Media: ISP 10

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‘If I were a Boy’ (2009) consists of both positive and negative representations of gender, which is interesting, as its aim is to be a feminist song and video. To tackle gender stereotypes and stereotypical gender roles the video has to take on said stereotypes. Throughout the majority of the video, Beyonce stands in as the typical male, and the male stands in as the typical female both in work and within their relationship, which relates to the fact that the song is a ballad. For example, the male is shown as the emotional one during the relationship, and the one who gets hurt by Beyonce’s cruel actions. Meanwhile, Beyonce flirts with other men, and has a job as a police officer. These examples all go against gender stereotypes which I believe is the point of the video. As well as, when paired with the lyrics, ‘If I were a boy’, possibly suggesting that her life regarding work and relationships would be easier for Beyonce if she were male when looking at stereotypes. However, it’s not all positive representation. The use of stereotypes could be seen as reinforcement of them, as it’s easy to cross the line. Plus it was interesting that Beyonce was typically sexualised and not the male. For example, through the mise-en-scene. Beyonce’s police outfit had a v neck line showing some of her chest, and there was also a shot of her topless. The male did not have similar shots or outfits. This all links into Stuart Hall’s representation theory. He asserts that stereotyping reduces people and social groups to a few simple characteristics that are recognisable to audiences because they are reinforced over time. He also argues that stereotypes tend to occur when there are inequalities of power. The use of stereotypes in this video are used to emphasise the inequality of power, such as how being a policeman is typically viewed as a male job rather than a female and how women are stereotypically thought of the emotional and weak ones in the relationship. There is a flip in the narrative towards the end of the video. The music stops and only diegetic noise can be heard emphasising the emotional side to the scene. In this moment, the video acknowledges the gender flip that has been happening and reverts to the stereotypes. This reinforces the exploration of stereotypes as negative, and how women suffer as a consequence. ‘If I Were a Boy’ technically links in with the social context and history for women and the unequalness for women in society. It tackles what are resumed to be male careers and personality traits which revolve around strength and power, while women are emotional and helpless ones. The video criticises these stereotypes. 

Similarly, ‘Apesh*t’ (2018) also tackles representation of women. To compare possible sexualisation, in ‘If I Were a Boy’ the sexualisation feels more uncomfortable, but in Apesh*t, it’s done in a completely different way and Beyonce feels more in control of how she is presented. Such as, even though her neckline is even lower in this video, it feels like a personal choice that doesn’t objectify her unlike in the other music video. This could be due to the time the videos were made. From 2009 to 2018 there has been many social movements and changes regarding women which would have affected the representation of women in her videos, especially since Beyonce is so politically and socially aware. A difference between the two videos though in terms of representation is that ‘Apesh*t’ focus on ethnicity in terms of representation. The camera is almost always moving apart from when it focuses on a piece of art. More often than not, the art close up is of a black person which we can link to representation. Moreover, it can be perceived that the decision to have the video take place in the Louvre is used as an embodiment of an intervention of Western Art. This could link to Gauntlett’s representation theory. As Gauntlett asserts that the media provide us with the ‘tools’ or resources that we use to construct our own identities. Advertising offers us ‘role models’; he suggests that they then ‘pick and mix’ which aspects of these products they want to use in the construction of their own identities. It’s entirely possible that a response to this video could relate to this which in this case is a good thing as the representation is positive. However, Gauntlett’s theory can be argued against. As you could argue that people are already confident enough in themselves to start changing who they are according to media. 

