Representation and Text: Who is Julian Assange?
Representation and Text: Who is Julian Assange?
We Steal Secrets 2013 Director: Alex Gibney See the Wikileaks annotated version of the whole script at http:wikileaks!or"#$Ght%l"ibney&transcript!ht%l
'hapter 1 recap of (ASA hackin" incident What kind of foota"e and editin" e)ects are is *sed in the openin" %in*tes of this +l%, What are the i%pacts of these choices,
Str*ct*re of this narrative: why start this doc*%entary with reports re dan"er in -lorida, #n representin" Assan"e. what is the i%pact of be"innin" with the (ASA hack story,
/he +rst foota"e we see of Assan"e is of hi% sayin" “you talk of times of peace for all and then prepare for war … yep! What does that choice brin",
Sy%bolis%: What kinds of "raphics and editin" are *sed d*rin" the title se*ence, What do these sy%bols s*""est, What is the e)ect of co%binin" the% with the $idni"ht il Son",
'hapter 2 %onta"e of opinions: what drives *lian Assan"e, “" like #eing creati$e … " also like defending $ictims and "%m& a com#ati$e person so " like crushing #astards This profession … is deeply personally satisfying to me!
(ote Assan"es tone while he says these thin"s! What does the 4*xtaposition of the tone and content of this state%ent s*""est abo*t how Assan"e likes to represent hi%self,
'ark (a$is “" see it entirely as one man against the world! • •
$odality 5olarity
Representation and Text: Who is Julian Assange?
S*b4ectivity
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Daniel Do%scheit&6er": “$ery radical $isionary! 'onnotations /one • •
)ick (a$ies “extremely cle$er& #ra$e& dedicated& hardworking guy with a #rilliant idea that he managed to execute!
/one Ad4ectives '*%*lative description re"ister
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7oiceover 8Alex Gibney9: “*#sessed with secrets: keeping his own and unlocking those of go$ernments and corporations … +e liked to use trapdoors to enter where he wasn%t supposed to go! • • • •
Ad4ective obsessed; #rony $etaphor 'onnotation trapdoors;
<*otes on screen: “We%re going to fuck them all … crack the world open and let it ,ower into something new Wikileaks may #ecome the most powerful intelligent agency on the earth& an intelligence agncy of the people! • • • • •
/one: 7*l"arity: $etaphor: $odality: S*perlative ad4ective:
5rof =obert $anne 8>a /robe ?niversity9 “" think he%s a humanitarian anarchist& a kind of John -enin.like re$olutionary& dreaming of a #etter world! •
5aradox: All*stion 'onnotation of verb drea%in";
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@eather 6rook 8o*rnalist9 “" was struck #y his $aulting idealism and forthrightness a#out what he #elie$ed in& totally uncompromising a#out freedom of speech … " thought he was ama/ing! • • • • •
Ad4ective va*ltin" 'onnotations idealis%; 'onnotation forthri"htness; $odality /one
Assan"e: “0$ery week we achie$e ma1or $ictories in #ringing the un1ust to account and are helping the 1ust! • • •
$odality 5olarity 'lich •
/one
$ichael @ayden. for%er director of (ational Sec*rity A"ency 8(SA9 and '#A: he explains so%e of the criticis%s that spro*ted followin" the B11 attacks! What is the i%pact of seein" a %an of s*ch hi"h stat*s in
Representation and Text: Who is Julian Assange?
the "lobal intelli"ence co%%*nity ad%ittin" a Caw, statistic: “23 333 emails and phone calls intercepted each second! Why *se statistics in a pers*asive text s*ch as a doc*%entary,
Why did Assan"e p*blish a %ost wanted leaks; list in 200B,
'hapter 3 #celandic 6ank xpose /he chapter be"ins with an encrypted %essa"e fro% 21 $ay 2010 “let%s 1ust say 4someone% " know intimately well … has #een penetrating 56 classi7ed networks& mining data … it%s important that it gets out … it might actually change something … information should #e free …!: • • • • • • •
So*nd e)ects 7is*al e)ects >ack of voiceover /one it %i"ht act*ally chan"e so%ethin"; $odalities 5*rpose What does this s*""est abo*t whistleblowers. partic*larly 6radley $annin",
=ecap of #celandic 6ank fra*d: what ele%ents are *sed to portray the desperation of #celanders and the heroic actions of Wikileaks,
-oota"e fro% conference and news interview: what is s*""ested abo*t the relationship between Assan"e and Do%scheit&6loo% by the selection of foota"e,
'hapter E 'ollateral $*rder #n representin" the heart of the 'ollateral $*rder foota"e fro% the #ra war. what di)erence do these thin"s %ake: $entionin" that the helicopter was over half a %ile above the attack and co*ld not be seen •
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/he s*btitles that hi"hli"ht co%%ents s*ch as oh yeah. we "ot hi%; $entionin" that two =e*ters 4o*rnalists were a%on"st those who were killed -oota"e of children bein" carried fro% the attack,
Representation and Text: Who is Julian Assange?
