Kony Analysis

Kony 2012 was is a documentary produced by the Invisible Children, Inc. it was released on March 5, 2012 and directed by Jason Russell. The social issue that the documentary is documenting and looking at a man called Joseph Kony who is kidnapping children in Uganda and forcing them to do what he want s, so raises his statues of power. The children are being forced to do horrific things involving killing other children who disobey Kony, murdering their parents. Kony is turning the male children in to skilled weapons where as the females are being used as sex slaves and are being sexually exploited. The documentary also focuses on justice and awareness.

At the beginning of the documentary, it documents the invisible children’s plans and efforts to capture joseph. It goes in to great depth the actions of Kony with his rebel militia group Lord’s Resistance Army. (LRA), including the forcing of children being recruited as soldiers and also the regions they were happening in such as northern Uganda, the Democratic REPLUBLIC THE Congo and South Sudan. One of the many main people featured in the documentary is the young Ugandan Jacob Avaye, who we found out brother, was killed in the LRA. In response to finding out what had happened to Jacobs’s brother and what he had been through himself, the director and the founder of invisible children, Jason Russell made a promise to Jacob to help stop Kony.

The documentary promoters restricting compelled and forced youth military service and the restoration of social order. The video also has clips of Jason Russell's young son reacting to the information about Kony and what he forces children to do. Towards the end of the film, then a 2011 announcement from U.S. President Barack Obama is shown approving the deployment of Special forces military advisers to deliver information, advice, and assistance to partner nation forces remove Joseph Kony from the battlefield. The documentary then ends by encouraging us the audience to join its campaign by putting up posters, helping out in their communities and providing a action pack.

The documentary looks at current affairs and investigates the action of Kony, which makes it an instigative documentary because it looks at a certain issue and focuses on a certain story. It is presented as a democratic tool for the audience to find out the truths and exposing wrong doing which this documentary does.  It’s also a current affairs documentary because the documentary looks at a current political and social issue in great depth, using voice-overs, news footage and interviews to achieve this. There are many conventions used in the documentary to document the issue. For example opinions was used, in the documentary we had countless opinions from the directors son. He we also get opinions from Jacob when discussing the lose of his brother he said that he would rather die than live with Kony out there and waiting for himself to be one of the children kidnaped. Another convention used is interviews, in the documentary we see the director interview Jacob asking him about what it was like, what the actual story was about joseph Kony.

Another convention used is images and photographs, in the documentary we see what the children in Uganda are being forced to do, we see the scars and results of what the children are being forced to do to victims who have survived the incident. I think this use of the convention is effective because it shows the seriousness and also realisation of what children at what a young age are being forced to do. I also thinks it’s a persuasive tactic to get the audience to want to take action.

Achieve footage is also used in the documentary; this is used at the start of the documentary when the director is showing the audience the birth of his child, and the stages of him growing up. This convention was used to show us the audience that every child including the children in Uganda should have a memorable childhood to look back on, that every child should enjoy their childhood. Their was also use of actual footage in the documentary for example when we saw footage of the campaigning going on to help stop Kony.

The purpose of the documentary was to raise awareness about Joseph Kony, but also to raise awareness of his action and what he made young children to do. For example in the middle of the documentary we see the director showing his son pictures of both Kony and Jacob and telling him about it. Also at the start of the documentary the director start of by telling us a little bit about Kony, followed by footage of someone taking children as a example of what Kony does. What also raises awareness of Kony is the campaign which is the campaign ‘ Kony 2012’ this is also being promoted in the documentary, for example in the middle of the documentary we see a ‘ Children’s Inc.’ Facebook page which is fighting for Kony to get captured for his action. We also see countless protest and people involved in the organisation. Though I think the primarily purpose of the documentary was to raise awareness, I do think another purpose of the documentary was to persuade the audience into to join the organisation, and also to persuade the audience to take action as well. I say this because towards the end of the documentary the director advertises the organisation pack and encourages you to join for just a generous fee to help.

I think the audience that is being targeted is mainstream; I think seeing that the documentary was shared on various sites such as Facebook and promoted worldwide I think the audience that is being targeted is everyone who is willing to help. For example when the documentary promotes the action pack it’s aimed at everyone it’s not specified to who should order it, in addition I think the documentary has different elements within it which would target an audience with an average taste and interest such as the story of Kony, the campaigning and the news.

The ages of the audience being targeted through the documentary is from the starting age of 11- onwards. I think the age of the audience starts from the young age of 11 is because the organisation and story is promoted on Facebook which is the youngest age you are allowed to sign up for Facebook. I think the purpose of this was to perhaps reach out to those of the same or near the same age of those children in Uganda, but also to aware them of the issue. I think that the documentary is targeted at those of all ages; I think age isn’t relevant in this case; the documentary is just trying to get those who are willing to listen to help.

The gender of the documentary that I think it is aimed at is both the female and male gender. I don’t think the documentary is aimed at a specific gender, because in the documentary we see how the issue is effecting both boy and girl children. We also see both women and men taking part in the campaigning and the organisation goes to both genders of the celebrities and high-powered people for help. Again I think the documentary has no limitation of which it targets, it’s just to reach out to those who are willing to help stop Kony by joining the organisation.

The interest of the audience who I think is being targeted through the documentary are those, who have an interest in current affairs, news, world issues and documentary. For example the documentary talks about issues in Uganda and discusses politics.

The location and language of the audience who I think is being targeted, I think isn’t relevant. However I do think those who are from Uganda and are well established with knowledge of Kony and his action. Will be able to relate to the victims of the documentary and will also take an interest in it. How I think they are being targeted is through the storyline and social media, I think from Uganda will have an understanding and relate to the victims and children which how they’re targeted.

The demographic group which I think is targeted through the documentary is those in group ‘E’ state pensioners or casual or lowest grade works, group D semi and unskilled manual worker and group ‘C2’ skilled manual workers. I people in these demographic groups would be interested in the documentary, I think those from the lower groups would maybe be able to have an understanding of the story, I think students would be aimed at to educate them as well as inform them. I think those from a slightly higher demographic group such as ‘C2’ like teachers would be targeted to show the documentary to students and to others.

How I think the audience is being targeted is through the social media, I think the constant images of the campaigning, picture of victims, children, Jacob, updates on the progress of the organisation ect. This targets the audience; I think it showed the audience what a different the organisation is actually making and is showing the audience that we can make a different if we just work together.

There are a variety of things in the documentary that encourage, the audience in participating in creating change. Things such as the action kit, this is promoted towards the end of the documentary, the action kit involves two rubber bands to keep for you and for another person to spread the word. Updates on the campaign, the story of Kony ect. The documentary also encourages you to donate to the campaign, and tells you how your money will help. Also seeing that the documentary is on Facebook and other website, you can share it with others to raise awareness and to get more people to help. In addition the documentary encourages you to participate in the blackout to help get the government to help with the Kony issue.