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Joseph McGill
Dr. Erin McLaughlin
Multimedia WR 13300
2 March 2015
The Inspiration to Motivation: A Rhetorical Analysis of the Cinematography in Selma
Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the
ones we've been waiting for. We are the change that we seek (Barrack Obama). In a current
social environment that is changing so rapidly every second of every day, we have only a limited
opportunity to make an impact on the world. Who knows how many chances you are going to get
to make a difference for the better? Events happen every day such as the Ferguson shooting that
could have been prevented if a community existed that had a will to stand up for what they
believe in. Nobody knows that they will still be able to accomplish their biggest goal if they start
tomorrow instead of today, so why wait? The movie Selma attempts to address this lack of
enthusiasm that is nagging at our society so fervently at this day and age. Set in the Southern
United States, Selma is a historical drama that recounts the string of true events initiated by the
civil rights movement in the 1960s. Martin Luther King Jr. along with many other leaders of the
South Christian Leadership Conference are portrayed in both private and public settings in order
to give viewers a background on what exactly sparked the transformation of African American
rights in this time period. In the film, Director Ava DuVernay and her collaborators attempt to
uncover the development of the voting rights march from Selma to Montgomery in 1965. Selma
does a sufficient job of promoting the effectiveness of the civil rights movement; however, what
may be overlooked is the films attempt to demonstrate the power lying within contemporary
viewers to have a substantial impact in the society with which they belong. Martin Luther King

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Jr. is shown in domestic, civic, and religious environments in order to provide the audience with
the subconscious notion that he was an ordinary human being who accomplished extraordinary
change in the face of adversity. In addition to strengthening the emotional ties that the audience
develops with King, these portrayals ultimately prompt viewers to reflect on the potential within
themselves to demonstrate remarkable leadership qualities. The film also does an effective job of
highlighting the importance of community through the rhetorical elements that are implemented
in order to show the development of the African American support system. The progression that
is presented along with Kings characterization help to reveal the film makers strategy in not
only showing us what we are capable of, but also inviting us to pursue our dreams.
Showing Martin Luther King Jr. in many vulnerable environments is one of the most
effective strategies that Selma uses to provoke motivation in the films audience. By showing this
side of King, separate from the public eye, the viewers can better understand the fact that he has
human emotions and is not perfect; this allows the film to maximize its rhetorical appeal because
the audience begins to feel emotionally attached to King. One example of this instance is early
on in the film when King is shown alone in his kitchen after a minor conflict with his wife. He
looks extremely fatigued from his duties and in need of an answer to his problems. In order to
escape his troubles, the film shows him seeking out the words of the Lord from a close friend
and Negro entertainer, Mahalia Jackson, via phone call. She sings him the song, Take My Hand,
Precious Lord, which contains lyrics concerning those who go through stormy times who are
tired, worn, and weak. Placing this type of song in the movie offers the audience a more vibrant
depiction of the weariness that King is undergoing; this again helps to strengthen the emotional
tie that the viewers develop with MLK. In the book, The History and Theory of Rhetoric, James
Herrick claims that this has a very powerful rhetorical impact because it engages the audiences

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loyalties or commitments and gives them a chance to feel more comparable to King, which
ultimately reinforces their confidence in their own abilities.
The use of theatrical elements, such as Mrs. Jacksons inspiring melody, to strengthen the
rhetoric of arguments is not an uncommon strategy employed throughout Selma. A little later in
the film, when King leads a protest march down the streets of Selma to the courthouse, the
camera begins with a close-up shot of nothing but King and the Street, then pans out to show the
first line of marchers, and finally pans even further to reveal a bigger congregation of African
American supporters. When viewers first see King alone, they are able to get a more personable
view of him before they see the assertive and more confident side of him. As Judith Lancioni
argues in her article The Rhetoric of the Frame, slowly panning allows the filmmakers to
highlight the sense-making ability itself and oblige us to reflect on it (105). The increased
reflection time when viewing solely Martin Luther King Jr. provides a greater opportunity for the
audience to connect to his individualism rather than be overwhelmed by an intimidating
congregation of African American folks. With this, a viewer can reflect on their own
independence and be encouraged by the fact that they have the ability to inspire revolution just as
they see King do.
In addition to fostering the audiences attachment to Martin Luther King Jr., Selma also
does a superb job of promoting the importance of family and community when attempting to
follow ones dreams. James Herricks book comments on King and how through his rhetorical
efforts, [he] built a community of discourse that enabled people to think and act with unity to
address a wide range of serious social problems (Herrick 23). An isolated individual might seem
very useless when attempting to address a major challenge, however Selma exquisitely illustrates
the substantial effect that a large assembly can have in accomplishing common goals. Martin

