Get Out: Ideology and Spectatorship

Ideology

• Racism is shown through covert actions from white middle-class liberals, dialogue, narrative, and Chris' facial expressions.
• Colonialism includes the slave trade and powerful countries controlling less powerful ones to exploit their resources.
  • Evident through mise-en-scene (the house) and references to slavery via Georgina and Walter.
• Liberalism is initially presented through the Armitage family, seen through dialogue and their initial "acceptance" of Chris.
• Black defiance is positively portrayed through Chris, including his violent escape viewed as justifiable and empowering.
  • Chris stays silent to avoid being labeled an "angry black man”.

Spectatorship

• The target audience includes horror film fans, Black people, and young people.

  • This is achieved due to horror tropes, racial themes and the Black protagonist.

• Genre is psychological horror.

  • Notably, it’s one of the first blockbuster horrors with a Black protagonist.

• Subversion of audience expectations occurs because Black characters typically die first and Chris survives in this film.

• Social commentary is aligned with Chris, racial themes and key quotes.

  • This encourages white audiences to question society and their behaviors while giving Black people a voice.

• Narrative reflects direct experiences of a Black audience; it empowers them and encourages critical engagement with racial themes.

  • Chris is not stereotyped, which subverts audience expectations.

• Ethnic horror focuses on what scares/alarms Black people.

  • It addresses the underlying paranoia from living in a racist white society.

• Smith's Cognitive Theory:

  • Recognition: Understanding of Chris' experiences by a Black audience through a Black protagonist, microaggressions, MCU reaction shots, and CU of nervous scratching.
  • Alignment: Achieved via POV shots, tracking shots, music, center frame, and CU.
  • Allegiance: Built through emotional investment via performance, music, facial expressions, and dialogue.

Context

• Production Context:
  • Get Out was critically acclaimed and won Best Original Screenplay at the 2018 Academy Awards.
  • Jordan Peele was the writer, director, and co-producer.
  • Production was done by Blumhouse Productions.
  • The cast included: Daniel Kaluuya as Chris, Allison Williams as Rose, Bradley Whitford as Dean, Catherine Keener as Missy, Caleb Landry Jones as Jeremy, and LaKeith Stanfield as Andre/Logan.
  • Soundtrack composed by Michael Abels.
  • Includes Swahili quote 'Listen to your ancestors'.
• Social Context:
  • "Stay woke" is associated with the BLM movement; consciousness of racial discrimination.
• Cultural Context:
  • Inspired by "The Stepford Wives."
  • Both films feature Black photographers (male and female) in threatening environments who use cameras to uncover secrets.
• Political Context:
  • Barack Obama's 2004 election led some white liberal Americans to believe racial discrimination was over, which is dismissive of systemic racism suffered by African Americans.
    • This ignores the the concept of White fragility: white Americans living in a society that protects them from racial stress and unawareness.

Opening Sequence

• Camerawork and Editing:
  • Tracking Andre to position the audience with him.
  • Arcing around him to highlight his environment; potentially more noticeable by Black audiences.
  • Forward track as Andre is dragged.
  • VLS of Andre being put in the boot of a car and taken.
• Mise-en-Scene:
  • Low-key lighting and shadows.
  • The driver's face cannot be seen.
  • Set in a white suburban location.
  • Large white houses create a feeling of being trapped in a white world.
  • A white expensive car is used.
  • Trees add to the enclosed feeling.
  • A knight helmet is shown, symbolizing "white savior" mentality.
• Sound:
  • Diegetic dialogue "No not me, not today" indicates a sense of otherness.
  • Diegetic "Run Rabbit Run" plays from a white car.
  • Non-diegetic soundtrack "Run Rabbit Run" suggests Black people are prey, a warning to the audience, and adds to the unnerving atmosphere.
  • Unnerving non-diegetic strings play as the car drives off.
• Ideology:
  • Racism is present; Andre has underlying paranoia about being a Black man in a white neighborhood.
  • It establishes racial themes.
• Spectatorship:
  • Conforms audience expectations of modern horror by using nighttime suburb setting, and showing a Black character getting hurt.
  • Black audience recognition of his experience.

