Catfish Reflection Paper - Essay Example

Rothwell s that verbal and nonverbal communication is interconnected (p.16) and that one of the difficulties with communicating virtually is the absence of non-verbal cues (p.17). What is done online by the individuals in the film to establish tone?Due to the absence of non-verbal cues, Angela was able to convingly convey her made up story to Yaniv. Yaniv, on the other hand was handicapped to determine the authenticity of the story played on him because of the absense of non-verbal cues. He was having this “virtual relationship” with Meg and all the while it was Angela who was playing him because there is no way for him to know that it was just Angela “changing voices”.

But this backfired to Angela also, when she (Meg) became careless with her facts especially with that song she claimed to have written for Yaniv was found out to be in Youtube. This triggered an investigation on the part of Yaniv’s company which they found out that Angela was not exactly truthful. Angela on the other continued her story without a cue (due to the absense of non-verbal cues) that Yaniv is already “giving her a ride” after finding it out that she is a fake.2. How did the relationship between the two people making the film, Ariel Schulman and Henry Joost, and the brother of Ariel, Yaniv Schulman (the film was focused Yaniv) affect the actual design/filming of the documentary (group outcome)?

The relationship between the two people making the film, Ariel Schulman and Henry Joost, and the brother of Ariel, Yaniv Schulman actually made the documentary and filming of the film more interesting. It add spice to the film and made the film to have a “raw” design because of the candidness of the interaction of the people in the film. In the opening of the documentary, it actually shot Yaniv at close up range while Yaniv showing discomfort because the film was “too close” that it was already dictating his personal life.

This discomfort and sometimes protestation of Yaniv actually brought flavor to the documentary. This was very evident and even made the film very realistic when Yaniv complain that his brother Ariel and friend Henry Joost talked him into documenting his relationship with Abby and her family (particularly Meg) and then bully him. Ariel retorted that he was actually just directing.3. Did the relationships (group dynamic) change when the virtual relationshp became actual? Or were the others (Angela Wesselman-Pierce and her family) always members of the documentary project/group in tandem and affect with the three film makers.

On the end of Yaniv and company, the relationships (group dynamic) did not change when the virtual relationshp became actual. It is because they already knew, or at least had an idea before going to Ishpeming, Michican and subtly confront Angela that it was all a hoax. They just want to know the details for the sake of the film and get at the bottom of it. It also gave them lead time to absorb the change of the nature of the relationship. First, Yaniv seemed to be really into his relationship with Meg until they found out that she was a hoax (the doubt begun when they found out after that the song which Meg claimed to have written was actually sung by another singer in youtube).

So when they went to Ishpheming (they also visit Meg’s claimed farm in Gladstone) they already knew what to expect.It was on Angela on the other hand that was caught flat footed. First, she was not ready and was surprised that Yaniv and company came to Michican and visit her. Being such, she did not have the luxury of adjusting her self and her “story” based on the new reality that the relationship has now moved from virtual to actual. There, she was caught off guard and in a way, was forced to admit that she just made everything up that Yaniv has to remark that it was “pretty remarkable”.