ Aid Service (Humphry 144). There are several cases of unofficial terminations of life by doctors or family that led to trials, but the suspects were almost never convicted. An example is the case of doctor Truus Postma, who helped her terminally ill mother of 78 die by giving her a deadly dose of morphine. Postma was sentenced to a week conditionally, which showed that the judicature already anticipated the legalization of euthanasia (Schoots). Several surveys showed that the majority of the Dutch population supported euthanasia under certain conditions (Humphry 144).

As a result of resistance from Christian parties, the law on euthanasia was not changed until 2002 (Schoots). In 2003 the Dutch Society for Voluntary Euthanasia achieved its goal and changed its name to Right-To-Die-NL (Humphry 147). After the legalization of euthanasia, the debate did not end. There were several proposals for easing the conditions of the legalization of euthanasia. For instance, in 2012 citizens proposed to legalize assisted dying for elderly who do not want to live any further, even if they do not physically suffer. Most political parties negatively assessed this proposal, although 62% of the population supported the proposal (Voortman). Political parties feared that easier conditions would lead to too big an increase of people wanting assisted dying (Voortman).

The Netherlands has produced the most films on assisted dying in Europe. 54 films have been produced from 1983 up until Nachtvlinder, the documentary from 2013 that will be analyzed in this study. 32 of these 54 films were documentaries. 8 of the 54 were short films, one is an animated movie, 10 are drama films and 3 are drama comedies (thisistheend.nl). Only seven of these films were released before the legalization of euthanasia in the Netherlands.

Up until the moment of production of the documentary Nachtvlinder in 2013, Christian parties and organizations still protested to euthanasia. They protested against easing the conditions of euthanasia, such as allowing euthanasia for elderly and children.

§ 2.4 Hypothesis

Understanding the legal, political and social situation, it is now possible to construct a hypothesis about the perspectives in the documentaries to be analyzed later on. The expectation is that all the documentaries’ perspectives are proponent, or at least open to the supporters of assisted dying. Since the majority of the population in each country supports assisted dying, it is likely that the documentaries function as representative of the public opinion. The research showed that contra-sounds to assisted dying often stem from political parties, the Senate or Christian parties. The history of documentaries on assisted dying shows that the perspectives on assisted dying are mostly supporting, or at least neutral, but never opposing it. Of course this is not a guarantee that the documentaries that will be analyzed in this study will contain the same perspective. I expect all the perspectives to be heavily influenced by the social and political debate. This debate will likely be involved in the documentaries as well.

Chapter three: Theoretic Framework and Method

Documentaries are no objective films; they always contain a certain perspective (Nichols 68). This perspective shapes the entirety of the film’s audiovisual presence, though framing, sequencing, layering sound and other examples of the editing process (Aguayo 170). This is especially the case with creative documentaries, more so than with journalistic documentaries. Documentaries can make claims, propose perspectives and evoke feelings (Nichols 68). Several definitions for the concept perspective are used by different theorists, such as ‘the voice of the documentary’ by Nichols. As Nichols describes it: the voice of the documentary is each film’s specific way of expressing its way of seeing the world (68).

The perspective of the documentary is often related to the opinion of the filmmaker about a certain subject. But in this research, the interest is not in the opinion of the filmmaker as a person, but in the perspective that is provided through the documentary. The perspective often originates from a larger group than the filmmaker himself, the whole production team has a part in it and the perspective is often interwoven with the context of the documentary. Since it is not just one person who is responsible for constructing the perspective, the concepts of ‘authorship’ or ‘modes of representation’ will not be used in this study. The research will not be done using the filmmaker as a starting point, but using the documentary itself as the starting point instead. By starting with analyzing the film itself, we can determine which perspective the documentary contains and how this is constructed.