Opening Part 2: Chris' Introduction

• Camerawork and Editing:
  • Tracking shots of trees suggest hunting or being trapped.
  • A short montage of static CU of Chris' photography.
  • Slow forward track and backward track of his apartment.
  • MS of Chris' body could be objectification.
  • CU on Chris
  • Cuts between Rose and Chris.
  • Handheld camera is used with Rose, creating a relaxed feeling.
  • MCU/CU of both characters.
  • CU of digital camera showing his profession to create foreshadowing.
  • MS of Rose banging her head against the door to add humour.
  • SRS.
  • Closer camerawork with Chris creates alignment to the character.
• Mise-en-Scene:
  • High-key lighting of apartment.
  • Expensive camera is shown.
  • Photography on display.
  • The apartment number is 208; surrounded by people, indicating safety.
• Sound:
  • Non-diegetic Swahili "listen to your ancestors."
  • Non-diegetic "Redbone" by Childish Gambino plays "stay woke."
  • Non-diegetic soft soundtrack.
  • Diegetic "Do they know I'm black?"
  • "Dad would've voted for Obama a third time. Like the love is so real." which showcases white liberals and white fragility.
• Ideology:
  • Racism in soundtrack messages and the woods setting.
  • Liberalism in Rose's comments.
• Spectatorship:
  • Close to Chris builds allegiance.
  • Black audience recognition.

Closing Scene

• Camerawork and Editing:
  • MS track to reveal Georgina.
  • Flashback
  • CU of Chris hurt.
  • CU of a phone.
  • MCU of Walter appearing oppressed.
  • SRS.
  • 3 shot, last one alive.
  • Birds eye view of Rose showing a power dynamic switch.
  • SRS as Chris chokes her.
  • MCU of hands up in surrender, creating a hopeless expression.
  • Track up to Rod.
• Mise-en-Scene:
  • Helmet for cyclic purposes and representation.
  • A white car.
  • Rose dressed in white.
  • Rose carrying a shotgun is cyclic and shows she is hunted like prey/animal.
  • Rose smiles, knowing what will happen.
  • Active audience recognition/questioning.
    • Police lights.
    • Airport.
• Sound:
  • Diegetic “Run Rabbit Run” is a message to Chris and cyclic.
  • Eerie non-diegetic sounds.
  • Flash.
  • Silence, then ringing.
  • Eerie music.
  • Sad music as she tries to manipulate him "I love you."
  • Police siren.
  • "Help."
  • Rod’s humour; Black audience’s need for a good ending, Black protagonist needs to survive.
  • Non-diegetic Swahili music.
• Ideology:
  • Black defiance.
  • Racism.
  • White feminism.
• Spectatorship:
  • Audiences see this act of violence as vital.
  • Active Black audiences recognise what police lights mean in society.
  • White audiences question their own society.

Party Scene

• Camerawork and Editing:
  • POV shot through window as guests arrive to create alignment.
  • Tracking shots of Chris walking.
  • SRS.
  • MCU reaction shots of Chris.
  • Tracking POV shot through the camera in what appears to be a plantation house.
  • CU revealing Logan/Andre.
  • CU fist bump/handshake to show cultural cues.
• Mise-en-Scene:
  • All Black expensive cars.
  • Black servants hugging white guests; prompts questioning from Black audience.
  • Everyone is white and dressed in red (danger) except for Chris who is Black with a blue shirt; isolating and creates otherness.
  • 4 shot.
  • White woman touching his figure; not respected.
  • Dean and the group directly address Chris/the audience through camera, breaking the 4th wall.
  • Blank performance, not typical of a young Black man, misses cultural cues; creates more active spectators among Black audiences.
  • "Performs" for the white group; slave, used for white people’s pleasure.
• Sound:
  • Inappropriate comments like "is it better" indicate negrophilia and objectification of physicality.
  • Comments limit identity to his race.
  • Non-diegetic mysterious music aligns us with Chris' feelings.
• Ideology:
  • Colonialism evident in the plantation house and modern servants.
  • Racism is shown through microaggressions.
• Spectatorship:
  • Alignment via POV and tracking shots.
  • Black audience recognition.
  • Passive spectatorship through camerawork.
  • Active spectatorship stems from Black audience recognition of microaggressions and white audience questioning of their own behaviors.

Hypnosis Scene/Sunken Place

• Camerawork and Editing:
  • Chris is centre frame.
  • SRS.
  • CU on teacup.
  • Transition from MS to MCU to CU as hypnosis deepens.
  • Slow track in to Chris crying.
  • CU of nervous picking on chair- foreshadowing.
  • Match cut to him doing the same on the armchair replicates his actions.
  • Slow down.
  • Rapid editing track down as he sinks.
  • WLS floating creates a feeling of being lost/hopeless.
  • MCU side profile screaming.
  • POV looking at the screen creating alignment and entrapment to the character.
  • Birds eye view of Chris screaming, Missy's POV suggests she has control and power in society.
• Mise-en-Scene:
  • Warm lighting is deceptive.
  • Teacup that embodiescololnialism.
  • Missy dressed in white as "innocent".
  • Diegetic stirring creates alignment; audience is also getting hypnotised.
  • The sunken place is a metaphor for oppression and African American experience.
  • Loud non-diegetic dramatic music.
• Sound:
  • Non-diegetic mysterious harp music creates alignment.
  • Diegetic rain creates a flashback.
  • Diegetic whimpering evokes Black audience recognition.
• Ideology:
  • Racism.
  • Colonialism.
• Spectatorship:
  • Aligned with Chris.
  • Black audience’s recognition of Chris' feelings.