A difference between the two videos is the use of colour, or the lack of colour. In ‘If I Were a Boy’ the entire video is in black and white which would have been a directorial choice. It links in with Barthe’s semiotic theory as the black and white has connotations of the past and timelessness, possibly suggesting that the gender stereotypes represented started long ago and sadly continue. To contrast, the pastelle colour palette in ‘Apesh*t’ contrasts Beyonce’s music videos from the past and connotes a sense of maturity in her, her music and her videos as it’s perfectly coordinated and mature; this is part of the representation of herself in the video. The representation of herself also link in with the lyrics, as she sings, “I can’t believe we made it’ which could be a reference to her career or her relationship with Jay-z. The genre being hip hop/rap also contrasts her past work, providing a sign of development in her music. In ‘If I Were a Boy’, the representations of herself are linked in with the representation of women. Such as, the police outfit she wears connotes power and a high position job which the video displays women should be just as much as men. She also shows herself as emotional, as one close up shows a tear on her face. This contrasts to ‘Apesh*t’ when it’s all pure confidence. The mise en scene of the art is a large presence in the video. This could link to historical context, as I’m sure they stood and danced in front of specific art for specific reasons. Plus, “The video opens with a shot of a man wearing angel wings, kneeling in front of the museum, something Thomas says could be a reference to the film, Looking for Langston.“The film shows black people with large wings that somewhat replicate that sculpture. An Essex Hemphill poem in it talks about falling angels that connect to the history of black life and death, which is something that Beyoncé has dealt with in her work as well,” she said.”

Beyonce Formation

Intertextuality in Formation

Reference to Alejandro Jodorowsky’s surrealist film The Holy Mountain (1973)

• This shot eerily mirrors an image in The Holy Mountain featuring a similarly dress entity named the Alchemist
• The Alchemist in The Holy Mountain is a symbol of truth and spiritual freedom; a society conscious ‘liberator’ who rejects authoritarianism
• Beyonce is drawing comparisons between herself and the Alchemist, with the police authorities positioned as the target of her gestures. After all, there are frequent images related to police brutality throughout the video, coinciding with a climatic message exclaiming ‘stop shooting us’

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Exam Practice: Building the perfect paragraph

P – POINT – a general discussion that demonstrates your knowledge

E – EXAMPLE – specific evidence from the product(s) you have been asked to discuss

E – EXPLAIN – give reasons for the example that you have chosen – e.g. connotations, contexts, potential audience responses)

T – THEORIES – apply the theory and discuss how it is evident in the product

A – ANSWER – directly respond to what the question has asked of you

TIP: instead of using the word ‘suggests’ say ‘connotes’

Practise:

The text is the front page of a Daily Mirror newspaper from 2016. The central image is of the statue of liberty in the foreground with a smoke heavy America in the background. The use of the Statue of Liberty is important and links to Roland Barthes Semiotic theory as the denotation of this central image is that ‘TRUMP’ will have negative effects on America as president, hence the smoked out sky and the edited version of the statue of liberty showing it scared and/or crying. But these visual elements can also be considered symbols that conotate that Trump when give the political power of Presidency will damage America’s representation, history, and greatness as that is what the Statue of Liberty represents. The central image is desaturated and monochromatic, contrasting greatly against the Daily Mail’s red logo and the red writing which only emphasises the monochromatic image more. Black monochrome has negative connotations and in this case suggests a bleak future with Donald Trump as president when paired with the red subheading ‘How Trump triumphed… and what it means for you and the world’. The use of alliteration in this subheading emphasises its meaning to the reader, which in this case remains the negative effects that Donald Trump as president will have. The text sacrifices having a formal mode of address so that it can address the reader directly. Such as with the use of the pronoun ‘you’ in ‘How Trump triumphed… and what it means for you and the world’. This direct address creates more of a reaction from the reader, as they feel directly involved with what the newspaper is telling them. In this case due to the connotations and denotations of the central image and use of colour, it’s that they as individuals could be in danger because of Donald Trump. The layout and design of having ‘IT’S PRESIDENT TRUMP…’ placed above the central image is a way of emphasising their message that Donald Trump caused/will cause a catastrophe as shown by the image.

Questions:

formationDownload

1. What key representations feature in the music video? Gender, age, ethnicity etc. Are there positive and negative representations? 2) How has this been constructed? 5) Is the music video reflecting a historical, social or cultural context? How? What are the connotations of the images?