§ 3.2 Rhetoric

To analyze how the documentaries provide a perspective, we have to analyze how the images of the documentary construct meaning, or an argument. Kress and van Leeuwen argue in their book

Reading Images: The Grammar of Visual Design (1996) that compositional structures of images

are used to produce meaning (1). By combining depicted people, places and things, you can construct a visual statement.. This visual communication can take place in many visual works, such as illustrations, advertisements and mass media. To analyze these visual works, using the theory of the visual rhetoric is a popular method (Scott 252). The rhetoric has traditionally focused on the power of the word as it is enacted in public context. Aristotle defined rhetoric as: “the faculty of discovering all the available means of persuasion in any given situation.” A more modern, more extensive definition is: “rhetoric is the art or the discipline that deals with the use of discourse,

either spoken or written, to inform or persuade or motivate an audience, whether that audience is made up of one person or a group of persons (Corbett 1).”

More recently, increasing attention has been devoted to the rhetoric of the images, or what is being called “visual rhetoric” (Lucaites and Hariman 37). The combination of film and rhetoric has been researched in several studies, such as the relatively old study on audiovisual rhetoric in written fiction, by Willem Hesling in 1985 (Hesling). Blakesley provides a definition of ‘film rhetoric’: “The visual and verbal signs and strategies that shape film experience” (Blakesley 3). The visual rhetoric can be used to analyze and interpret visual texts’ persuasive strategies (Gries 439). Gries states that visual rhetoric can shape the social, and the social can shape the visual rhetoric in turn (Gries 439). Therefore, Gries states that we should decode texts to shed light on how images contribute to contemporary public discourse. Visual rhetoric is an

interpretative theory that frames a message as an interested party’s attempt to influence an audience, as Scott states (252). Visual elements are very important in influencing this audience. The selection of specific style elements can rhetorically communicate a certain argument (Scott 253). Choosing a certain style will persuade the viewer in a different way than another style would have done. Images thus can be a very powerful means of communication to influence an

audience.

As stated before, documentaries can persuade the viewer into adapting a certain perspective on social issues. This perspective is provided by meaningful images. Visual statements can be made in documentaries as a form of visual communication. To analyze and interpret the persuasive strategies in the documentaries on assisted dying, visual rhetoric offers a very valuable framework. One of the academics who argues this is the previously mentioned Angela Aguayo in Documentary Film/Video and Social Change: A Rhetorical investigation of

Dissent (79). She states that “Documentary film can be regarded as rhetorical by performing many

of the actions for which language is used such as warning, asserting, identifying, informing, ridiculing and critiquing” (76).

Bill Nichols also focuses on the value of the rhetorical framework in documentaries in his book

Introduction to Documentary. He describes rhetoric as “the form of speech used to persuade or

convince others about an issue for which no clear-cut, unequivocal answer or solution exists” (63). He claims that the different aspects of rhetoric are also applicable to documentaries. Medhurst and Benson also use a rhetorical framework to analyze a documentary. They state that “the

but also from the situation, the structural relation of shots to one another and the other

dimensions of the film, and from the rhythm of the cutting” (58). It is therefore very valuable to analyze how a documentary visually constructs an argument.

The study of rhetoric is divided into five parts or departments: inventio, dispositio, elocutio, memoria and pronuntiatio (Corbett 17). In modern English we can translate this as: invention, arrangement, style, memory and delivery. These departments can be used when analyzing

documentaries. The departments memory and delivery relate to the public, not to the perspective of the film. Since the perspective of the documentary is central in this study, and we will not be able to analyze the public, those two departments will be disregarded.

§ 3.2.1 Invention

The first department, invention, refers to proof or the discovery of evidence to support an

argument (Corbett 17). This concept of ‘proof’ is broader than scientific proof, and can also relate to social conventions. Aristotle distinguished between three types of proof: ethos, pathos and logos (Nichols 79).

1. Logos: the rational appeal (Corbett 18). This type of artistic proof offers convincing or

demonstrative proof (Nichols 79). In this type of proof, the narrator, or filmmaker in our case, ‘argues’ with its audience (Nichols 79). The rational appeal is appealing to the audience’s reason or understanding (Corbett 18).

2. Pathos: the emotional appeal (Corbett 18). This type of proof offers compelling or emotional proof (Nichols 79). The will of people is often more swayed by emotions than by their reasons. The emotional appeal uses this function of emotional proof. The narrator or filmmaker can use emotional proof to put the audience in the right mood or to establish a frame of mind

favorable to a particular view (Nichols 79).

