By Crystal Day
Summer 2013
TITLE: RIZE; Scene 8, Our Ghetto Ballet
GENRE: Documentary, Music
DIRECTOR: David LaChapelle
WRITERS: Sujit R. Varma and Martin Lewison
SOUND: Kevin Scott Richardson
PROTAGONISTS: Tommy (Johnson) the Clown,
Larry Berry, Dragon, La Nina, Miss Prissy, Little C, Tight eyez.
YEAR: 2005. (84 min.).
Summary: Per Sujit Varma, there were incredible athletic (camera) speeds and lighting used. Per Martin Lewison, the clowning/krump dance was used as an alternative for gangs and was a means for knitting the social fabric of South Los Angeles. He talks about this film like it’s artistic expression born from oppression.
I found Scene 8 to be especially awesome with lighting and black/white as well as vibrant colors used via film as ways to denote seriousness of the venue and the vibrancy of it. I still get chills when I watch that scene, every time. If they were trying to convey a feeling of strength in unity by the utility of tribal dance, they succeeded. There were a lot of cut shots between modern day dance and tribal dance of past ages (camera cuts went back and forth) that conveyed over seconds the familiarity of the two dances and tribes. It does take place outside but I thought it was relevant because of the setup and lighting and shadows. During the night shots and day shots there were attached shadows of the people dancing, it sort of added volume to the space (fill lighting).
It starts out like a documentary, medium shots and close-up shots of the people speaking. The angle of the camera is from chest up or knees up in most cases. The scene composition was a group of guys dancing in the street. A crowd stands by watching. Even when the dancer dips low to the ground, the camera seems to be sitting at the same height, wanting the audience to feel like they are dancing with the subjects. Fast motion and slow motion were quickly interchanged for effect of rhythm. Occasional close ups of the facial expressions were used for emphasis of their angst. At times they copied the same movements of the african tribal dancers showing the similarities creating verisimilitude. Possible chemical laboratory effect was used on the tribal shots as they appeared grainy and slightly yellow as if taken a long time ago or as if a film was used to cover the camera for effect.
Sound is sort of a hum in the background to start, people street dancing sort of in slow motion. There is a disconnect between the background music and the dancing which is fast paced. The setting appears simple with everyday props. The street dancing is also done at night. Metaphor for secrecy that is needed for this type of spiritual release. Then the drums start, still a disconnect. We see the tribal dancers in costume doing what looks like a native dance, the sun looks hotter in that shot. (it could have been a clip from National Geographic). The tribal dance was a metaphor for a “call to arms.” Whenever the tribes had news, it went through calls in the canyon, warrior paint, war cries, smoke signals (per history of indian tribes). The facial painted masks were metaphors for unity, together we are strong, as if, no one will stand out or be targeted (by their individuality).
There were intermittent shots of preparation, painting of the faces with war paint or camouflage. It sort of served to cool down all the action for a bit then back to the drums and fast dance. The scene ends with a youth dancing in the evening with a sunset in the background and he is all shadow dancing (we cannot see any facial features or clothing-just shadow). Metaphor; it’s the dance energy that is emphasized, not the individual person. It’s done in silence of the night aka underground.
The tribal shots were grainy and dense. Almost appeared as if slow motion film was used. Shot during day sunlight.
The modern day shots were clear and appeared digital. Done in fast motion and done at night.