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'olo*r photo"raphs of the scene
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-ather takin" children to school
@ow is Wikileaks represented at this sta"e of the doc*%entary, Scale, 5*rpose, =elationships, “"t was an incredi#ly intimate time #ecause we all knew we were working … on something that could get us in $ery serious trou#le and we were all willing to take that conse8uence!
'hapter F Global response to 'ollateral $*rder 5rof =obert $anne 8>a /robe ?niversity9 “+e #ecame a pu#lic 7gure extraordinarily 8uickly "t was really April 933 where he went from relati$e o#scurity into an a#solutely central world 7gure ; and he did it deli#erately … he a#solutely knew what he was doing +e decide
Ad4ectives 5olarity /one $odality 'lich
Do yo* think that Assan"es decision to title the foota"e 'ollateral $*rder; was inCa%%atory, Was it e)ective,
(ews %onta"e: what is the p*rpose of followin" a Whiteho*se 5ress State%ent directly with Assan"e %akin" a state%ent,
Assan"e: “The #eha$ior of the pilots is like they are playing a computer game Their desire was simply to kill … "f those killings lawful under the rules of 0ngagement& then the Rules of 0ngagement are wrong ; deeply wrong!
$ichael @ayden. for%er director of (ational Sec*rity A"ency 8(SA9 and '#A: how does he present his case in a pers*asive way, “" can understand someone who is trou#led #y ollateral 'urder footage= and someone who wants the American people to know that& #ecause the American people need to know what it is their go$ernment is doing for them " actually share their $iew When " was the director of the >"A& there was some stu we were doing
Representation and Text: Who is Julian Assange? •
Describe the settin" for this interview! Sy%bolis%,
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@ow does @ayden spin the story,
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#s the 'ollateral $*rder; story 4*st for the A%erican people to know,
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What patriotic ideas and clichs does this %an *se,
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What is the i%pact of this %an %akin" his e%pathy so obvio*s, And what is he s*""estin" abo*t Assan"e,
What is achieved thro*"h the %onta"e of explosions. incl*din" one fro% o*/*be,
7oiceover: “Why was a transcript less secret than a mo$ing image?! “clearly the go$ernment recogni/es the power of images ut the ultimate power of image is it helps people understand what it is this fact is that we all know Blag.draped coCns help us understand the conse8uences of sending our children o to war Dictures of detainee a#use in A#u Era#e help us understand exactly what was taking place Fideo of that unfortunate occurrence where innocent people were killed helps us understand that this is an ine$ita#le conse8uence of war!
@ow does the foota"e that acco%panies this co%%ent con+r% his assertion that i%a"es are very powerf*l,
Describe the %*sic that is also layered over this foota"e! What %eanin" does it add to the representation of ?S %ilitary fail*res,
'hapters H&I: skip 8Adrian >a%o. 6radley $annin"9
'*t at 2E:F0: 2 nd section of A ssan"es (ational 5ress 'l*b; interview at podi*%!
'hapter B Assan"es context as a teen hacker in the arly 1BB0s What is s*""ested by the %onta"e incl*din" a co%edy sketch. a c*rrent a)airs pro"ra% and a +l% abo*t hackers,
What does this doc*%entary s*""est abo*t the #nternational S*bversives;!
Representation and Text: Who is Julian Assange?
'o%%ent on the sy%bolis% in the brief shot of Assan"e in a ha%%ock s*spended fro% sca)oldin"!
What does $endax; %ean, Why do yo* think Assan"e *sed it as his code na%e,
Describe the "raphicsfont *sed for $endax;! What does it s*""est thro*"h sy%bolis%,
Describe the %*sic that is layered over this voiceover and %onta"e! What does it contrib*te,
Why do yo* think the director incl*ded this photo"raph of Assan"e as a teena"er,
Assan"e describes havin" a back door; into the penta"on! What is the di)erence in connotation between a back door; and a trapdoor; 8'hapter 19,
Jen Day. A*stralian -ederal 5olice: do yo* reco"niKe this settin", What sy%bolis% does it contrib*te!