3. Ethos: the ethical appeal (Corbett 19). This type offers credible or ethical proof. In this type of proof, the narrator or filmmaker ingratiated himself or herself with an audience. They thereby gained their trust and admiration by creating the impression that he or she is a person of intelligence, benevolence and probity (Corbett 19). This proof generates an impression of good moral character or credibility for the filmmaker, witnesses, authorities, and others (Nichols 79).

§ 3.2.2 Arrangement

The second part of rhetoric, dispositio, is the division concerned with the effective and orderly arrangement of the parts of the written or spoken discourse (Corbett 20). Arrangement involves organizing the parts of a rhetorical speech or, in this case, film, to maximum effect (Nichols 85). I will analyze the arrangement by using the theory of segmentation, introduced by Greg M. Smith in The Segmenting Spectator: Documentary Structure and The Aristocrats (Smith 83-100). I will analyze how the arrangement of segments constructs a perspective in the documentary. The arrangement of segments, thematically connected elements of the documentary, is very important in constructing this perspective. How elements are placed, in relation to each other, can create a very powerful structure. Often the structure of documentaries is build up around shifts in the perspective of a subject. The arrangement of segments is important; it takes the viewer through the documentary and the different perspectives to eventually persuade the viewer to adapt the desired perspective. Therefore it is important to analyze the arrangement to see how the viewer is persuaded.

§ 3.2.3 Style

The third part of rhetoric is elocutio, style. According to the classic rhetoric elocutio refers to style of speech, with the deliberate use of metaphors and tropes to persuade the audience (Corbett 17). I will not analyze the style of speech of the documentaries, but the film style, since the cinematographic elements can function to persuade the audience, just as the style of speech could. I will analyze the following style elements in the documentaries:

Mise-en-scène: this includes the arrangement of everything that appears in the framing such as

actors, lighting, decor etc. The mise-en-scène of a film can reveal a lot of the perspective of the film. The choice of characters, the lighting etc. all directly influence the way the viewer receives the film (Bordwell and Thompson 118-138).

Cinematography: this includes all manipulations of the film strip by the camera in the shooting

fase. In particular I will analyze camera angles, camera distances and camera movement (Bordwell and Thompson 167-218).

Editing: editing partly overlays with arrangement. Where editing involves the selection and

combining of the shots into segments, arrangement deals with the ordering of these segments. The paragraphs on editing will therefore be focused on aspects such as rhythm, tempo and selection of shots (Bordwell and Thompson 223-265).

Sound: we can divide sound in documentaries into two categories. Diegetic sounds are the

sounds that are recorded in the world of the film, such as voices and ambient sounds. Non-diegetic sounds are elements that do not originate from the film world and are added to the soundtrack during the editing process (Bordwell and Thompson 269 - 308). These are elements such as voice-overs, non-diegetic music and sound effects. Documentaries often use four kinds of sound: spoken word, sound effects, ambient sounds and music (Aguayo 103). Music can have a very persuasive effect. For instance, it can be used to set a certain mood in favor of the

perspective or it can function as a guide through the narrative. That is why it is important to take into account (Bordwell and Thompson 269 - 308).

§ 3.3 Method

By implementing the theory previously explained, I will create a usable analysis model. In the following chapters I will analyze one documentary per chapter. For every documentary I will use a similar model.

My method is partly based on the case study by Medhurst and Benson in the article The

City: The rhetoric of rhythm. Medhurst and Benson state that “Documentaries can provide

political content in an aesthetic form that results in a film of lasting rhetorical appeal (55). In their case study they analyze the documentary The City, produced by Ralph Steiner and Willard van Dyke, on its rhetorical strategies. Medhurst and Benson conclude that the documentary is an argument for the establishment of greenbelt communities. In their analysis they research how this argument is constructed through rhetorical strategies. They use an analysis per segment (59-60). After listing all the segments, their time codes and the content of each segment, they examine how each segment works in constructing the argument. They do this by analyzing different rhetorical aspects, such as the contrast between and combination of the different segments, framing and camera angles, montage and editing and music. All these different elements are linked back to the rhythm of the documentary, as they claim that the rhythm is most important in constructing the argument of The City. We can conclude that Medhurst and Benson use similar

rhetorical aspects as Nichols examines in his book. This shows that the theory of Nichols is well applicable in determining the argument of the documentary.

