Simien Camera Angles

In addition to characterization, Simien uses camera angle to demonstrate the diversity of racial identities and engage the viewer. Camera angles can be seen as very distinct and unique throughout the movie and were used to demonstrate power identities. In the first section of the movie, we can infer from camera angles alone that Sam maintains power over the rest of the black community in the election process. The inference comes from the fact that we, as the viewers, see the speech from another black student’s perspective where we are looking up to Sam. This view is symbolic of Sam’s power. Another power appearance that is demonstrated through camera angles occurs later in the story in a conversation between Sophie, the president’s daughter, and Troy, the previous president of Armstrong-Parker and son of Dean Fairbanks. …show more content…
The camera angles in their conversation oscillate between Troy’s condescending perspective and Sophie’s powerless perspective. These camera angles demonstrate that Troy is in power over Sophie in their relationship. In each of these scenes, the viewer is a participant of the situation. As a participant, the viewer can easily engage with the scenes. The “meaning” that the viewer draws from the scene “comes from the interaction between” the movie “and the viewer” (Lancioni 106). Therefore, the use of camera angles engages the viewer with the scene and distinctly imprints the idea that different characters have different power identities in the movies. Some of the black students have power only over the other black students like Sam, while other black students have power over the white students like Troy has with