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Luther King Jr.s individual discourse allowed his ideas to be tested, and either embraced or
rejected, those who embraced his ideas became part of a larger community that King was
gradually building (Herrick 23). When he broadcasts to the nation, calling out supporters to
come and march with him in Selma, citizens in the country have the opportunity to respond
regardless of their skin color. In the end, it was each individuals personal morals and
motivations that determined whether or not they were going to support this community. The film
shows numerous amounts of white Americans from a variety of backgrounds going out of their
ways to come to Selma and stand up for what they believe in. This displays Selmas ability to
adapt to its audience, which Herrick claims is necessary in order to have a convincing argument.
He argues that no effective rhetor, then, can ignore the beliefs, values, and related concerns of
her audience(Herrick 10). Portraying supporters from a multitude of backgrounds allows the
audience to comprehend the fact that they too have the ability to act regardless of their race,
religion, or political beliefs. The film shows dozens of peoples reactions when they first hear the
nationwide news about the march that ended in a massacre. By portraying such drastic responses
to this event, such as families crying in front of their television sets, Selma is able to reach out to
viewers sentimental sides and further instigate a desire to respond.
Throughout the films progression, the producers of Selma depict a variety of individuals
and their responses to the civil rights movement. These depictions not only reinforce the theme
of community, but also provide viewers with a powerful incentive to act due to the ties that have
already been established with characters in Selma. One such example is the white priest from
Boston who travels all the way to Alabama to support the African American community. He
takes a stand for what he believes is morally right, yet still ends up getting rejected and even
murdered for his actions. In this murder scene, the producers use reframing, showing his

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attackers for a moment, then switching to a close up of the priests face, and finally zooming out
to show him lying helplessly on the ground. Lancioni believes reframing to be very effective in
the portrayal of certain forms of art because it calls attention to a part of the whole [scene] that
might otherwise be missed (111). Selmas implementation of reframing helps to highlight both
the ruthlessness of the priests attackers and the overwhelming pain that the priest undergoes.
Showing his intense misery reveals the struggle that enthusiasts sometimes endure to accomplish
their goals. The priest didnt have to travel thousands of miles and protest against people with the
same skin color as him; he chose to because he felt an internal moral obligation to fight for what
he believes in. Some might counter argue that this downfall frightens viewers away from
standing up for what is right for fear of the consequences. In reality, however, it subconsciously
tugs at their hearts and prompts the viewers to want to act because of the sorrow and pity they
feel for an innocent man standing up for what he believes in. This indirect use of cinematography
to persuade viewers into taking a stand is an unusual yet effective practice of the art of rhetoric.
Selma uses a myriad of theatrical effects in addition to reframing throughout the movie to
further strengthen their rhetorical argument by appealing to the emotions of the audience. The
implementation of these elements proves extremely effective because rather than making the
viewer feel forced into a certain ideal, the film works to plant subliminal thoughts, which
ultimately affect their outlook on motivation and drive to pursue their dreams. After the march,
when Martin Luther King Jr. is giving his speech in Montgomery, multiple cinematic effects are
utilized simultaneously in order to leave the viewers feeling ambitious and confident in their
abilities. During Kings speech, a soft melodic song is playing in the background while the
screen shows individual characters along with descriptions of the true things that happened in
their lifetime. In Lancionis article, she comments on the filmmakers rhetorical strategy when

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they construct a complex relationship of images, words, sounds, and music that encourages
viewers to fill in the gaps, confront discrepancies, and draw their own conclusions (Lancioni
114). The soft hum of the melodic song during Kings speech has a triumphant and rejuvenating
feel, which helps to reinforce the themes present in the speech itself. In addition to the melody,
the producers include thematic elements like applause and American flags in this scene to further
enhance the victorious atmosphere. While these effects dont directly give away the argument of
the filmmakers, they invite the audience to reflect on Kings accomplishments and draw their
own conclusions given the mood that Selma associates with success. This strikingly joyful and
vibrant atmosphere makes it difficult for the viewer to feel anything besides inspired. Appealing
to the emotions of the audience can be a very powerful rhetorical technique as stated by Herrick,
and Selma utilizes it successfully to better advocate their argument.
Although Selma does an effective job of uncovering the development of true historical
events, the film as a whole can be perceived as much more than a documentary because of the
obvious rhetorical motives behind the fashion that these events are represented. While Martin
Luther King Jr.s journey occurred almost fifty years ago, his story is still very relevant to todays
population due to the themes that he stood for. Releasing the film at a time when there are
predicaments like the Ferguson grand jury case reveals the contemporary audience that Selma
hopes to address. Almost all of these problems regarding seclusion and abuse could be solved if
there were more people with Kings determination and drive to succeed. With the aid of modern
technology and cinematography, the producers of Selma worked to advocate the truths about
following your dreams. The rhetorical elements in the film helped to promote the importance of
community as well as give the audience an emotional attachment to many of the characters. After
showing the substantial achievements that can stem from following ones dreams, the film allows

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the audience to reflect and hopefully be driven into addressing personal goals in their near future.
With millions of people watching Selma for years to come, one can only imagine the impact that
the film will have on our society as a whole. Martin Luther King Jr.s dream was to change
African American rights, however he was only able to achieve this through his ability to inspire
others and plant foundations of hope. This is the lasting impact that he will have on our society
and his message will forever live on in the rhetorical elements of Selma.

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Works Cited
"Barack Obama Quotes." Goodreads.com. N.p., 4 June 2010. Web. 18 Feb. 2015.
<http://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/6356.Barack_Obama>.
Herrick, James. The History and Theory of Rhetoric. Boston: Allyn & Bacon, 2001. Print.
Lancioni, Judith. The Rhetoric of the Frame Revisioning Archival Photographs in The Civil
War. Western Journal of Communication 60th Ed. 1996. 397-414. Print.
Selma. Dir. Ava DuVernay. Perf. David Oyelowo, Tom Wilkinson, and Carmen Ejogo.
Paramount Pictures, 2014. Film.