Textual Analysis notes: The Roots- How I Got Over

Camera

Editing

Mise En Scene

• Various low-angle establishing shotsof Urban/Ghetto environment

• Tracks of both rapper and disabled man following them through streets, high angles portray them as weak compared to the vast ghetto landscape

• Opening performance mid shot- lead singer in full black clothing in low lighted derelict building looking away from camera conveys negativity and poverty that relates with the lyrics

• First shot, close up: 3 quick cuts of 80’s style tape cassette inserted into boom box speaker, followed by close up pan of portable wheelchair/speaker system

• Opening shot- Cassette entry sped up

• Drug addict being pushed away by dealers- slow motion- emphasises crime/poverty in urban environment

• Editor chosen to give two main characters main air time, makes audience identify with them and the struggle they have living in the ghetto

Props:• Wheelchair-

Reinforces theme of poverty, creates sympathy for character

• Boombox/Cassette- emphasise retro feel of setting

• Graffiti- Reinforces Ghetto environment and help to connate Hip/Hop • Whole video

Male dominated- Works parallel with lyrics ‘Everyman for himself out here’

• Low lighting throughout- Emphasises negative themes/lack of welfare in urban environment

• Setting dominated by Ethnic characters, common connotation of ghetto- White Police emphasises racial divide

ScreenshotsNon-Direct address: Suggests he is lonely and works parallel with themes of isolation

All Black clothing works with low lighting to create negative themes that emphasise the themes of struggle and poverty in the urban ‘ghetto’ landscape setting

Derelict building again implies that the character is pore and lives a very working class lifestyle

Graffiti reinforces urban environment

Confrontation between drugs addict and drug dealers- Portrays how the ‘ghetto’ is dangerous and builds on themes of crime and violence

Old damaged building suggests the setting is poor and not looked after

Wheelchair prop reinforces theme of poverty that runs throughout and creates sympathy for character

Framed in the middle of shot, emphasises important of character and makes the audience identify with him more

Character with back to camera, symbolises the them of hope and he wants to move away from the ‘ghetto’ environment and make something of himself