White Noise PSA

by caprariok

White Noise explores institutional racism and the disturbing trend toward militarized policing in America from a White point of view. Viewers are presented with the opportunity to consider and confront race-based violence against African Americans in relationship to the benefits of White privilege.

Media coverage of events, from Ferguson to Charleston, bombard every news source across the nation. Yet many feel far removed from the reality of that violence. By staying quiet do we send the message that these occurrences are okay? What grounds do we, as White artists and consumers, have to make work commenting on this? As a White, female, I bring these questions to the work.

The abstracted static, the white noise, that is positioned at the beginning and the end, has a metaphoric duality. The scripted dialog invites the viewer to consider their response to the complexity and cultural dynamics of race in America and all White-dominant societies. Does one speak up and out against racially motivated violence or remain silent and insulated from the reality of institutional racism? We all have a choice—WN asks, what’s yours?

Written after the shooting of Walter Scott on April 4, 2015, it is a response to that violence as well as the lack of response from my mostly White, liberal Facebook friends. The silence I received was deafening, and instead of engaging a discussion on race and institutional racism, images of arugula salads and sunsets were the response given to my outrage. What to do? Write a script, find a crew, talent, shoot, edit and get it out–make some noise–White Noise!

https://www.facebook.com/pages/White-Noise-PSA/992019460838316