Film Techniques Used to Convey Shifts in Authority in Hidden Figures

Throughout the film, Hidden Figures, director Theodore Melfi employs the use of many characters and appeals to illustrate the racism and the authority shift that Katherine, Dorothy, and Mary experienced during their time working at NASA. All three characters are developed and strengthened their relationships, enabling them to grow and stand up for themselves. In Hidden Figures, the lighting of characters, the depth and camera angles of the people, and the costuming all contribute to the development of the three main characters. The scenes that have a major change in the emotions of the characters that decided to stand up for themselves are viewed later in the film when the characters are working at NASA.

In the film, Hidden Figures, mise-en-scene techniques such as camera angles and shot types are used with Katherine to explain the plot’s shift of authority, Katherine standing up for herself during the bathroom scene to Al Harrison; is a moment when there is a shift in authority with Al Harrison and Katherine Johnson. Usually, Al Harrison is the more dominant character through the film, but, in this particular scene, Katherine is the more powerful and authoritative than him. Even though Katherine has to walk a half mile across the campus every time she wants a bathroom break, which is viewed as a long shot. The general tone is demanding were her piercing eyes scan and look at Al Harrison. He tries to apologize for his actions, but Katherine reacts and responds to the comment that Jim Johnson said about her NASA career. Katherine’s facial expression is full of anger, viewed at a close-up shot and a high angle.

She visits the computer room to learn how to program the IBM machine. Later, Mrs. Mitchell tells Dorothy that she is still not able to be a supervisor, even though she was the only worker at NASA that was able to work the machine. When Mrs. Mitchell told Dorothy she couldn’t be a supervisor, Dorothy is viewed at a high angle and her eye leveled with Mrs. Mithchell. She tells Mrs. Mitchell in a dignified voice that she is capable of the NASA job position.

Mary, a strong-willed African American woman shifts her authority a lot throughout the Hidden Figures film. In the begging of the film, Mary changes authority again, while talking with the male police officer about her friends broken down blue car. When the officer, viewed from a high angle, questions why Katherine, Dorothy, and Mary African American woman) are on the side of the road. Mary begins to stand up tall at a high angle and walks closer to the police officer, which is viewed as a medium shot type. When she is viewed at a high angle it makes her seem more superior than the police officer, while she presents him her NASA ID card.

The details of the composition type state changes in costuming, camera angles, and shot types; highlight a relevant thematic idea about racism and authority in the film Hidden Figures. Katherine, Dorothy, and Mary have developed as characters in the historic film, while the characters have to deal with challenging situations throughout the film.

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