“The internet was a new frontier for people to go out and express themsel$es: "%m there& "%m the 7rst& "%m the all.powerful This is the common theme with people that are hackers "t was all ego.dri$en: 4"%m the #est%! What do yo* notice abo*t
Days s*%%ary of the pro+le of hackers, $odality 'lichs • •
Assan"es childhood is br*shed over! Why do yo* think the director %ade that decision. "iven that so%e other 4o*rnalists dwell on the c*lt involve%ent and his incredibly *prooted childhood,
“Julian does not like #eing 1udged +is rationali/ation is 4yeah& "%$e #een con$icted #ut was un1ust& it%s unfair& "%m a martyr% +e didn%t accept it!
Representation and Text: Who is Julian Assange?
“Julian always had 8uite a rigid political $iew +e%s always #elie$ed that there%s these secrets that need to #e disco$ered!
What is the i%pact of showin" the sel+e of $annin". then Koo%in" in on the sa%e i%a"e,
'hapter 10&11
'*t at EP:00:;it was there that he capt*red his Ca"s Q a lot of Ca"s!;
$annin"s str*""lesL "rowin" Wikileaks tea%!
'hapter 12 Af"han War >o"s =elease /his chapter be"ins with what looks like ho%e %ovie foota"e! Why do yo* think this private disc*ssion in a private ho%e was +l%ed, What does this foota"e reveal, What is conveyed by the co%%ent “he was a rock star +e was one of the most famous guys on the planet! , Do yo* "et the i%pression that this is so%ethin" the director wants *s to believe at this sta"e, Assan"e: “We ha$e a harm minimi/ation process *ur goal is harm minimi/ation *ur method is transperancy ut we do not put the method #efore the goal!
What does this state%ent %ean,
'ontradictions now start to e%er"e fro% Assan"es collaborators! What do they reveal, (ick davies fro% /he G*ardian re har% %ini%iKation process:
Daniel Do%scheit&6er" re redactions: What is the e)ect of layerin" voiceover and %*sic on top of i%a"es and headlines, Which do yo* pay %ost attention to, Which "ets overshadowed for yo*, Why do yo* think the director *ses this techni*e,
“The world was indeed talking a#out ci$ilian casualties in Afghanistan and a#out the existence of a s8uad that was going out and killing Tali#an ut the Whitehouse managed the news and the story #ecame 4Wikileaks has got #lood on their hands! What is the e)ect of the Mblood on NhistheirO hands %onta"e,
Representation and Text: Who is Julian Assange?
“That speculati$e #lood #ecame more important than the actual #lood 4We already concede all that terri#le stu We know a#out that -et%s focus on your nightmares ; how all these people might die #ecause the go$ernments% secrets ha$e #een unleashed%! @ow was Assan"e alienated as a res*lt of the Mblood on
his hands spin,
What is the sy%bolis% of the se*ence in which we see *lian havin" his %ake&*p applied before an interview. followed by the %onta"e of hi% bein" introd*ced, @e says that he wo*ld rather Wikileaks did not need a p*blic face: “the pu#lic demands that it has a face and actually we%d much prefer ; "%d prefer ; if it didn%t ha$e to ha$e a face … "f the demand is so great& people start in$enting faces!
Given what yo* have seen so far. do yo* believe his state%ent,
'hapter 13 Alle"ations fro% Sweden
'*t at xxx: Assan"e lookin" at headlines in Wikileaks oRce #% *nto*chable now;
'hapter 1E #ra War >o"s What war cri%e is the ?S "overn%ent i%plicated by in the #ra War >o"s, @ow is it a"ainst the Geneva 'onvention,
'*t at xxx: 6radley $annin"s letter to Wikileaks with piano so*ndtrack! Skip to Chapter 15
'hapter 1F (ov 2I 2010: >eak of ?S Diplo%atic 'ables $annin"s chat %essa"es and e%ails are always presented as white text on a black back"ro*nd! @ow is that an e)ective sy%bol in this doc*%entary,
What was exposed by the release of the ?S Diplo%atic 'ables,
5hilip 'rowley. -or%er Ass! Secretary of State for 5*blic A)airs: “"t would #e a wound that keeps opening up on a recurring #asis! What were so%e i%pacts of this leak,
Representation and Text: Who is Julian Assange?
