Students will write a 5-7 page APA paper conducting an interpersonal communication behavior analysis of a film. They will choose the film in week five from a list provided in the weekly module. The a

Interpersonal communication in the Blindside Film

Yaritza Barbosa

Cal Baptist University

Abstract

The choice of Blindside was based on the numerous instances of interpersonal communication. Ideally, the forms of interpersonal communication within the movie aimed to create fascination among the listeners. The message, feedback and the channels of communication have much relevance to Blindside. The director of this film, employed numerous instances of interpersonal communication to convey messages in different cases. Intercultural communication is evident in the film through the racial prejudices that exist. Michael has to overcome the racial animosity in a largely white community. Michael experiences a relationship developed with the family. The film ends when Michael is fully integrated into the new family. Other characters helped improve Michael through small interventions that led to expectancy violations. In the end, impersonal relationships turned to interpersonal relationships.

Interpersonal communication in the Blindside Film

Introduction

The Blindside is a fictional film that was written and directed by John Hancock. Within the film, a biographical sports drama that focuses on the storyline of Michael is illustrated. Despite the epics, within the film, the significant, exciting aspect is the interpersonal communication aspects that have been employed throughout the film. The blind side has been chosen since it contains a vibrant network of interpersonal communications which are curtailed with different emotions (Sexton, 2017). The ability to convey information to the audience effectively through nonverbal and verbal communication shows the extensiveness in the communication pattern. This paper will focus on the interpersonal communication skills and elements in blindside film.

Elements of communication In the Blindside

Blindside encompasses several communicators who all aim to convey a message to the audience. For instance, the interpersonal communication between Leigh Anne and Michael in some parts of the film has a message to the audience. For example, the ability for Anne to notice that Michael is unsettled. The gestures by Michael towards the viewer. The other instance, where interpersonal communication is evident is when Anne talks to Michael's mother to allow her to be the legal guardian. The ability to discuss with Mike's mother for conclusive understanding depicts the communication. Within the film, communicators such as Collins, Leigh Anne, and Michael among others employ different forms of communication at different instances to ensure that there is conformity in the communication flow.

The face to face communication between Anne and Michael's mother has a common objective. The facial expressions by the mother are a show of the reluctance in the adoption of the child. Most often, interpersonal communication does not guarantee the speech aspects. The ability to convey the message is what matters most. The message can be expressed through gestures, body language as well as the tone of the voice. Blindside is an epitome of the non-verbal patterns that influence the message. The emotional attitudes that are depicted in the film all have a message for the audience. A case example is when Anne notices that Mike has walked away from the family. It illustrates the reluctance to be within the home (Sexton, 2017). Thus, the emotional aspects underline the content of the film.

The context of delivering information defines interpersonal communication. Within the film, there are different contexts in which information is expressed. Within the various settings, interpersonal communication is used to ensure fluidity in the cast. The ability to move to different schools and different environment all have a message to the audience. However, it is notable that all the instances within the film have feedback from the people in communication. The feedback makes it easy to understand the flow of communication and the thoughts among the communicators. As part of the communication process, there are various voices and sounds that are used in the film. The voices and sounds have a message to the audience which makes it easy to comprehend whatever is expressed in the movie. The various forms of communication that are employed in the film all have a necessity for the overall outcome of matters of interpersonal communication. For instance, the use of interviews and face to face communication have much relevance to the audience as they can comprehend the channels of interpersonal communication that have been used.

Elements of intercultural communication arise in the film. The Tuohy family is white and meets the black Michael in the street. At this early stage, only Ann seems to understand Michael. The rest of the family is a bit sceptical of the decision. The facial expressions from the family members and more so the husband is a bit telling (Sorrells, 2015). It seems as though the other members of the Tuohy family consider the racial prejudices when interacting with Michael in the early stages. Michael undergoes racial challenges to become a full member of the Tuohy family. His presence in a majorly white school is not helpful. The children in the school seem to avoid him at the start. There are elements of racial prejudice that seem to melt away as the film progresses slowly. Michael moves to become a full member of the Tuohy family. The racial prejudice is not one-sided. That is evident when Ann, Michael, and Collins visit the projects. One of his old friends makes some racial slurs against Collins and Leigh Ann. The racial slurs are hurtful to Michael who in turn attacks him. Perhaps the attack relates to his defensive nature or simply a way of demonstrating that he understands the scars of racial prejudices.

Another interpersonal communication is the relationship development. The movie continually develops a critical relationship among the characters. The most important relationship development is between Michael and the Tuohy family. At first Leigh Ann is discouraged from adopting Michael for the sake of Collin’s safety (Hancock, 2009). The fears are unfounded since it is Michael that emerges to be protective of Collins. Collins and Michael and Collins have an easy relationship. Even the relationship between Leigh Ann and Michael is also strong from the start of the film. Sean’s relationship with Michael seems to improve across the film. The full integration occurs when Michael decides to join Ole Miss. Sean and Leigh Ann want Michael to join Ole Miss, their alumni. Scouts from other schools consider the undue influence of the Tuohy on Michael’s decision and trigger an investigation. Michael chooses to join Ole Miss. Michael claims that he is joining Ole Miss because it is his family’s school. It is clear from the statement that Michael has fully developed a relationship with the Tuohy to accept them as a family.

Expectancy violations are a major part of the movie. Initially, Michael is labelled stupid and unteachable (Burgoon, 2015). However, one of the teachers discovers that Michael has an exceptional ability to write poems. Most people in society never gave Michael a chance and expected him to be stupid. Even his old teacher did not assess the homework they gave him. The expectancy violation is also seen in his football games. Initially, Michael’s huge body is expected to be used against the opponents. Michael has a slow start, and no one understands his lack of skill in football. It is only after Leigh Anne intervenes that people understand that he is a protective player. Even Michael did not understand his capabilities. The film shows that small measures of intervention can easily result in expectancy violations.

Conclusion

The analysis shows that the film ‘Blind Side’ incorporates several interpersonal communication principles to make the film enjoyable. The different interpersonal concepts influence the prevailing characterizations in the movie. The character in the film experience conflict, develop relationships and overcome prejudice to build their relationships. Small instances of intervention from different character transformed impersonal relationships to interpersonal relationships.

References

Burgoon, J. K. (2015). Expectancy violations theory. The international encyclopedia of interpersonal communication, 1-9.

Hancock John Lee (2009). The Blind Side. Warner Bros Pictures.

Sexton, J. (2017). Origins and Beginnings: On The Blind Side. In Black Masculinity and the Cinema of Policing (pp. 89-120). Palgrave Macmillan, Cham.

Sorrells, K. (2015). Intercultural communication: Globalization and social justice. Sage publications.