The ‘Formation’ music video by Beyonce was released in 2016 and covers many different representations. One key representation is the representation of black women in regard to the slave trade era in America. For example, the mise en scene or more specifically the costume design through the use of antebellum era dresses which Beyonce and other women wear in the video. Moreover, outfits like the white corsets also represent a time when slaves were still be oppressed. This links to Barthes theory of Semiotics as these outfits have connotations of slavery that are implied to the audience. But more importantly it also links to Hall’s representation theory. Hall argues that all representations are constructed through signs and codes that are understood by the audience – such as said outfits. He asserts that stereotyping reduces people and social groups to a few simple characteristics that are recognisable to audiences because they are reinforced over time. He also argues that stereotypes tend to occur when there are inequalities of power. This would make sense in terms of Beyonce’s formation music video as she is referencing a time when there was an extremely large inequalities of power regarding race and gender. I think she referenced this era in the way she did in her video because she’s stating that this sort of discrimination will remain unacceptable, and she is taken control of her own body partially representing her own life, contrasting against the slave trade era.

3. How do the representations relate to the lyrics and the genre of the music? 5) Is the music video reflecting a historical, social or cultural context? How? What are the connotations of the images?

Bounce music Is an energetic style of hip-hop music which originated New Orleans during the 1980s. After the devastating effects of Hurricane Katrina, many bounce-music artists spread around the country as they were dispersed to other major cities. Today, elements of bounce can be found in music across the charts. They all have first paced beats and a lot of repetitive lyrics. The most famous bounce artist is Big Freedia, also known as “the queen” of New Orleans Bounce music, she helped popularise the genre by bringing it to a wider audience, influencing a lot of hip hop and R&B music. This is relevant to Beyonce’s formation as the voice over at the start of the video is Big Freedia and the video was filmed in her home town New Orleans. This all links to the references to Hurricane Katrina in the music video, such as when Beyonce is sitting on the flooded police car. Most damage was within the city of New Orleans and surrounding areas. The reaction to the flood by the mayor was strongly criticised. For example, he didn’t implement the food plan and he delayed the evacuation causing more deaths. This was linked to social issues as the majority of stranded people in New Orleans were black. The video opens with a New Orleans police car submerged in deep flood waters. Beyonce is posed on the vehicle to reference the neglect towards helping the survivors of New Orleans particularly those of African American descent. The voice over that follows says, ” What happened after New Orleans”, the voice is Messy Mya, a controversial African American social media celeb/comedian from New Orleans. This links to Barthes semiotics theory, as the mise-en-scene of the flood and the flooded police car connotes the political and social messages.

4) Has she used the video to construct a representation of herself? How?

Beyonce’s Formation constructs a strong, proud representation of herself. This is reinforced with the fact that she is never shot from above in a high angle shot that makes her seem weaker. This confidence and proudness is partly done through the representation of black women and the references to black feminism. Black Feminism is a type of feminism that focuses on the idea that sexism and racism are bound together, this is called intersectionality. The experience of being a black woman cannot be understood by simply being black or a female – while these two identities should be considered independently, they should also be understood that each concept compound upon and reinforce each other. In the video and through the lyrics, Beyonce uses powerful imagery to praise black women’s beauty. Such as, Blue Ivy’s afro which she praises within the lyrics and the video. Blue Ivy is sot from below, low angle shot, making her seem powerful, this is the same for the close ups of the women in the house. Moreover,  She uses the scene of the submerging police car with her on top to symbolise the role of black women, historically the forefront and backbone of political movement. She first says ‘she slay; but then goes on to add ‘we all slay’ so she’s unifying black women. Politically, “Formation” is a black woman’s call to arms. It’s a moving assembly of ethnically authentic parts. This links to Gauntlet’s identity theory. Gauntlett asserts that the media provide us with the ‘tools’ or resources that we use to construct our own identities. Advertising offers us ‘role models’; he suggests that they then ‘pick and mix’ which aspects of these products they want to use in the construction of their own identities. He also argues that the media today, unlike in the past, offer a more diverse range of stars, icons and characters from whom we may pick and mix different ideas. You could interpret that Formation encourage a construction of identity through confidence and praise of beauty.