For all the documentaries I use a detailed analysis per segment method, based on Medhurst and Benson. In a schedule I will set out all the segments according to the following aspects: time code, content, diegetic sound, non-diegetic sound and any notable aspects in style. This will provide a clear overview of how the documentary is structured. By doing this, I will start my analysis in the position of the viewer. I analyze how what happens on the screen might affect the viewer, taking my own experience as the criterion to form a hypothesis about the intended effects on the viewer. According to this schedule, I will analyze where and how certain

perspectives are provided. This reveals how and when the viewer is addressed on the topic of assisted dying. It shows how the viewer is directed through the rhetorical strategies. These findings will be elaborated on in the paragraphs ‘arrangement’. Analyzing the arrangement will reveal the perspective on assisted dying provided in the different documentaries.

Connected to this persuasion through the arrangement, is the use of proof in the

documentary. The rhetorical department invention will be covered in the paragraphs ‘invention’ for each documentary. These paragraphs analyze what kind of proof is used in the documentary and how this contributes to persuading the viewer according to the previously determined perspective.

Then, I will analyze style. I will analyze mise-en-scène, cinematography, editing and sound. For the department style, I will limit myself to only pointing out the aspects that contribute to the perspective the documentary has on assisted dying. I will analyze which style elements are used and how they help persuade the viewer.

After this rather broad analysis of the whole documentary, we can bring this back to set out a brief overview of the argumentative structure of the documentary. What arguments for and against assisted suicide are used and how they are supported will be set out succinctly. This will enable me to eventually construct the main argument of the documentary which determines its perspective. The argumentative structure is constructed according to the Toulmin Model (Hitchcock). The Toulmin Model offers a framework with which it is easy to construct an argumentative structure that points out the arguments used, the substantiation of these arguments and the possible rebuttal of the counterarguments.

Thereafter, a brief summary of how the documentary constructs a perspective on assisted dying and how the viewer is persuaded to adopt this perspective is provided. This summary connects all the previously separated departments of the rhetorical analysis.

Finally, I will research how the documentary positions itself within the social and political debate through providing the previously determined perspective. Also provided is an analysis of the social impact the documentary caused after its airing. Since the documentaries are all

produced very recently, it might not be possible to say something about their long-term effects, but then some first reactions to the films and first effects will be elaborated on. This is analyzed through newspaper articles.

Chapter four: Analysis Terry Pratchett: Choosing to Die.

In this chapter, the documentary Terry Pratchett: Choosing to die will be analyzed. The film was produced in the United Kingdom in 2011. It was directed and produced by Charlie Russell. He made a film on Pratchett and his Alzheimer’s disease in 2009, a few years prior to this

documentary (Rickett). His other documentaries, produced after Terry Pratchett: Choosing to Die, were about the topics of Granny Escorts and adopted children from Romania. Russell also made a third film with Terry Pratchett (imdb.com).

The film is presented by Terry Pratchett, a well-known fantasy writer from the United Kingdom. Pratchett suffers from a rare form of Alzheimer’s. He knows that in a few years, he will probably not be able to take care of himself anymore. Therefore he considers the option of assisted suicide in Switzerland, since assisted dying in the United Kingdom is prohibited. The documentary follows Pratchett in his search for options of assisted suicide. He meets several people who are connected with assisted suicide. The film mainly focuses on the story of Peter Smedley, an English millionaire hotelier who was diagnosed with motor neuron disease. Peter travels to Switzerland with his wife for assisted suicide. Pratchett follows Peter to Switzerland and witnesses the assisted suicide in a Dignitas Clinic. There, Pratchett also meets the founder of Dignitas, Ludwig Minelli. Pratchett also meets the widow of the Belgian writer Hugo Claus, who decided to commit suicide in 2008 after being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. Pratchett meets Mick Gordelier as well, who also suffers from a motor neuron disease but who chose to stay in a hospice in the UK. Andrew Colgan, a 42 year-old who suffers from multiple sclerosis, also decides to go to Switzerland to commit assisted suicide.

