Music Video Flashcards
Formation- Beyoncé Video
For example, the use of antebellum era dresses.
- Beyoncé and a group of other Black women pose in white dresses that appear to reference the antebellum era of American history.
- Consider the significance of slavery in relation to this sequence and what is being signified.
FORMATION
American cultural context
- Album: lemonade, with song of 221 million views
- director Melina Matsoukas
- Beyoncé is a globally famous artist, but the video contains info that may be unfamiliar to those outside the U.S.
- reference to the black panther movements,
The issues explored relate directly to African-American life and may be potentially confusing or even harmful for non-Americans.
Beyonce star persona
- fan base: B-Hive
- she creates hydrid genre music
- and expressive/reblious artist, explored an artisitc persona = sasha firece, there are eleme=nts of this in the music video
- core ideologies: women empowerment, rasical equality activits = features a sample of chimamanda Ngozi ‘we should all be feminists’, her goal is to give black women freedom to break cultural ‘glass-ceilings’
Bell hooks feminist theory
- Hooks has labelled Beyoncé a ‘terrorist’ following her appearance on the cover of Time magazine, where she was constructed as
submissive and almost childlike in a voyeuristic way. - There are moments in this video that reinforce the objectification
of women. - For example, the women dance in formation in skimpy hot pants, and their movements draw the eye to
their waists and curves.
-This is very typical iconography for
the pop music genre, so from this perspective Beyoncé is exploiting the dancers to promote herself as a pop-star by using recognisable conventions that appeal to a wide
mainstream audience. - A different perspective might be that Beyoncé is celebrating black feminism by featuring only black women, of different skin tones, and all with natural hair. bell hooks discusses
cultural appropriation and the way white female celebs appropriate black culture in order to make money i.e.
“white supremacist capitalist patriarchy” (Kylie Jenner, Miley Cyrus). - Black women are not celebrated for their culture, but when a white woman appropriates it, it becomes a cool style - Examples in “Formation” that support bell hooks’ assertion that Beyoncé’s video is the Commercialisation of Black Culture: While celebrating black culture, the video also serves as a promotional tool for Beyoncé’s album, potentially commodifying black culture for commercial gain rather than challenging oppressive structures.
- These examples suggest that while “Formation” celebrates black women’s empowerment and cultural identity, it may not actively advocate for systemic change to dismantle patriarchal domination.
FORMATION
Theories of ethnicity and postcolonial theory – Paul Gilroy
- it places black women in a position of power and domination. This can be clearly seen in the shots of Beyonce standing on top of the police car and dressed in Antebellum costume
sitting proudly in a plantation style challenging postcolonial representations, as outlined by Gilroy. - Consider ways in which the music video challenges racial hierarchy by subverting expectations and placing a black woman in a position of power and dominion, but may perpetuate a sense of binary opposition between races by perpetuating Gilroy’s sense of ‘otherness’ and a clear divide based on racial lines. = There is a clear divide on racial lines in this video, the scene with the boy vs the police is a
prime example. The exclusion of white people, other than the police officers,
ripetide: representations - the woman
- objectified and victimized manner
- the video uses high camera angles, with terrified facial features, low lighting = adds on to the representation of women being fearful
- the representation of women that seem scared and jumpy feels horror like
- dehuamnised
FORMATION
product context
- Album Lemonade was released a day before Beyoncé performed at the superbowl 2016
- directed by Melina Matsoukas, winning numerous awards (it won best music vid award category in the Grammys )
- the video is set against the flooding in New Orleans following HURRICANE KATRINA and the association of racial tension in America with slavery/racism #blacklivesmattermovement
FORMATION
FORMATION
media language - visual codes: gesture
Visual codes: Gesture
video featured highly choregraphed dance routines, singers. moves are very physical and sudden connoting aggression/power
formation
media language - visual codes: visual effects
visual effects are overlaid during the car park dance routine to give the video a vintage appearance.
Low resolution camera: The blue tint and overlaid with a PLAY symbol. = connotations of surveillance, suggest ‘real life’ or police footage (CCTV)
also have connations of ‘authencity’ - a value especially important for many hip-hop whose credibility comes ‘from the street’
Main references formation
- Hurricane Katrina (New Orleans) = black communities in New Orleans were forgotten by the American government
- Advocating voices of the underdogs
- historical context - Slave trade - antebellum images and iconography. However subverts the stereotypes as the black people in the house seem to dominate., reappriating its meaning bywearing it by an empwered women, suggests she is of higher class.