Apply David Gauntlett’s theory

1. To what extent do the representations of gender and ethnicity in Formation offer a range of more diverse types? 2) How might an audience respond to the representations they see in Formation?

Gauntlett asserts that the media provide us with the ‘tools’ or resources that we use to construct our own identities. Advertising offers us ‘role models’; he suggests that they then ‘pick and mix’ which aspects of these products they want to use in the construction of their own identities. He also argues that the media today, unlike in the past, offer a more diverse range of stars, icons and characters from whom we may pick and mix different ideas. You could argue that Formation offers a more diverse range of characters and icons, as the video and lyrics were partially made to discuss the representation of black women (linking to black feminism), and black women are not often represented in media to the same extent as say white women or white men. Beyonce is praising her identity and using powerful imagery to praise black women’s beauty. Such as, when she sings about her daughters hair. Linking in with Hall’s reception theory, the audience’s preferred response is to agree with and support this representation.

Apply Student Hall’s Representation Theory

1. What stereotypes are prevalent in Formation? 2) How does Formation reinforce and challenge stereotypical representations of gender, age and ethnicity?

Hall argues that all representations are constructed through signs and codes that are understood by the audience. He asserts that stereotyping reduces people and social groups to a few simple characteristics that are recognisable to audiences because they are reinforced over time. He also argues that stereotypes tend to occur when there are inequalities of power. The ‘Formation’ music video by Beyonce was released in 2016 and covers many different representations. One key representation is the representation of black women in regard to the slave trade era in America. For example, the mise en scene or more specifically the costume design through the use of antebellum era dresses which Beyonce and other women wear in the video. Moreover, outfits like the white corsets also represent a time when slaves were still be oppressed. She is referencing a time when there was an extremely large inequalities of power regarding race and gender. I think she referenced this era in the way she did in her video because she’s stating that this sort of discrimination will remain unacceptable, and she is taken control of her own body partially representing her own life, contrasting against the slave trade era. Moreover, there is reference to the black lives matter movement. It presented how even in a harmless situation, a black person can still be considered a threat such as during the child’s dancing scene. (The dancer’s hoodie is especially poignant, as George Zimmerman’s defence tried to argue that Trayvon Martin’s jacket made him look threatening. It sparked a wave of people posting photos on social media in which they donned hoodies in the 17-year-old’s memory.) But the child in “Formation,” is fearless, talented, and daring in the face of adversity. This links to the representation of age, as the child is innocent and completely harmless, yet the positioning of the police suggests threat.

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Case Study – Formation

Contexts

Formation contains references to a number of issues and events. It is therefore important to be aware of the contexts (social, cultural, historical, and political) which apply to this case study.

The main contextual references in the video are:

• Hurricane Katrina and the devastation of New Orleans
• The Civil Rights Movement and Martin Luther King
• Black women in the Slave Trade era
• ‘Black Lives Matter’ campaign and police brutality
• Black feminism
• ‘Bounce’ music

black feminismDownload

black-Lives Matter Download

black women-in-the-slave-trade-eraDownload

bounce-musicDownload

hurricane-katrina-powerpointDownload

civil-rightsDownload

More:

martin-luther-king-and-the-civil-rights-movementDownload

hurricane-katrinaDownload

bounce-music-Download

black-women-in-the-slave-trade-Download

black-lives-matter-campaign-and-police-brutality-Download

black-feminism-mediaDownload

Music Videos Lesson 2

Profile: Beyonce

• Age: 38

• Place of Origin: Texas, USA

• Former member of R&B girl-group Destiny’s Child

• Genre: Pop/R&B

• Married to hip-hop legend Jay-Z

• Describes herself as a “modern-day feminist”

• Her net-worth is rumoured to be more than $400 million

• Has ventured into acting, too – nominated for a Golden Globe for her performance in Dreamgirls

• Wrote an performed the main song for The Lion King (2019)

YouTube – more than 10 billion views on her videos in total

Six number-one singles in the US and five in the UK

The first female solo artist to headline Coachella

The first female artist to have three of their albums surpass one billion streams on Spotify

Her album Lemonade was streamed 115 million times through Tidal, setting a record for the most-streamed album in a single week by a female artist in history

How have our videos changed over time?