Terry Pratchett: Choosing to Die focuses on Pratchett’s own internal dilemma on assisted

suicide. He considers the arguments for and against assisted suicide by involving himself with several involved parties.

After analyzing the documentary, it became clear that it provides a positive perspective on assisted dying. It argues that everyone should have the right to choose his or her own death. The analysis below shows how the documentary constructs this perspective on assisted dying and how this corresponds with the social and political debate on assisted dying in the United Kingdom. A detailed analysis per segment can be found in appendix one.

§ 4.1 Arrangement

The documentary starts off with a personal introduction by Terry Pratchett himself in a very dark room (segment 1). In the opening it immediately becomes evident that the documentary will be about assisted dying, which is not legal in the United Kingdom. Terry shares that he is not against assisted dying, because he thinks that ‘in these modern times, one should not have to fear what the future may hold’. Terry tells that in this film, the viewer will discover if it is possible for

someone to arrange for themselves the death that they want. Terry also shares that he suffers from Alzheimer’s, and that he considers how he wants to die as well. The viewer immediately knows the documentary will function as some sort of personal quest for Terry to discover the options of assisted dying. It is clear that Terry is open to the idea of assisted dying, although he has some questions about it. The viewer is already offered a positive perspective on assisted dying, but this is not yet made completely explicit.

In the next segment (segment 2), the viewer gets to know Terry better. A personal bond is created between Terry and the viewer as Terry is presented as a very likable person in this

segment. This segment ends with Terry in the dark room again, in which he states: “I want to enjoy life, for as long as I can squeeze the juice out of it. And then, I would like to die. But I don't quite know how, and I am not quite sure when.” Here, the viewer is offered a similar perspective as presented in the opening scene: a positive perspective towards the option of assisted dying, but with some questions or doubts about the way that would happen.

In the following segment (segment 3), Terry mentions the arguments against assisted dying. He tells us, in voice over, that some people fear that allowing assisted dying will lead to opening the flood gates and eventually to uncontrollable killing of the vulnerable. “The question is: how to guarantee sincere consent? And what happens to those who are left behind?” Terry admits it is a delicate subject, but he wants to explore the options because of his Alzheimer’s. In this segment, the contra-sound of assisted dying is presented. But Terry only identifies the counterarguments; he does not elaborate on them or confront them. In fact, the attention to this negative side of assisted dying is very limited.

Next, a segment follows in which new characters, Peter and his wife, are introduced (segment 4). This segment elaborates on how Peter considers assisted suicide in Switzerland. Terry reacts by explaining his problem with the Dignitas clinic in Switzerland. He sees it as a one-stop-shop, a machinery. He also compares it to the killing business of the Nazis, which encourages the viewer to think about the practices at Dignitas. This segment is followed by a rather light

segment in which, just as in segment 2, a personal bond is created between the viewer and the characters (segment 5). The lightness of this segment contrasts with the heavier segment 4. This contrast makes it manageable for the viewer to watch.

Segment 7 contains a slight breaking point, when Terry goes to a restaurant with Peter and his wife. It is an emotional scene to watch because it is obvious how much Peter is suffering from his disease. Peter explains that “he can’t risk continuing his life like this any longer”. This is the moment when the reality of assisted dying visibly hits Terry. He realizes that Peter really wants to end his life, and this is obviously confrontational for Terry. He is struck by the fact that Peter would go to Switzerland so early in order to protect his life. He ends his thought process by stating that assisted dying remains illegal in the United Kingdom. It is easy for the viewer to also disagree with the illegality of assisted dying, just like Terry, Peter and his wife, after having just seen the personal story of Peter.