$ichael @ayden. for%er director of (ational Sec*rity A"ency 8(SA9 and '#A: “-ook& e$eryone has secrets 6ome of the acti$ity nation states conduct in order to keep their people safe and free need to #e secret in order to #e successful "f they are #roadly known& you cannot accomplish your work "%m going to #e $ery candid& alright: we steal secrets We steal other nations% secrets *ne cannot do that a#o$e #oard and #e $ery successful for a $ery long period of time!
@illary 'linton. Secretary of State: “disclosures like these tear at the fa#ric of responsi#le go$ernment Deople of good faith understand the need for sensiti$e diplomatic communications& #oth to protect the national interest and the glo#al common interest!
What is achieved by the %onta"e of o*tra"ed ?S elected oRcials. %edia +"*res and *niversity professors, 5ace of editin" So*ndtrack Str*ct*re: • • •
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“a terrorist organi/ation! “an enemy com#atant! “a #lackmail extortionist terrorist! “ a crackpot alleged sex oender! “he ought to #e hunted down and gra##ed and put on trial! “he needs to #e prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law and& if that #ecomes a pro#lem& we need to change the law! “We%$e got special ops forces " mean& a dead man can%t leak stu "llegally shoot this son of a #itch! “This little punk … *#ama& if you%re listening today& you should take this guy out! “*#ama should take out a contract and may#e use a drone or something! “That%s what "%d like to see: a little drone hit Assange& right?!
7oiceover: “All the threats were aimed at Assange )o one called for attacks on the Euardian or the )ew Gork Times! xplain what is *nfair & and s*spicio*s & abo*t this!
@ow lon" was it after this leak that #nterpol p*t p*t a warrant for Assan"es arrest, What was he to be arrested for,
a%es 6all: Fisa and 'astercard will happily process payments for the Hlu Hlux >lan … and yet this one& they%$e not only #locked it themsel$es& they won%t let any intermediaries do it! • •
All*sion xy%oron
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Representation and Text: Who is Julian Assange?
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'hapter 1H 5*blic s*pport for Wikileaks swells What happened when the Wikileaks site ca%e *nder attack,
Which +"*res face is lent to the ca%pai"n, What is the si"ni+cance of that all*sion,
'*t at xxx: title slide >ondon. n"land. P Dece%ber 2010
'hapter 1P Assan"e *nder @o*se Arrest at llin"ha% @all. (orfolk rientation to llin"ha% @all: what ele%ents of h*%o*r are *sed in this %onta"e, @ow does it shift yo*r readin" of Assan"e, Sy%bolis% *xtaposition Still i%a"es So*ndtrack • • • •
Dinner with *lian; video: what does the %ise en scene s*""est, What skepticis% does a%es 6all here,
$edia t*rnin" on Assan"e: how does this %onta"e pro"ress the story abo*t who Assan"e is seen to be, (arrator: “<+is former media partners= defended his right to pu#lish #ut •
#egan to turn on Assange himself! •
7a*"han S%ith. 4o*rnalist and host: "%$e #een close enough to see … the wasps around the 1am here +e stirred the nest and they%$e come to sting him rather more than perhaps he expected! o o
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$etaphor 7is*al and tactile i%a"e
6ill Jeller. exec*tive editor of /he (ew ork /i%es. 2011 article: “elusi$e& manipulati$e and $olatile! as well as “arrogant& thin.skinned& conspiratorial and oddly credulous!
Representation and Text: Who is Julian Assange?
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8http:www!nyti%es!co%20110130%a"aKine30Wikileaks&t!ht%l,pa"ewantedallTUr0 9 o o o o
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“+e looked like a #ag lady coming in: he was wearing kind of a dingy kahki sports coat& old tattered shoes with socks that were kind of collapsing around his ankles and he clearly hadn%t #athed in se$eral days! o o o o
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Ad4ectives /one 'onnotation $odality
7is*al and olfactory i%a"ery '*%*lative description 'onnotation ba" lady; /one
$ark Davis. 4o*rnalist and +l% %aker: “The )ew Gork Times& the hypocrisy of this act … " mean they wanted this material& they were fully complicit in the pu#lication of the material #ut& as soon as the heat came on& they wanted to wash their hands! o o o o
'lichs *xtaposition $odality /one
(arrator re ne"otiatin" for an interview with Assan"e: “Julian wanted money +e said that the market rate for an inter$iew with him was I 333 333 When " declined& he oered an alternati$e: perhaps " would spy on my other inter$iews and report #ack to him " couldn%t do that either (uring his time under house arrest& he had #ecome more secreti$e and paranoid +e railed against his enemies and " knew that he had tried to get all his followers to sign a non. disclosure agreement The penalty for leaking: I 333 333! • • • • • •
Statistics $odality Ad4ectives secretive and paranoid; /one Voo% in $ise en scene
Assan"e: All organistions face two possi#le paths: they can #e open& honest& 1ust or they can #e closed& un1ust and& therefore& not successful! #n ter%s of representin" Assan"e. note the settin" of this interview and how the interview has been edited to Koo% into an $'?! Why do yo* think that decision was %ade, Why is there also an editin" e)ect of /7 Mbars across the shot,
(arrator: “+ad the secret leaker #ecome the secret keeper& more and more fond of mysteries?! • •
=hetorical *estion 5olarity
What events co%bined to create the low&point for Wikileaks,
Representation and Text: Who is Julian Assange?
