NFB Collection
Breakin' In: The Making of a Hip Hop Dancer
200545 min 8 secFilm: Documentary
Direction: Elizabeth St. Philip
Production: Silva BasmajianSylvia Sweeney
Script: Elizabeth St. Philip
The images are everywhere: young, Black women shaking their assets in music videos featuring the biggest names in hip hop. The dancers appear to be pretty props, gyrating to songs with misogynistic lyrics sung by mostly male rappers - images that appear to be exploitative and stereotypical. Yet auditions are highly sought after. What drives these women to risk everything - education, jobs, relationships - for a chance at fame?
Breakin' In: The Making of a Hip Hop Dancer goes behind the scenes to find the truth behind these highly sexualized images. This edgy POV documentary follows Linda, Michelle and Tracy - three young Black women as they compete for roles in hip hop music videos. Through their eyes we see how this world has impacted their personal values, their career ambitions and their concepts of beauty and self-image.
Breakin' In: The Making of a Hip Hop Dancer was produced as part of the Reel Diversity Competition for emerging filmmakers of colour. Reel Diversity is a National Film Board of Canada initiative in partnership with CBC Newsworld.
Subject categories
- Cultural Diversity and Multiculturalism > African OriginsWomen
- Social Issues > Cultural GroupsDiscrimination and StereotypingYoung Adults
- Women > Cultural GroupsDiscrimination, Stereotyping and Equal RightsMass Media
- Music > Popular Music
Credits
- writer
- Elizabeth St. Philip
- director
- Elizabeth St. Philip
- producer
- Silva Basmajian
- editor
- Greg West
- director of photography
- John Minh Tran
- sound recordist
- Sanjay Mehta
- original music composer
- David Krain
- music performer
- David Krain
- narrator
- Jemeni
- additional camera
- Christopher Romeike
- Don Spence
- Richard Fox
- additional sound recordist
- Steve McNamee
- Hartley Wynberg
- Daniel Hewett
- Adrian Tucker
- visual clearances
- Elizabeth Klinck
- music clearances
- Elizabeth Klinck
- sound editor
- Grant Edmonds
- re-recording mixer
- Lou Solakofski
- ADR mixer
- Robert Di Gioia
- camera assistant
- Scott Burton
- Rob Shaw
- production assistant
- Judith Burfoot
- Derek Luis
- Trecia McLennon
- Dan Thornhill
- Gail Maurice
- Beth Biederman
- assistant editor
- Angela Fong
- Edgar Rigonan
- Michael Smith
- post-production assistant
- Tessefa Francis
- research
- Elizabeth St. Philip
- Elizabeth Trojian
- Michelle Herbert
- Elizabeth Klinck
- transcription
- Chris Warren Textworks
- Highscribe/Liza Vespi Inc.
- title design
- Denny Kurien
- photographic scanning
- Shannon Craig
- online editor
- Lee Maund
- colourist
- Joanne Rourke
- unit photography
- Jag Gundu
- technical coordinator
- Mark Wilson
- technical intern
- Dan Thornhill
- senior administrative assistant
- Joanne Forrest
- budget officer
- Julietta McGovern
- Ida Di Fruscia
- product manager
- Sue Mander
- production co-ordinator
- Lea Marin-Jara
- Anousheh Showleh
- production supervisor
- Kemp Archibald
- line production
- Douglas MacFarlane
- executive producer
- Sylvia Sweeney
- Silva Basmajian