Crazy in Love (2003)

• Fast cutting rate
• Use of coloured lighting
• Sometimes colourful outfits or elements of the outfit are colourful but started off not vibrant
• Focus on her body – sexualised
• Choreography
• Multiple costumes and sets

APES**T (2018) in comparison

• Coloured lighting still
• Colourful outfits
• Choreography
• Murals and painting – aesthetically nice, status of wealth, celebration of black art, women in art
• She has way more money now – setting, outfits, poise (confident in-front of Mona Lisa)
• Beyonce is mainly still while others are choreographed
• Seems more controlled and consistent in terms of technical aspects – mise en scene, cinematography
• Sexualisation in both but a clear difference between the representation
• Heavily edited too (but not as much as the first)
• Heavily used lighting in both
• Jay-z – power couple dynamic – positions
• Multiple costumes and sets
• relationship based on lust (2003) vs heritage
• Maturity – different focus
• Genre – hip hop infused
• Colour palette more controlled – pastel colours that compliment in this one
• Jay Z and Beyonce equal in this video
• Social change shows
• Camera never looks down on them in this video
• Camera is always moving in this video apart from during the interlude, art and dancers

Beyonce – Identity

There are two different Beyonce personas:

• the chart-stopping pop star
• socially conscious activist

Beyonce’s platform is not limited to her musical voice, yet the mainstream doesnt often notice behind the scenes work.

• Beyonce started a hurricane Katrina fund in 2005
• Raised money for Haiti relief in 2010
• She headed a campaign in 2013 called “Chime for a Change” which aimed to spreed female empowerment
• She funded a $7 million housing complex for homeless in Houston, which is predominately a Black community, and Beyonces home
• As black lives matters came to rise, Beyonce and Jay-Z were at the protests and rallies. When activists were arrested they anonymously bailed them out

With the release of the 2016 visual album Lemonade, Beyonce, for the first time, blended her personas into one.

The music and the videos of the album were more thoughtful, artistic pieces which tended to feature social and political messages.

Visual Album – An album which has a music video for every song featured

One way which helped redefine Beyonce as a more serious musician was her refined use of intertextuality.

Beyonce’s early use of intertexuality

Intertexual references in Beyonces earlier work were often in relation to popular media texts – texts which a number of audience members would recognise.

These references were merely imitations – superficial use of intertextuality

e.g.

• 03 Bonnie and Clyde (2002) – Bonnie and Clyde (1967)
• Video Phone (2009) – Reservoir Dogs (1992)
• Telephone (2009) – Kill Bill vol.1 (2003)

The Turning Point

With the release of the music-infused short film Bang Bang (2014), a collaboration with director Dikayl Rimmasch, Beyonce’s use of intertexuality changed

Intertextual refernces are more subtle and evoke an artistic style

• Western Genre
• Breathless (1960) – French New Wave Cinema

Beyonce’s Lemonade and intertextuality

Intertextual references used in Beyonce’s visual alum were carefully chosen – the use of the intertexual references were to evoke an artistic style or use a text which showcases a social/political messgae.

E.g. Lemonade and Daughters of the Dust (1991)

Intertextual references are meaningful and reflect social/political messages regarding positive representations of black women, a celebration of African culture and a critique of racism in the US.

Since Lemonade, this intertexuality hasn’t stopped. .g. 2018 tour photo and Touki Bouki (1973)

Music Videos – Component 1

Beyonce – Formation

Music Videos

• The music video is an important promotional tool used by the music industry to market performers and their music
• The video is used to anchor and interpret the meaning of a song
• Music videos can defer in style too – some are story-orientated, some show live performances…
• It helps to create a ‘star persona’ for the performer
• It adapts or develops the image of a more ‘established’ performer

What is a ‘star persona’?