- THE ‘X’ formation choregraphy alludes. to malcom x, who champoined the black panther civil right movement = wear black panther clothing
- black lives matter: Police brutality conflict between white police men and black youths (particularly at the end of music vid) = political statement,
lyrics in formation
- ‘you just might be a black Bill Gates in the making’ - suggests that she wants black women to conquer the capitalist American dream and brecome billionaires who outstage whiyte supermascit cultural dominance.
Riptide mise-en-scene
- Riptide” lacks a traditional narrative but instead captures the carefree spirit of a road trip. It focuses on Vance Joy’s journey through picturesque landscapes, creating a sense of adventure and freedom.
- COLOUR: Riptide” employs a more muted and earthy color scheme, reflecting the natural surroundings and creating a relaxed, intimate atmosphere.
- EDITING: Riptide” has a slower, more deliberate pace, allowing viewers to soak in the scenery and the song’s melodic, folksy vibe.
FORMATION
Empowerment and Feminism:
- Formation is a powerful anthem that celebrates black culture, female empowerment, and resilience.
- Beyoncé presents a strong, confident image throughout the video, highlighting themes of self-assurance and pride.
- Underscore messages of strength and unity.
- to promte indepence ‘okay, ladies now thats get to formation’
- promtes a sex positive, third way feminism
- women in charge: she positioned in the centre in all black, with lots of jewerlly. two male servants in the back
Hall representation - formation
- Hall states that repeated representations in the media make the audience believe this is how the world really is and that such portrayals become ‘naturalised’ or common sense.
- In Western societies, the dominant group is white and the media present being white as ‘normal’, linking to ‘white eye’ which suggests media texts are produced by white people,
for white people, using white representations. - As a result it becomes more difficult to have representations of other ethnic groups in the media as this disrupts the white status quo.
- The video clearly challenges the notion of ‘white eye’ and features a wide range of black representations that reflect Beyonce’s upbringing.
- The absence of whiteness in the video and the positive counter-stereotypes represented connote a powerful text that challenges Hall’s theory.
- Many of the cultural references in the video are correctly decoded by a black audiences
Guantlett - formation
In “Formation,” black women are positioned by the video representation as multifaceted, empowered individuals who challenge old stereotypes and celebrate diverse identities:
- Multifaceted Representation:Through montage editing, Beyoncé presents a range of female identities, particularly black female identities, which have been historically ignored or misrepresented by the mass media. The video showcases black women as multifaceted and diverse, challenging narrow stereotypes.
- Collective Strength: The dance troupe, portrayed as a collective of strong black women, dances in formation resembling an army, referencing the Black Panthers. This portrayal presents black women as freedom fighters, determined, and tough, challenging stereotypes of weakness and submissiveness.
Challenge to Stereotypes: The video challenges old stereotypes of black women, such as the mammy, the angry woman, the jezebel, and the matriarch. Instead, black women are depicted as individuals with agency, refinement, high status, and financial independence.
Supportive Role: Black women in the video are depicted as supportive and nurturing, fighting for their sons and raising up men, challenging stereotypes of emasculation and aggression.
Overall, “Formation” positions black women as complex and empowered individuals who defy stereotypes and celebrate their diverse identities. This representation aligns with Gauntlett’s theory of media playing an important role in creating new patterns of being by presenting diverse and complex representations that challenge old stereotypes.
Representation of black wimen and Queer
- The video uses montage editing to present a wide range of images
celebrating lifestyle and culture. - One particularly interesting
frame is the long shot in the wig shop which presents one aspect of black culture. - Black women can have natural hair. They can wear wigs. They can express their culture however they wish.- bell hooks.
- The women in Beyoncé’s
troupe are all black women of different sizes and skin tones, and
all with natural hair. Beyonce uses black women and black queer bodies throughout the video. The cultural code implies that Beyonce is celebrating these groups who are usually marginalised in society (e.g. Pride, BLM), but who are often victims and leaders. - The use of these bodies underscores the gender inequality of the visibility of black lives lost to violence – the pain and death of black women,
queer, and trans people has become invisible and subordinate
to black cis men.
