Selma

Question 1

Selma Sound

Answer 1

• Ending Credits song- bitter sweet feeling, showing victory
• Bridge march scene – Upbeat music viewer complicity
• Night March – low lighting, barely any visuals, horrific sound effects. No Music makes the scene feel more real
• Speeches – Inaccurate due to copyright, but still portray the same kind of point the original was conveying. Portray MLK’s authority and provide context for situations
• Explosion and Death of Jimmy Lee Jackson, sound cuts out after the action is complete to allow audience to reflect on the horrors that just unfolded.
• John Legend song – Glory. Struggle “one day when the war is won”

Question 2

Selma Editing

Answer 2

• Slow motion used within explosion scene, elongates the horror
• Contrast between MLK words and scenes of horror
• Chaos of attacks presented, quick cuts quick pace, eye level close ups
• Ending, title cards make the ending bitter sweet as it juxtaposes the victory with the sadder and violent ends to some characters
• Diegetic noises are lessened to emphasise the horror of the attacks

Question 3

Selma Performance

Answer 3

• Well cast
• Speeches, passionate and animated. Engaging and timeless
• Real People respect/authentic homage
• Intimate presentation insightful, not perfect but makes him more relatable
• Police are brutal and threatening, faceless
• Victims are helpless, loss of dignity

Question 4

Selma Ideologies

Answer 4

• Racism
• Equal Rights
• Voting
• Peaceful Protest
• Oppressive power of the police
• Overcoming a racist society
• Christianity
• Doctor of Religion (Doctor of Theology)
• Unity

Question 5

Selma Context

Answer 5

• Civil Rights Movement
• Real Event – Selma march and the right to vote
• Speeches were copyrighted, so the speeches in the film are inaccurate
• Directed by Ava DuVernay
• Race
• Oscars – Actors were subbed