analysing this is America - childish Gambino

This is America - Childish Gambino 

thoughts after first viewing

• youth culture 
• discrimination towards black people, including the corruption of America and its police
• portrays things like cars on fire and protests
• the video is much more narrative based 

in detailed analysis

starts with hand written font saying 'this is America'. the America is not capitalised at the start showing that he is trying to show that America is not that great. it also seems informal almost like a letter due to the font. the black background with the white weighting could be symbolism of the narrative of the video about discrimination. shows moving away from the American dream as it is a white middle class concept and childish Gambino is trying to play with that concept. 

video is shot In a wear house, universal and urban setting.

as camera is moving towards the chair it bumps as if to imitate foot steps

it starts with a calm vibe and is depicting cultural African music as the guitar player starts to play 

when childish Gambino comes into the frame he is wearing no shirt to show his skin colour which is an important aspect of the video.

he follows a moving camera dancing and then we come across the guitarist no longer with the guitar and now with a bag over his head, childish Gambino proceeds to shoot him in the head, the bag over the guitarists head showing him being viewed as a terrorist. reference to Jim Crow law image as he bends down to shoot the man (intertextualisation) 

after the shot the music changed dramatically. he is handed a red cloth for the gun, the colour red could represent the Republican Party and to symbolise corruption. 

backing dancers come in to the video and he dances to the kid, shows black youth culture and some of the moves almost look zombie, there is a tracking shot following his movements 

montage of kids on the cars dancing being celebratory behind him in the frame 

reference to church massacre in Charleston in 2015 when the choir are singing in the video and childish Gambino shoots them all. the shooting in Charleston was done by a white supremacist

the video shows the idea of the corruption of politics and America but also the issue between white supremasinsts thinking they are better by minority races 

get a constant juxtaposition between the jumpy smiley background and the mayhem and fights and the smoke. juxtaposition between the positive front of frame (dancing) and the back-frame of the fights.

talks about his cell phone and their is a panning shot towards a group of school children on their phone to show how societies technology has changed and kinds are now hooked to devices

black horse with white hooded figure to represent the KKK a group who were extremely discriminatory and prejudiced towards black people and would perform lynchings

moment of silence as he raises his hand as if he is holding a fake gun. he then lifts his hands and lights a joint, reference to drug culture

zooming out shot of childish Gambino dancing on a car surrounded by many other cars. could be referencing how black people often get pulled over for nothing and police violence takes place. this could also be a reference to how people protest about black peoples rights and fight for equality but in the end society reverts back to its 'normal' which could be shown by the calmness of all the cars in the wear house and szza who is pictured in the frame sitting on the car possible representing normality.

him running through the dark corridor you can only see the whites of his eyes. he is running away from a group of white supremacists. this is a reference to a famous image of a black man running away from white supremacists.