In requiring each of her subjects to view a film for the duration of the sitting, Melanie Vote ironically subverts the authority of the artist, creating a sympathetic and codependent scenario which allows her to read their reactions to the films, which may include a range of pose and gesture that is both mundane and portentous. She is then able to depict both the outward appearance of the model and their state of mind. By placing within the composition of the portrait an element of focus other than the artist or some fourth wall, Vote exposes the innate susceptibility of the model, ironically redirecting the role of the artist, while directing us to recognize the tangent in deceptively simple images which contain both appearance and essence.