Double Indemnity film and Exhibition.

We went on a trip with college to help with our studio lighting brief. We had been tasked to look at film noir lighting as it used minimal lighting (using only one or two lights) and is a specialist area of lighting and photography. This helps to satisfy some criteria of the unit.

We went to the Corner House Gallery in Manchester to look at their exhibition 'Double Indemnity' inspired by the film with the same name.

We watched the film in class before visiting so we could better understand the work.

The film is about an insurance salesman who is seduced by the wife of one of his clients who persuades him to trick her husband in to signing a life insurance policy before murdering him to claim £200,000 dollars, making sure the death appears accidental. The film is called double indemnity after a double indemnity clause in the insurance policy where the insurers pay out double the amount if the policy holder dies in certain accidental circumstances.

The film is a film noir classic, and as such is typical of film noir style of lighting, and camera angles.

 This means that the film is quite shadowy and dark,  often filmed from a fly on the wall perspective. This makes the viewer feel as if they are in on a secret and draws them in to the story.

The film was quite predictable but upon reading a little about it, the film seems to have been one of the earlier of its kind and set the precedent for film noir films to follow which is why the story may seem so familiar and feel predicable.

The exhibition was mildly interesting, the best pieces in my opinion were that of Sophie Calle and Ming Wong.

Sophie Called hired a private detective to follow her and document her movements. The private detective didn't know he was following the woman who hired him. (this image was taken from the Corner House Gallery Manchester website.)


The photos were displayed accompanied by the notes of the detective written in typewriter font. The black and white photos adhered to the film noir style, contrasty and slightly ominous in some shots. The notes of the detective provided context and commentary to the images  which drew me in as a viewer. I like this work the best.

Ming Wongs' film AFTER CHINATOWN was a film noir style film in which he played both male and female roles. The film was slightly surreal but still engaging and enjoyable to watch.

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