Monday 8 th June Representation in Music Videos

Monday 8 th June Representation in Music Videos You might recognise the term stereotype. Stereotypes can be damaging as they prevent people from being seen as complex individuals by reducing them to simplistic representations of their identity. What do you associate with these stereotypes? : - Americans - Teachers - Vegans - Christians - Geeks Try to think of 3 -4 things for each.

Women and Men in Music Videos • Previous research has demonstrated that women are objectified and sexualised in music videos and that Black characters are under represented in most genres of music videos. • The issue is that music videos are one platform through which ideals and values are presented – music videos are showing unhealthy damaging stereotypes of the characters who appear in them. • In general, men appear more frequently than women in music videos and they are more likely to be the main character. • Men are frequently portrayed as aggressive or powerful characters whilst women are presented as passive objects (don’t do much) more than independent characters. • A woman’s physical appearance and sexuality is usually emphasised and she is more likely to be provocatively dressed than a man. • Furthermore, women in rap videos tend to be below average weight. • The implication is that female characters are valued only for their physical appearance and ability to entertain and please the men in the video. • The camera often pans up and down a woman’s body or zoom in on one part of her such as her legs or cleavage. Women are shown posing or dancing for men – this fits in with Laura Mulvey’s idea of the male gaze

Women and Men in Music Videos • The Male Gaze – Laura Mulvey • The male gaze suggests that visual arts (film, videos, tv, posters etc) show the world and women from a male point of view – presenting women as the objects of male pleasure. This means that women are only seen as important when they are attractive or useful to men. How could this presentation of women be harmful? Your answer:

Women and Men in Music Videos • The Beauty Myth suggests that there is a universal standard that is represented by features including white skin, blond hair, blue eyes and low body weight. • Women of colour are therefore doubly oppressed by their gender and race • Research shows that with the exception of rap, soul, R and B and hip hop, the presence of Black characters is limited. • Black women appear only rarely in music videos. • When black women are in music videos they are often presented as being more ‘sexual’ than white women.

How are women represented in Taio Cruz’s video for Dynamite? https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=Vysgv 7 q. VYTo&list=PL 7 Q 2 Zklqt. R 8 B_EAUf. Xt 5 t. AZkxh. CApf. Fk. L&index=19 As you watch, take notes about the following features: • What clothing is the singer wearing? • What clothing are the other characters wearing? • What stereotypes can you spot? • How are women being presented in this video? • How are men being presented in this video? Challenge: which shot types help to create these presentations? Key vocabulary to use in your notes: - Stereotype - Male gaze - Beauty myth - Appeal - Inferior - Superior

How are women represented in Taio Cruz’s video for Dynamite? Use the sentence starters to help you complete your answer: Women are presented as … in this video. An example of this is… The director may have done this because… This will impact an audience by… Challenge: Link your analysis to theory by including references to the beauty myth and male gaze. Sorry for the terrible screenshot – the video only goes to 360 p!

Plenary: Self Assess Colour code the paragraph features then highlight your own paragraph accordingly. Add anything you have forgotten. Women are presented as decorations in this music video; they do not play real characters, they are more like objects. This can be seen in the close ups of a woman’s body as she relaxes on a car. The director may have done this to highlight the woman’s desirability, and, because she seemingly wants attention from Taio Cruz, it suggests that Cruz himself is a role model and idol. This will impact an audience by making them assume that women are only valuable for their supposed ‘good looks’ and the way they can add value to a man. This links to Mulvey’s theory of male gaze, as the women are only there to be regarded as entertainment for men. Directors intentions Effect on the audience Detailed evidence Topic sentence Link to theory Terminology