Controlled Assessment

LO: To write the draft version of your essay based on the representation of females in contemporary music video.

RequirementsNo more than 850 Words

Use technical terms e.g. long shot, high angle, transitions, connotation, stereotype, representation

Explain how the music video reinforces or subverts gender stereotypes

Show how the music video creates connotations and how these might appeal to the audience

Stereotypes• How are women represented in the music video?

• Does this reflect the world we live in?

• How does the advert reinforce or subvert female stereotypes?

• What thoughts might a woman/male have watching this music video?

LO – What information needs to be included in a representation essay?

Music Video Conventions

• The artist is shown performing

• The lyrics of the song influence what is shown in the video (Mise en Scene)

• The pace of editing fits the pace of the music (beat matching)

• The codes of dress reflect the mood of the song

• Lip Syncing

Pop Video Conventions

• Bright and colourful• Close ups – show happiness• Extreme close ups• Very upbeat

Types of music videos• Performance

– Mainly focus on the artist or band playing the music

– No narrative– Wide variety of camera angles which are regularly

repeated

Types of music videos• Narrative

– Follows a clear story line that reflects the song lyrics

– Performer may be involved in the story, may also be kept separate

LO – What information needs to be included in a representation essay?

Types of music videos• Concept

–Based around a central idea–Often concentrate on specific editing

techniques– Look unusual

Andrew Goodwin’s Theory

• The purpose of a music video is to allow the artist to promote themselves and advertise and market their music in a visual style.

• This is achieved in the genre the artist uses such as; rock, pop, rap, indie etc.

Andrew Goodwin’s Theory • In his music video theory he identifies certain

characteristics that are present in the making of a successful music video.

• He divided these successful characteristics into the following:– Star Image– Intertextuality– Sound and Vision– Notions of Looking– Genre

Andrew Goodwin’s Theory • Star Image: – A lot of musicians use their videos as a way of

promoting themselves. Lots of close up shots of them are used.

– An example of this is Jessie J in her music video for Price Tag.

Andrew Goodwin’s Theory

Intertextuality: • This is when a music video

references another text, often other music videos. Other things can also be referenced such as films, literature or T.V.

Andrew Goodwin’s Theory Sound and vision: – This is where there is clear relationship

between lyrics and video. When a clear correlation can be drawn between the visuals and the sound.

–Within this there are four subcategories. All of which play an important role in making the music video what it is.

Andrew Goodwin’s Theory • Disjuncture: The video and the lyrics have no correlation

to each other

• Contradict: The visuals of the video contradict with the song lyrics

• Illustrate: The visuals have some literal representation of the songs lyrics

• Amplify: Repetition of the key meaning to manipulate an audience. The visuals may be exaggerated.

Andrew Goodwin’s Theory Notions of looking– ‘Voyeurism’ is when the viewer is watching the

video/ performer for personal pleasure. This is often the case with female pop stars who perform sexual dance routines to cater to a wider audience.

– Other element of this is when the music video contains things such as mirrors, tv screens, cameras etc. These all reinforce the idea of watching and looking.

Andrew Goodwin’s Theory Genre: – Music videos should demonstrate genre

characteristics and should be relevant to the genre of the song. For example for heavy rock music there’s usually more darker and gothic looking visuals.

BLP: Reasoning

Richard Dyers Star Theory• A star is an image not a real

person that is constructed out of a range of materials

– E.g. advertising, magazines, interviews, etc

• What ‘persona’ (image) does Beyonce have?

Laura Mulvey

• The Male Gaze - 1975

• ‘No matter what your gender or sexuality, everyone reads media texts from a males perspective.’

Laura Mulvey

Thought of in three ways:

• How men see women• How women see women• How women see themselves

Laura Mulvey

• Reduces women to status of an object.

• The female viewer experiences the narrative second hand.

• Features– Camera lingers on the curves of a female body.– Events occur that present women in the context of a

man’s reaction.

Essay Structure

What the essay is about?

• Description of first video (what conventions are followed/what type of music video is it?)

• Description of second video (what conventions are followed/what type of music video is it?)

Analyse the opening scene of each vide with reference to the representation of gender. Discuss how stereotypes are challenged/followed and use media language