• In his book ‘Stars’, Richard Dyer states that a star is “more than talent, beauty, glamour and charisma”
• It is an image and a representation constructed to appeal to an audience
• The ‘star’ may not have any resemblance to the person behind the construction

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Spin Around – Wretch 32

Not necessarily a story, but someone drinking in a night club possibly with elements of a story regarding friends or a romantic relationship or how his career is effecting him both positive and negative. Multiple locations: night club, outside at night. Props – alcohol. The performance is from the star but their are lots of extras. Lengths of the shot vary, but lots of long shots with occasionally close ups of the star. As for costumes something casual.

Bob Dylan – Fall Out Boy

Full on sets and probably use of green screen. Definitely the use of story telling. Originally I considered actors playing out some sort of romance story. But it would include the band members as ‘extras’ playing instruments and singing at some points. Then I considered that maybe this is a personal story about the band and their career? So maybe it’s only/mainly the band members and their is a story but it’s more based in their actual lives but it could be shown through some big sets and props through metaphors. I’d say no stage, just sets. Maybe their making fun of themselves? Maybe random characters from previous music videos are used.

Beautiful Ghosts – Taylor Swift (CATS)

If the music video is taken from the movie, I’d say Taylor is a cat and on the street at night time (like that girl from Les Mis) singing either to herself or to a single other cat. Maybe it’s raining, or it has been. There’s other cats together which she isn’t part of maybe. No props. Mainly long shots with a few close ups to emphasise emotion. If the music video is separate from the film, I’d imagine something subtle. Maybe the music video is a combination of Taylor Swift singing and the process of the song being made. Maybe it’s just the process of the song being made. Maybe it’s a combination of the film clips and Taylor Swift singing in a booth or something similar. Regardless, Taylor Swift is there.

Theorist One: Simon Frith

• A British sociomusicologist
• Firth believed that music videos could be seperated into categories, and identified three ‘types’ of music video:
• 1) Narrative
• 2) Performance
• 3) Conceptual
• Note: Some videos embody more than on of these.

1. Narrative

A music video which features a storyline which relates to the song’s lyrics in some sort ofway.

Can be in the form of:

• A linear structure – most narrative videos will adopt this structure (e.g. All I want pt1 – Kodaline)
• A non-linear/fragmented structure (e.g. photograph – Ed Sheeran)

It may also involve the performer playing themselves or a character in their own music videos

Or this may include actors performing in the video. (e.g. I really Like You – Carly Rae Jepson)

Narrative Continued:

• The production values may be high depending upon the status of the performer(S)

• Use of close-ups and point of view shots to involve the viewer

• Enigmas often used – maintain attention of the audience

• Intertexuality references to other media – as a way of creating meaning or presenting stylistic influences

• Thematic – story in video is related to lyrics

2. Performance

Music videos which feature a performance from the artist(s)

This could be in the form of…

• Shots from live performances
• Lip-synced performances
• Mixture of both

Codes and Conventions:

• Clips from live stage performances with shots of the artists performing and shots of the audience. This gives the audience at home a sense of atmosphere and involvement. Shots of the artists in ‘real-life’ situations, for example warming up or messing about, give the audience access to a more personal view of the performers, even if it is still constructed for this purpose.
• Several-close ups of the performer who may have direct mode of address in order to engage the audience. Music videos of this style can also be referred to as ‘a spectacle’, with direct interaction with the audience.
• The close-ups may also be of iconography, suggesting the music genre or the theme of the song. Sometimes an artist has a particular recognisable motif that is echoed throughout videos.
• To add entertainment value, the artists may perform in unusual places and will be lip-synced, for example on roof tops in fields etc.

3. Conceptual

• This is a style of music video that is based around a concept or an idea. They tend to be fairly unique or utilise a particular editing or filming technique.
• The importance of conceptual music videos is that they’re dramatic and try to convey a message by being metaphorical – not a direct relationship to the lyrics.
• e.g. Sia – Elastic Heart

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Social, Cultural and Political Issues – Stereotypes

Stereotypes are prominent in music vidoes.

However, some music videos work to challenge stereotypes.