Formation by Beyonce - Representation Flashcards
Women
Representation
Representation as a person of strength and power:
- Beyoncé frequently makes direct addressto the audience by gazing directly at us, she stands in strong, powerful stances at the front of groups (of both men and women), and perhaps most iconic is the image of her on top of the police car.
Ethnicity
Representation
Hurricane Katrina/New Orleans
Context
Relevant Theory: Paul Gilroy’s Post Colonial theory
- Beyonce subverts Gilroy’s theory as the empowering depiction of black people paired with the lack/ unfavourable representation of white people illustrates them to be powerful.
- E.g. Low angle shots of Beyonce in antebellum clothing surrounded by the mis-en-scene of southern slavery plantations verus the unnecessary brigade of SWAT police infront of a little black boy dancing.
- The lack of white representation also creates an other effect for the typically hegemonic group.
Relevant theory: Gauntlett’s Identity Theory
Relevant Theory: bell hooks feminist theory
Why was Beyonce sued?
- B was sued for sampling Messy Mya without permission as it was arguably disrespectful.
- Beyonce perhaps tried to give the ‘illusion’ of supporting black culture on screen for marketing reasons, failing to show actual respect in real life.
Intertextuality
- The use of Messy Mya’s voice might signify the genre of the Music Video: the theme of black oppression and discrimination and discrimination which may engage Beyonce’s audience. As Messy Mya was shot and killed, it might also help to emphasise the themes of violent crimes affecting black victims.
Messi Mya
Intertexuality
- A popular rapper, comedian, and Youtube star, quite famous within black and LGBTQ+ communities due to his subversion of gender roles and expectations.
- He was famous for speaking out, in a controversial way, on issues of race and sexuality, and Hurricane Katrina.
- Shot dead at a party.
‘That B.E.A.T’
Intertextuality
- Several shots come from a documentary called ‘That B.E.A.T’ which was about bounce music and fans in New Orleans.
- The reference to this documentary, including blue flashing lights, police uniforms and so on, communicate a theme of police brutality against black communities.
- This reflects the social, cultural and political context in America, of racial discrimination, police brutality, Black Lives Matter movements etc.
- This would be familiar to the audience.
- The shots highlight the conflict that is so common, in America in particular, highlighting binary oppositions bewteen black communities and police.
“When he fuck me good I take his ass to Red Lobster, ‘cause I slay.”
Media language - lyrics, audio codes
- The use of profanity adds an aggresive, passionate feel to the video, and to Beyonce, perhaps connoting her power and challenging typical female representations of submissiveness.
Slurs in Formation
- The use of reclaimed racial slurs (for example, the ‘n’ word) might also demonstrate themes of historical discrimination and a desire to reclaim this previously repressed power.
Camera shots & angles
Beyonce on top of the police car
- The loosely framed, wide angle shots of B on top of the police car, portray her as independent.
- Low angles, combined with her confident, more typically masculine body language, make her seem powerful and in control.
- B’s position on top of the police car suggests dominance over the police.
- Could be a challenge to the context of America, where black people are often represented as subordinate to the police and white people.
X formation
Formation
Word choice: ‘Cocky
- The use of words like ‘cocky’ in her lyrics add to the representation of B as confident and self assured.
Audience Interpretation of Beyonce on top of a police car
Stuart Hall Reception Theory (?)
Some audiences reacted badly to the shot of Beyonce on the police car, assuming she was ‘anti-law enforcement’ and therefore anti-America.
Costume
- The juxtaposition of the historical style clothing/ setting, with black people wearing symbols of wealth, might highlight the historic wat in which black people were enslaved . And draw attention to the the ways in which this changed.
The inclusion of young black girls in the Formation music video
- The use of young children might signify that discrimination is still happening to young black people today.
- Alternatively, their smiling faces, dancing etc may connote how the treatment of black people has chnaged, and there is hope for the black youth of youth of today.
Historical references in Formation
MLK
The newspaper reference to Martin Luther King Jr draws attention again to the way racial discrimation has been an ongoing issue for a long time.
Beyonces own feelings towards her origins and the diversity in the USA.
- Her reference to her mother and father’s cultural origins, suggest she is proud of her heritage, and that she is celebrating the rich diversity of ethinicity within America.
Jackson Five
Intertexuality
- Wider noses and larder nostrils is a feature that is common amongst people with black heritage, and is often represented by mainstream media as unattractive.
- Thus, Beyonce’s reference to liking noses makes a strong message about black culture and beauty, challenging more colonialist representation in the mainstream media of black features being shown as ‘other’ in complarison to white, westernised beauty ideals.
Big Freedia
Intertexuality
- A gay male musician and TV star.
- Whilst she uses the pronouns ‘she’ and ‘her’, she describe herself as a gay male, not trans, although often misidentified as trans.
By using Big Freedia, how does Beyonce postively represent herself, thus attracting more audiences?
- The use of Big Freedia would engage an audience familiar with the bounce sub-genre.
- Use of celebrity collaborations in music videos represents the artist Beyonce as successful and popular.
LGBTQ+ response to Formation
- People from non-binary background and the LGBTQ+ communities are under-represented in the media, particulary in music videos.