Auction Scene

• Camerawork and Editing:
  • SRS MS.
  • Cuts between the auction and the lake.
  • LA CU on Dean auctioning.
  • MS track across the white audience.
  • CU on bingo card.
  • Slow track out to reveal a portrait shows the realisation.
  • Slo-mo POV lingering shots of Armitage's creates both Chris and the audience aligned to be scared.
  • Slightly canted angle MS of Chris by the lake.
  • Track down to reveal Jim.
  • CU srs which represents romance and false hope.
• Mise-en-Scene:
  • An actual auction symbolizes slavery.
  • Romantic, warm lighting by the lake represents false hope and security.
  • Rose’s performance prioritizing the character above all else.
  • White feminism.
• Sound:
  • Passive non-diegetic mysterious soundtrack.
  • Romantic non-diegetic music.
  • Off-putting diegetic ukulele.
• Ideology:
  • Racism.
  • Colonialism.
  • Liberalism from Jim Hudson trying to set himself apart.
  • White feminism.
• Spectatorship:
  • Passive spectatorship creates a collective shock.
  • Black audience's might foresee this coming and appear more nervous.

Get Out of Here Scene

• Camerawork and Editing:
  • Chris is centre frame.
  • MCU on white people's faces.
  • MCU reaction shot of Chris looking uncomfortable.
  • Track down to CU of phone.
  • 2 shot MCU of Logan, sunken places flashes in his eyes.
  • Handheld closer camera movements.
• Mise-en-Scene:
  • Chris is overwhelmed by the group staring at him and objectified showing negrophilia.
  • Jeremy restrains him providing foreshadowing.
• Sound:
  • Dean v.o with people's names.
  • Non-diegetic eerie music.
  • "Do you find that being African American has more advantage or disadvantage?" evokes a Black audience recognition
  • "African American experience has been for the most part very good" prompts questioning from Chris and the Black audience.
  • Loud diegetic phone camera click.
  • "Get out" repeated, acting as a warning to Chris and the Black audience.
• Ideology:
  • Racism.
• Spectatorship:
  • Alignment and recognition with a Black audience.
  • Active white audiences may question and critique their own behaviours and society.

Dinner Scene

• Camerawork and Editing:
  • WS of colonial house.
  • SRS during "nice" conversation.
  • MCU of everyone.
  • MCU of Chris noticing Georgina.
  • MS of Georgina.
  • Very slow zoom into Chris showcasing discomfort.
• Mise-en-Scene:
  • Warm lighting.
  • Chris' performance is calm and silent, which a Black audience recognise the reasoning for.
• Sound:
  • Microaggressions and Black stereotypes from Jeremy.
  • "Frame", genetic makeup" evokes negrophilia.
  • No music emphasizes attention to dialogue.
  • Until Missy says "Jeremy."
  • "I wasn't going to hurt him."
• Ideology:
  • White liberals.
  • Colonialism.
  • Racism.
• Spectatorship:
  • A Black audience may be more active.
  • Recognition with Chris.
  • Aligned with Chris through reaction shots.

Meeting the Armitage's

• Camerawork and Editing:
  • Handheld camera is back of the car and allows the audience also coming into a trapped environment.
  • WS house.
  • Track back to reveal Walter to show an enigma.
  • SRS between couples.
  • CU track down to the white family.
  • Tracking Chris.
• Mise-en-Scene:
  • Colonial house reminiscent of a plantation house.
  • Chris brings Rose’s suitcase up.
  • Artefacts from Bali.
  • Old fashioned globe on Africa.
  • Fake performance from Georgina symbolizing a slave.
• Sound:
  • Mysterious non-diegetic music.
  • Groundskeeper showing modern slavery and colonialism.
  • "My man," "thang" is code-switching to represent a culture..
  • Talking about killing deers and hunting Black people.
  • "Atta boy" is colonial.
  • "Privilege to be able to experience another person’s culture."
  • Jesse Owens referring to whitesplaining.
• Ideology:
  • Racism.
  • White liberalism.
  • Colonialism.
• Spectatorship:
  • Black audience recognition of Chris' experience.
  • White audience is a passive one and isn't aware/critiquing.
  • White fragility.