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Daniel Do%scheit&6oo%s resi"nation: foota"e of hi% ridin" a bicycle with co%%ent abo*t his decision to *it the co%pany! /his is at the core of where thin"s went wron" and where. *lti%ately. Wikileaks has lost control of the spread of these doc*%ents!; xplain what ele%ents of control have been lost!
excerpt fro% /he Si%psons! What do yo* think abo*t this parody of Assan"e Q and the fact that he was prepared to participate in %akin" the episode, “All Julian had left was his cele#rity!:
5*blic %er"ed Assan"e and $annin"s casesL sho*ld they re%ain discreet, a%es 6all “There is a phenomenon called Kno#le cause corruptionK: •
essentially& you do things which if anyone else did you would recognise arenLt ok& arenLt right& #ut #ecause you know youLre a good guy& itLs dierent for you! o o
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=e"ister Stills: yo*n"
older Assan"e with dissolve
(ick Davies: “The same extraordinary personality which concei$ed of and created Wiki-eaks is also the same personality that has& eecti$ely& destroyed Wiki-eaks! o o o
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7erbs created; and destroyed; 5olarity 6alanced sentence str*ct*re
Daniel Do%scheit&6er": “Wiki-eaks has #ecome what it detests and what it actually tried to rid the world of … We must get away from this understanding that we see Julian as the sa$iour& as some no#le guru& as some new hero or some new pop star or whate$er thatLs going to change all of it The credit is undue . e$ery#ody cele#rating Julian as a whistle#lower . he is not . radley 'anning might ha$e #een a whistle#lower And if he was& he is the courageous guy +e is the one that took all the risk and& in the end& now is suering! o o o o o
5olarity $odality Stills of "raRti 'onnotations savio*r; and "*r*; pop star; $annin": risk;. s*)erin"; link to savio*r;
'hapter 1I 8$annin"s prison experience9
'*t at xxx: title slide <*antico 7A; rally: -ree 6radley $annin"
'hapter 1B 'oncl*sion: (ick Davies: “Deople who don%t like the leak try to say that it was damaging national security +a$e you e$er seen any e$idence that American national security has #een damaged in any way #y this?! @eadine fro% /he G*ardian: “Wiki-eaks has caused little lasting damage& says 56 state department!
Representation and Text: Who is Julian Assange?
@illary 'linton: “-etLs #e clear This disclosure is not 1ust an attack on America%s foreign policy interests& it is an attack on the international community!
a%es 6all: The 8uestion #ecomes: does it matter and what changes? " think really we ha$e to say that something has started& and itLs not going to #e a#out Wiki-eaks& itLs going to #e a#out transparency and accounta#ility and keeping power in check keeping go$ernments responsi#le ; and who cares who does it& as long as someone does?!
6ill >eonard. for%er (SA and '#A director: “"nformation #y its $ery nature needs to ,ow "n some regards withholding information is trying to repeal the laws of gra$ity Gou may succeed for a short period of time #ut sooner or later itLs going to #reak through! Alex Gibney: GouLre talking 1ust like a hacker!
5ale 6l*e Dot: “#radassMN: OLP“ NGentle sad piano %*sic slowly ends. as the e%oticon lin"ers on the screen. and then fades o*t! (ark screen with a pale #lue dot in the middle= KThat%s home&K said 6agan& Kthat%s us ; e$ery saint and sinner in the history of our species li$ed thereO on a mote of dust& suspended on a sun#eam "n our o#scurity& in all this $astness& there is no hint that help will come from elsewhere to sa$e us from oursel$es "t is up to usK
Shot of *niverse Koo%in" o*t X $annin": “" … care?! What does this choice as the +nal i%a"e of the +l% s*""est abo*t Assan"e,
'hapter 20 'redits
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