In the Frame, Involuntarily: An Enquiry into the Concerns of THOSE in Background

The representation of any individual on motion picture can be a complicated task to undertake if one considers consent and future implications to the individual being represented. Thats why several platforms screening the professionally produced audio-visual material, deem it important to have consent letters from all those who appear on screen. However the situation has changed to a large extent in last decade. With the twin forces of mobile phone cameras and free video-sharing platforms, the superpower to represent others on screen has now been democratised. Locations earlier known for shopping, tourism, religion, culture, mass transit etc have now also become sites for production of amateur videos.

This new paradigm of audio visual production has also led to several citizens ending up involuntarily in the backgrounds of publicly shared videos. Most of the creators do not care to blur the identities of people coming into their videos. How does this affect an individual stepping out of home into spaces where he/she can end up in a publicly shared video without his/her knowledge and consent.

The case of Delhi Metro, in this context is a significant one. It has been in discussion for last few years for the amateur videos being produced here. This research attempts to understand the situation of commuters of this mass transit system, who now suffer the risk of being represented in unexpected ways in these videos. How does this affect these commuters? The research will use interviews with some commuters of Delhi Metro to understand the impact of the phenomenon of recording amateur videos in public spaces on those who end up being featured in the background of the main action in these videos. This research will be an attempt to unravel the nuances of the impact left by an emerging practice in audio visual production.