After these heavy segments, the documentary uses more or less the same structure as before. Three segments (segments 8, 9 and 10) are presented in which Terry meets Veerle Claus, the wife of the late writer Hugo Claus, who died using assisted dying. First Veerle is introduced, and then a personal bond is constructed between Veerle and the viewer. This is a more emotional scene to watch because Veerle tells about the death of her husband. In the following segment Terry again reflects on the previous segments. In this last segment Terry is obviously affected again by the story of Veerle and he almost cries. The structure of these segments is very

persuasive, because first a bond is created between the viewer and the characters, and then the viewer witnesses how supportive these characters are of assisted dying. It is obvious that assisted dying was really the best option for them. Because of this structure, it is hard for the viewer not to support the opinions of these characters.

The next character Terry meets is Mick, who has the same disease as Peter but who decided to live in a hospice (segments 11 and 12). These segments are rather light to watch, and an alternative to assisted dying is provided. In the following segment (13) we see Terry reflecting on this meeting in the dark room. His opinion is shared again: everyone needs to be able to make the choice for him- or herself.

Then, a rather similar group of segments follows as with Peter and Veerle when Terry meets Andrew who is suffering from MS and who wants to end his life. Andrew already picked a day to end his life in Switzerland. After this, (in segment 15) Terry again reflects on the meeting. He is obviously affected by Andrew’s decision. This is the first time in this documentary that the

viewer might notice a less positive perspective on assisted dying from Terry. Before, he was only positive about assisted dying, but now that it gets so close, the reality hits Terry. The ethical approach to assisted dying makes a little room for an emotional response. But even though we see Terry not being completely convinced anymore, he still says he has to accept Andrew’s decision. In the next segment (16), we see Terry and his assistant Rob traveling to Switzerland to follow not only Andrew, but also Peter, who decided to go to Dignitas as well. Rob too is

emotionally affected. He states that “It feels so wrong”. This is the point where the documentary slightly shifts from supporting assisted dying towards having some emotional doubts about it.

After these emotional segments, some light segments follow in which the viewer gets to know the organization for assisted suicide in Switzerland, Dignitas, through meeting the secretary general of Dignitas, Ludwig (segments 17, 18 and 19). They visit the ‘dying house’ in which foreigners can commit assisted suicide. Terry is still not convinced about Dignitas: “I do not want to live in a world where anyone could die more or less at any time, more or less at a whim. Maybe there are better ways of doing it.” The perspective of the documentary is still a bit staggering at this moment. These doubts, however, are not really about whether assisted dying should be an option, but more on possible problems with Dignitas.

In segments 22 and 23 Terry and Rob meet Andrew and his mother before he ends his life. These are very emotional scenes and Terry and Rob are obviously still not convinced about his decision. Andrew’s mother thinks that it is a selfish and not loving thing to do of Andrew. But she does think everybody should have the right to decide for himself. In segments 23 and 24 we see Terry and Rob after they said goodbye to Andrew. They are very obviously affected. They listen to Andrew’s favorite music and Terry has to cry a little. In these segments the emotions are leading, the ethical arguments are not discussed.

The heavy emotions fade away in the next segments (segments 26 and 27) when Rob and Terry visit Peter again. These lighter segments give the viewer the opportunity to ‘recover’ for the last part of the documentary. Terry projects his own situation on Peter’s, which makes it very personal. He ends the segment with: “I think I am going to see a man die today… at his own request.” This introduces the last, emotional, part of the documentary.

Segment 30 is the point where everything comes together, when Peter drinks the poison and dies. The death of Peter is fully registered. In this segment, the emotion is leading, there is no attention paid to any ethical argument. The viewer will definitely be swayed by his emotions in this scene.

Segment 31 is a breaking point again, for Terry himself and for the viewer. Terry reflects on the death of Peter at Dignitas and he admits that he was extremely impressed by how the assisted suicide was done. He thought it was wonderful. Then, Terry breaks down and cries. Whereas before, he was not completely convinced about assisted suicide at Dignitas, he is now convinced that it is a good option. This is made extra explicit in segment 32 where he directly addresses the viewer, reflects on the process and states that it was a happy event. The perspective is now obviously completely in support of both assisted dying and Dignitas. Terry is really convinced about the importance of allowing assisted dying after witnessing Peter’s peaceful death. This is not only the breaking point for Terry, but also for the viewer. Witnessing Peter’s very emotional but peaceful death convinces the viewer of the importance of assisted dying.