Representation of hurricane kat
In “Formation,” the video’s setting in New Orleans and depiction of the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina serve as powerful cultural codes:
Symbolism of Hurricane Katrina: The opening scene with Beyoncé on top of a sinking police car references Hurricane Katrina, highlighting the disproportionate impact on poor black communities. Beyoncé’s defiance towards those in power reflects the struggles faced by the people of New Orleans.
Critique of Police Corruption: The sinking police car at the end of the video symbolizes the need for accountability within law enforcement, particularly regarding issues of racism. Beyoncé’s pose in a Jesus-like position suggests her power and determination to rise against corruption.
Troupe in Empty Swimming Pool: The scenes of Beyoncé’s troupe in an empty swimming pool may symbolize the abandonment of the people of New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. The low-key lighting and isolation of the women could reflect the neglect and lack of support for black neighborhoods.
Overall, “Formation” utilizes powerful visual symbolism to comment on issues of racial injustice, police brutality, and the aftermath of natural disasters like Hurricane Katrina, highlighting the resilience and defiance of black communities.
RIPETIDE PRODUCT CONTEXT
• Vance Joy is an Australian singer-songwriter signed to Atlantic records - His music can be categorised as fitting into indie folk-pop genre.
• The video has nearly 100 million views on YouTube.
Economic context - RIPETIDE
• Consider whether the seemingly low budget, unique style of the
muSIC vIdeo was an artistic decision or an economic one.
• Funding could be discussed in relation to music video in terms of the
watch inerease in budget the gain pupulartiy and fans.
• the extent to which budget impacts artistic decisions and the visual style of music videos. An extension of this discussion the band or representation of how valuable the brand is.
• Are mainstream audiences impressed by larger budget music videos and attracted to the apparent implied “quality” of that band?
how media language influences meaning and intertextuality:
- montage editing is used in an overt way - a wide range of contrasting shots juxtaposed often hard jump cuts) to convey information
• For example the sequence where a male and female suddenly turn their heads to look at something off-screen and the next shot shows a unrelated pile of dollar bills = which rejects a clear narrative structure
Code and convention - Tide
» Whilst it is a convention of the music video form to have song lyrics interpreted on screen, the overt and deliberate way the lyrics are interpreted in this music video might be subverting this convention:
• *The opening line”! was scared of dentists and the dark” is interpreted explicitly with a shot of a female looking “scared with a metallic contraption in her mouth that suggests she is in a dentist’s chair and followed by a shot of a light swinging in a darkened room.
• » The music video seems to explicitly reference feature films:
• * The opening shot makes use of cinematic style credits and information about the music is presented with a title of the bottom of the screen.
- the video frequently references Western and thriller genres
the significance of challenging and/or subverting genre conventions: RIPETIDE
• Riptide is relatively unusual both as a music video and specifically as a text within the indie folk genre in terms of its style, rejection of narrative and lack special effects.
• Comparison could be made with a later Vance Joy video Georgia (2015), which follows many more conventions, to consider why Riptide challenges or subverts the conventions of the genre.
• Candidates might explore the way in which the video might have been designed to conter a sense of uniqueness or intrigue to the band.
RIPETIDE
Semiotics - Roland Barthes
- Explore Barthes idea that constructed meanings can come to seem self-evident by discussing the connotations of the colour green in relation to both money and envy - this could be said to have achieved Barthes status of myth through a process of naturalisation which might allow for complicated readings of the
ImagB.
• » This example of polysemy could be interpreted in a variety of ways e.g. is it implying that friends (possibly in other bands) have
“sold out” by giving into money? Or might instead these friends be turning green with envy at the success of Vance Joy?
Hooks RIPETIDE
- Hooks could be used as a stimulus to explore the seemingly contradictory messages about gender in the video.
- Is the video objectifying women in an ironic or knowing way or is it instead feeding into the oppression of women in a patriarchal society? Use hooks’ position that feminism is a struggle to end sexist/ patriarchal oppression to ask whether the video is part of that struggle or part of the oppression.
