Ot Our Town Critique

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The Compton stereotype The documentary OT: Our Town by director Scott Hamilton Kennedy is emotionally powerful because it breaks down the stereotypes of Compton, California. The director uses filming techniques such as interviews and camera angles to show how these stereotypes are not real. The director uses interviews to reveal some stereotypes by showing police surrounding the school, which shows that the school need police supervision to stay calm, also through the interviews the students point out all the bad things about the school, such as riots, gangs, and students being jumped. The interview really shows what the students think of the school, which they don't care much for the school. In one scene, the director has the students showing a bulletin board and it shows all the stars of the school which are only basketball players, this shows that the school is really only proud of its athletes and not much else. Scott Hamilton Kennedy also uses these interviews to break down the stereotypes. The interviews show us that these kids are real people not the stereotypical Compton gang member or riot starter. In one scene Ebony who plays the stage director has an interview and explains that she is still a virgin and says "people don't believe me when I say that". This shows that stereotypes have taken over and people think that all the girls in Compton lose their virginity at a very young age. The director uses this scene to show that not all girls are like that by having a "typical" Compton girl who everyone would usually have no doubt at she has already lost her virginity and showing that she is nothing like a stereotypical Compton girl. In these interviews the director uses close ups to show emotion and also to break down stereotypes as well. These close ups force the audience to listen to them and to show that they aren't uncivilized people but are

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