ABSTRACT
Chapter 2 demonstrates that tech-savvy characters, like those in Pitch Perfect, are the people who are most likely to surprise us by manipulating tools and spaces that require no electric power. Beca Mitchell, female protagonist of the film, performs in unlikely settings (and with unlikely props) and inspires others to do the same. In this narrative, characters are just as likely to stack CDs as they are to digitally mix tracks on a laptop. The low fidelity world of a capella music in both the first film and its sequel Pitch Perfect 2 features empty swimming pools, shower stalls, plastic cups, campfires, and candles as co-participants in musical performances. Beca becomes a leader of the Barden Bellas, an a capella group, because she effectively navigates both worlds with attention to audience needs. In the film’s sequel, she and her teammates confront high tech performances by European performers, and going unplugged helps these young female artists “find their sound” even as they compete against the most sophisticated singing group in the world.