In segment 33 Terry is again seen in the dark room, proposing a final conclusion. He states: “I want to stay around as long as I can to see assisted dying done properly in the UK.” This shows that he completely supports assisted dying and thinks it should be legal in the UK. He ends the documentary with: “If I die, when I die, I would like to die outside in the sunshine. Hmm.. I suppose there is sunshine sometimes in Switzerland.” All his doubts have disappeared and he would even consider going to Dignitas himself. The perspective that is offered here is completely in support of assisted dying.

§ 4.2 Invention

When analyzing the documentary, it is obvious that the documentary contains a lot of ‘proof’ used for constructing the perspective. The three different forms of proof, logos, pathos and ethos, will be elaborated on below.

§ 4.2.1 Logos

Logos is the proof with which the audience can form an opinion on the subject matter (Nichols 79). Terry provides some rational proof about the situation of assisted dying in the UK and in the rest of Europe. Paying attention to the legal situation constructs a form of reliability with the viewer.

The documentary provides some counterarguments on assisted dying. This gives the viewer the impression that the documentary does not only provide one side of the story. However, as noted in the analysis of the arrangement, very little attention is paid to these

counterarguments. Not paying much attention to counterarguments makes it easier to persuade the viewer through the arguments in favor of assisted dying.

§ 4.2.2 Pathos

Although the documentary contains some rational proof, the emotional proof is much more important. By creating an emotional bond between the viewer and Terry and the other characters, the viewer emphasizes the characters. The entire documentary is built up to constantly create an increasingly intense emotional bond between the viewer and the characters. Consequently, the viewer is persuaded to be led by his emotions and therefore to follow the opinions of the

characters. Since all characters support assisted dying, and emotional proof is provided in favor of this argument, it is evident that the perspective of the documentary is positive towards assisted dying.

§ 4.2.3 Ethos

The ethical proof in this documentary supports Terry and the other characters. As Nichols describes: “the narrator gains the trust and the admiration of the audience by creating the

impression that he or she is a person of intelligence, benevolence and probity” (79). This is exactly what happens with Terry. First of all, he is a writer, which immediately gives off the impression of an intelligent person. And because of his fame, he also has a certain credibility. Furthermore, he appears to be a very likable person, as he has good moral values, which becomes clear when he intervenes with the other characters. He also appears to be very benevolent. He is not afraid to show his emotions on screen, he is obviously touched by all the stories and openly admits how hard it is for him, which makes him very sympathetic. And just like Terry, the other characters are very likable.

Terry seems to be very sincere throughout the documentary. He clarifies that he supports assisted suicide, but he also admits how delicate the subject is, and how hard it is if someone makes the decision. This increases his credibility as a narrator, and through that, the credibility of the whole documentary. This makes it easier and more natural for the audience to follow Terry in his argument of supporting assisted dying.

§ 4.3 Style

The style in Terry Pratchett: Choosing to Die supports the positive perspective on assisted dying. The paragraphs below will elaborate on how the style functions to construct the perspective of the documentary per department of style.

§ 4.3.1 Mise-en-scène

One aspect of mise-en-scène is the selection of characters. In Terry Pratchett: Choosing to Die, all the characters are chosen in favor of the perspective. All of the characters support the option of assisted dying, though some more than others. By excluding opponents and only elaborating on the arguments against assisted dying through Terry, the documentary offers a subjective group of people involved with the subject.

Another aspect of mise-en-scène are the locations. The most notable location is the ‘dark room’ in which Terry shares his personal opinion on assisted dying and provides the main

arguments of the documentary. The audience is directly approached by Terry during these segments. The whole setting of the room is very staged. The background is almost completely black, except for several bright lights on the side. This construction has some resemblance to the ‘tunnel of light’ which is often described in relation to the last moment of someone’s life. Terry wears black, which makes his body is almost invisible. The focus is on his face. This whole

construction makes it feel as if we are ‘inside’ his head. The way this is staged intensifies the effect that Terry’s thought process has on the viewer.

