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.
Inclusion of Big Freedia and LGBTQ+ represents Beyonce as what?
The inclusion of Big Freedia’s voice, represents Beyonce as an inclusive, progressive, accepting artist who is an ally to the LGBTQ+ community.
Scene: Three women in the hair salon/ wig shop.
- The tracking shot through the hair salon/shoo references the popularity of wigs and hairpieces with many black women.
- The variety of hair styles, fashion and colours on offer in the shot, suggests that there is more than one ‘way’ to be fashionable as a black women.
- This connotes that ethinicity is a diverse and complex concept.
Scene: Police versus young boy
- The initial low angles of the police, plus their uniform, makes them seem quite intimidating and powerful in contrast to the boy.
- The eye level camera shot encourages the audience to position themselves with the young boy, who seems confident and unaffected.
Representation of Police
- Initially, the police do nothing, which makes them seem non-aggressive, which is in direct opposition to what audiences may have seen in the media.
- There have been many incidents of police violence against young black boys in particular.
Binary opposition in Formation
The binary opposites between the boy and the police draws attention to the division of race relations that are evident in the US, and the unnecessary moral panic that many white communities often seem to have about black people.
What relevant, modern context does Formation reflect?
- The music video clearly reflects revelant contexts such as the victimisation of black people, Black Lives Matter movemengts, institutionalised racism etc.
Connotations of the title & dance routines
women
- The song title and the use of formation style dance routines, suggests the women are a tight knit community, working together, united and strong.
Sexualisation
Women
Women in the video are ofeten highly sexualised through the use of costume which is conventional of music videos, especially pop.
How do the low camera shots of women and the anchorage of their powerful body language represent black women in Formation?
It can be argued that the use of the low camera angle camera shots of women, and the confident body language, represents black women as confident and strong, powerful.
How do the imperatives in Beyonce’s lyrics represent her?
- The lyrics show her (and black women) as being confident leaders in charge.
- For example, ‘I see it, I want it, Itake it.’
How does Beyonce show sexual dominance over her partner in Formation?
- Her references to takking her man to ‘Red Lobster’ (a restaurant), if he pleases her sexually, shows her dominance over her male partner.
What is Beyonce’s reputation?
- Beyonce’s reputation as a ‘political’ artist. Someone who wants to inspire change.
- She has previously taken part in event and campaign to raise money and support for various issues.
Why is the representation of Racism personal to Beyonce?
- As a black female artist herself, she (and/or her friends and family) may well have experienced discrimination before, thus she might be more likel to represent the conflict and division between ethinicities in this way.
Why might Beyonce chose to represent women as strong?
- Beyonce may feel that her female target audience may be engaged by representations of strong women, as they are used to seeing more submissive representations in music videos.
How might Beyonce’s black audience enjoy the depiction of race in Formation?
- Beyonce’s black audiences may enjoy the subversion of historic ideas and images relating to black slavery and oppression.
- They may be entertained by seeing a more powerful representation of black people.
- It can be argued that the representations have been designed to be unusal and, thefore egaging, in attempt to gain more notoriety and money.
What can be said about the representations presented by Beyonce before the release of her album, Lemonade?
- The choice to release the song just before the Superbowl, and perform it live during the half time show dressied in ‘Black Panther’ style outfits, might suggest that the representations are deliberately overtly political and controversial in order to gather publicity.
Some people may interpret the video as excluding other ethnic groups, and showing black people as separate and ‘othered’ from the rest of society, even if united.’
