Questions: Analyzing Pray’s documentary film

1. Purpose. Watch the entire documentary. How does Pray put the story together? What choices does he make in telling the story?

   Chapter 3 - Questions: Analyzing Pray’s documentary film: Purpose. Watch the entire documentary. How does Pray put the story together? What choices does he make in telling the story?
2. Purpose. Although Pray’s main purpose is to inform viewers about the world of scratching and DJing, he also makes some arguments about the DJ subculture. What are his claims regarding DJ culture? Point to specific moments in the documentary to support your answer.

   Chapter 3 - Questions: Analyzing Pray’s documentary film: Purpose. Although Pray’s main purpose is to inform viewers about the world of scratching and DJing, he also makes some arguments about the DJ subculture. What are his claims regarding DJ culture? Point to specific moments in the documentary to support your answer.
3. Audience. To what extent does Pray’s documentary reach beyond an audience already familiar with hip-hop music? Explain.

   Chapter 3 - Questions: Analyzing Pray’s documentary film: Audience. To what extent does Pray’s documentary reach beyond an audience already familiar with hip-hop music? Explain.
4. Audience. How does Pray show viewers the differences between hip-hop and rap, and how are these differences developed throughout the documentary?

   Chapter 3 - Questions: Analyzing Pray’s documentary film: Audience. How does Pray show viewers the differences between hip-hop and rap, and how are these differences developed throughout the documentary?
5. Rhetorical appeals. How does the mix of DJs Pray interviews contribute to the film’s ethos and credibility?

   Chapter 3 - Questions: Analyzing Pray’s documentary film: Rhetorical appeals. How does the mix of DJs Pray interviews contribute to the film’s ethos and credibility?
6. Modes & media. As you watched the film, which captured your attention more—the audio or the video? Why?

   Chapter 3 - Questions: Analyzing Pray’s documentary film: Modes & media. As you watched the film, which captured your attention more—the audio or the video? Why?
7. Elements of the genre. How does Pray organize the material in his documentary? What is the effect of this organization? How does the order of scenes contribute to his purposes?

   Chapter 3 - Questions: Analyzing Pray’s documentary film: Elements of the genre. How does Pray organize the material in his documentary? What is the effect of this organization? How does the order of scenes contribute to his purposes?
8. Elements of the genre. Why does Pray highlight the musicians’ locations? What point does he make about scratching in relationship to place?

   Chapter 3 - Questions: Analyzing Pray’s documentary film: Elements of the genre. Why does Pray highlight the musicians’ locations? What point does he make about scratching in relationship to place?
9. Style. Comment on Pray’s emphasis on hands and quick shots between subjects. How do these choices affect his presentation of scratching?

   Chapter 3 - Questions: Analyzing Pray’s documentary film: Style. Comment on Pray’s emphasis on hands and quick shots between subjects. How do these choices affect his presentation of scratching?
10. Style. How does Pray create smooth transitions between the different people he features? Consider his use of visuals, music, background sound, and B-roll. Look at one specific transition and discuss why you think he made the choices he did.

    Chapter 3 - Questions: Analyzing Pray’s documentary film: Style. How does Pray create smooth transitions between the different people he features? Consider his use of visuals, music, background sound, and B-roll. Look at one specific transition and discuss why you think he made the choices he did.
11. Design. Why do you think the film ends with a piece of nineteenth-century classical music, Edvard Grieg’s “In the Hall of the Mountain King,” performed and interpreted by the British instrumental group Apollo 100? Fast-forward the Scratch video to 1:21:09 (the entire film is 1:27:48); the DJ mixes in “In the Hall of the Mountain King” from that point through the film’s wrap-up.

    Chapter 3 - Questions: Analyzing Pray’s documentary film: Design. Why do you think the film ends with a piece of nineteenth-century classical music, Edvard Grieg’s “In the Hall of the Mountain King,” performed and interpreted by the British instrumental group Apollo 100? Fast-forward the Scratch video to 1:21:09 (the entire film is 1:27:48); the DJ mixes in “In the Hall of the Mountain King” from that point through the film’s wrap-up.