The other locations of the film are mainly logical places on Terry’s journey, such as houses of the patients, the hospice and the Dignitas clinic. The bond between the viewer and the characters is intensified by filming the characters in their own houses and showing personal belongings. This is very important for the emotional proof of the documentary. Audiences are more likely to go with a certain perspective, or agree with an argument, when they have a connection with the characters.

The lighting is, except for the scenes in the dark room, not very striking. The lighting seems slightly darker than natural, but this is not outstandingly noticeable. The slightly dark lighting set a slightly somber tone.

§ 4.3.2 Cinematography

Terry Pratchett: Choosing to Die uses a very personal approach. It tells the personal story of Terry

himself, and he meets people who share their personal stories. He even attends the assisted suicide of Peter, a very personal event. The cinematography of the documentary supports this personal approach.

The documentary contains a lot of close-ups, including some extreme close-ups. In the most scenes, the faces of the characters are explicitly shown. Because of this we can see their emotions very well. The audience feels like they are involved in the experiences of Terry and the other characters. This supports the emotional proof of the documentary. Besides close-ups, there are also a lot of medium-shots of the characters. These shots are often used when the characters talk with each other. They also give the audience the feeling of closeness, like you are really there with them.

The feeling of really being close to the characters is increased by using eye-level camera angles. Practically all the shots are taken at eye-level which gives the impression of a point-of-view shot. This camera level, combined with the close camera distances, feels like the viewer is looking from someone’s point of view. This creates the feeling of really being present. The

cinematography of the documentary does not create a distance between the viewer and the characters, which supports their emotional connection. This causes the viewer to easily agree with Terry and the perspective of the documentary.

§ 4.3.3 Editing

The editing of Terry Pratchett: Choosing to Die is not very striking. The editing often follows the action on screen. Faces of characters are alternated based on who is talking. In some cases the editing does not follow the action on the screen, such as when meaningful shots from outside the action are inserted. For example, when Peter drinks his poison for his assisted suicide, the shots of him dying are alternated with shots of Terry's face. These alternating shots have an emotional function. The substandard editing gives the documentary a natural feeling. This corresponds with the cinematography of the documentary.

§ 4.3.4 Sound

Music plays an important role in this documentary. It functions in two ways. On the one hand it functions to support or intensify the emotions. On the other hand, music is used to create contrast between heavier and lighter scenes in the structure of the documentary.

The music is mainly used to intensify the emotions in the heavier scenes of the

documentary. In the dark room, slow piano music is mainly used, which creates a rather sad mood. This intensifies Terry’s emotions and therefore the emotional bond the viewer feels with him. Very sad, dark music is also used in other emotional scenes. From segment 29 on, the music consists of electronic tones with an extreme low pitch. This is used in the segments when Peter dies, which is the most emotional part of the film. The viewers’ emotional reaction to these scenes will be more intense by using these very dark tones. By intensifying the emotions through music, the emotional proof of the documentary is increased. Terry Pratchett: Choosing to Die uses the music to put the audience in the right mood, an emotional mood which creates compassion for the characters. This emotional impact causes the viewers to agree with the arguments of the characters.

Besides intensifying the emotional impact, the music also has a structural function. As we could see when analyzing the structure of the documentary, it consists of very similar segments. First, a light introduction to the characters is given. These segments are supported by very light, often high pitched harp music. Even though the content of these segments is rather heavy, the segments are bearable to watch because of the light feeling they provide. The music creates a lightness which makes it possible for the viewer to watch such heavy content. After these light segments, the more heavy segments follow, supported by more somber music. Besides the narrative itself, the music thus also provides a structure that leads the viewer through the documentary.

Besides music, Terry’s voice-overs are really important. They give the most information in the documentary; they provide the rational proof, and they also allow Terry to share his own experiences and reflections, which creates a bond between him and they viewer. Terry’s

monologues are really important. He shares the most personal opinions during these segments, such as: “I want to stay around as long as I can to see assisted dying done properly in the UK.” These voice-overs and monologues function as a guide through the movie. The positive perspective on assisted dying is very obvious in these segments. The film also ends with a very impressive monologue, in which he makes clear that assisted suicide in Switzerland has become a real option for him.