AOC DIGITAL SHOWCASE: CAMRYN DEWAR – SHE/HER

“What I’ve Learned”

Click below to read Camryn’s essay on musical symbolism in film!

Background music is essential to storytelling in film and to the functions within filmmaking itself. It can illustrate movement, make connections between scenes, create an atmosphere, show the passing of time, portray emotion, reference a time period or setting, and of course, enhance the overall experience of viewing a film (Hoffman). By analyzing, comparing and contrasting how music plays a role in the films Merchant of Venice and As Good As It Gets, it becomes apparent that music is not chosen merely through pleasantness. It is chosen through how every aspect of a song or melody is able to deepen an audience’s understanding of a character and the movie itself. These aspects in music may be thematic repetitions, musical tone – whether major, minor or both, types of instruments used, or when it is played.

Musical Symbolism in Film Essay.docx DEWAR Indigenous Representation in Opera edited.docx

Click below to read Camryn’s essay on Indigenous representation in opera!

[I always] view non-Métis works about Riel’s life with a little bit of skepticism. What’s always missing is the Indigenous voice.

-Adam Gaudry 

Indigenous characters are peppered throughout Canadian opera history, but between 1879 and 2022, several operas provide witness to distinct changes not only in how Indigenous characters are represented through compositional techniques, costuming, and character archetypes (or lack thereof), but also in the increasingly prominent participation of Indigenous peoples as performers and creators. This participation is evident in casting and increased stage time, as well as in the heritage of artistic teams, their incorporation of traditional languages, and the creation of collaborative processes that prioritize respect and care.

DEWAR Indigenous Representation in Opera edited.docx