Male Representation in Music Videos

Males are represented in two ways...

1. Rich and surrounded by women
2. Reserved, usually plays the guitar

In the first point, males are represented as 'lads', meaning that they can pull a lot of women and all these women are beautiful - whether or not the artist is is apparently irrelevant. The men have a lot of dominance over the women in these videos, the 'male gaze' is used a lot in these videos.  These videos are prominent in the rap genre, and even pop and electric. The video is usually set in a hot country with lots of beautiful women in bikinis around a pool in a very large house - this shows off the wealth of the artist and the kind of life that he supposedly leads. Sometimes it is set in a club to have the effect of lots of short dresses and sweaty bodies against each other dancing - to try and show off to the male audience; there is also the idea of drunk, willing girls in clubs.
The clothes that they wear are usually parallel to current fashion trends and still fit with the location of the video. The videos are usually edited to have a brighter colour hue to enforce the weather of the location onto the audience.
Occasionally, cash is out on the floor and easy to see in the music video - again to show off the artist's wealth.
An example of this is Sweat - Snoop Dogg.

For the more reserved men, their videos are usually more calm as well as their music. They are the more 'sensitive' men that always get the girls at the end of a film. Their videos are usually more reflective of their lyrics, and the lyrics aren't just about women, sex and drugs; these lyrics are about love and struggles - things that people can relate to and understand the lyrics' meanings. The 'male gaze' is used very little if at all, with the videos not focusing on the bodies of women or men but more their emotions and feelings. The lighting in these videos is dependant on what emotion the lyrics are focusing on - for sadder songs the video may be paler or in monochrome, or if the song is faster paced then the saturation levels may be higher, or it may have a bright colour hue on the video.
The clothes of the artist are typically 'normal', with things such as jeans and converse in Ed Sheeran's video 'A-Team' in which he only appears in two scenes.
The videos seem to be more experimental in how closely they follow the lyrics and how graphic the lyrics are. In 'A-Team' the reference to drugs in hidden through beautiful language but the reference is clear in the video, where she sells herself to pay for her drugs.
Another representation is the performance based videos, but these performance aren't concerts and festivals, but more low key open mic night kind of performances, on the down low.
Examples of these videos and this male representation are Give Me Love - Ed Sheeran and Broken - Jake Bugg.

 

 

 

Another approach to male representation can be the more violent approach - the rough upbringing, gangs, guns and drugs. Artists such as T.I and Eminem feature in this kind of music video, with their songs Live Your Life (ft Rihanna) and Lose Yourself. This represents them as rough and as survivors, making the audience feel inspired by their strength.

 

Lose Yourself







 

Live Your Life (ft. Rihanna)

Genre Representations - Rock

• Rock music is usually a darker side to music videos. The heavy guitar and strong drum beat represent a more night time feel to the music, and so most rock music videos are set in darkness or places of less than perfect happiness. The lighting really reflects, using a lot of low key lighting.
• However, some music videos feature comic elements for rock, for example Pour Some Sugar On Me - Def Leppard is a funny video but is a rock song. Then Enter Sandman - Metallica represents the kind of rock that people are used to, with the lyrics reflecting the darkness in the video.
• The band usually features in the music video playing, this gives the video a performance element to it and can keep the audience occupied. This also means that there is less time for narrative, and so it may not be as strong.
• Mid shots and close ups are common in these music videos, to see the artist playing and then to see their expression in correspondence to the lyrics of the song.
• An examples of a darker rock video are Bring Me To Life - Evanescence, and Enter Sandman - Metallica

 

An Example of a comic music video is Dude Looks Like a Lady - Aerosmith.

Genre Represenations - Reggae

• Reggae music videos usually represent females as all very good looking, and males are rarely in the videos (because most reggae artists are men).
• The videos are mostly set in hot countries, because the genre originated in Jamaica in the 1960's, and so the vibe from reggae music reflects that of hotter countries.
• They usually feature a narrative, but have the artist lip singing as well; showing off his talent of music.
• The videos are usually enhanced by a bright colour to enforce the feeling of summertime upon the audience, the lifestyle is carefree and laid back and the women are all beautiful.
• An example of a reggae music video is Unconditional Love - Jah Cure.

Genre Representations - Indie

• Indie music videos are the videos that are very experimental, trying to combine concept based and narrative based videos together and other combinations. Their music is also more experimental, with artists such as Jamie XX using steel drums but without fitting into the reggae category, and David Bowie being one of the more popular indie artists.
• Indie videos feature 'out there' clothing and make up, with David Bowie's Aladdin Sane featuring the iconic red and blue lightning bolt on his face.
• Live performances are also common in this genre, or to use it as a strand of their video.
• An example of an indie music video would be Ziggy Stardust - David Bowie

Genre Representations - R&B

• R&B videos tend to have a little more flavour and are more diverse than pop videos; whether that is an interesting narrative, or exceptional dance routines.
• Male R&B videos usually feature this performance element, with artists such as Chris Brown using their dances to get girls (very attractive, wearing-exposing-clothing girls), whereas female R&B videos tend to feature themselves wearing little clothing, and very attractive, almost-always-topless men.
• In this respect R&B videos are very similar, but the flair behind them is very different. A male example would be Forever - Chris Brown.

•  A female example would be Pon de Replay - Rihanna

Genre Representations - Pop

• Pop music is the most diverse in regards to music videos. Videos vary from performance based to concept based, colour and monochrome, fast paced and slow etc.
• The artist will most likely wear 'in' clothing, to keep up with modern fashion. This enables the audience to see that the artist is 'fresh' and will therefore take tips and inspiration from what they wear in their videos.
• The lyrics of a pop song usually revolve around love or relationships, either saying that they broke up or that they've found love with someone else. They lip sing throughout as well as either being involved in a narrative or having an abstract video.
• Pop videos usually reflect how the other half live, with partying, good looking people everywhere and occasionally boasting of their wealth (with big houses, nice cars or cash lying around).
• Pop music videos follow the current trend rather than experimenting with their music videos, and this tends to show with a lot of pop videos being the same. An example of a pop video with a narrative and lip singing, and showing off wealth by having a large house with a swimming pool, is Takin' Back My Love - Enrique Iglesias ft. Ciara

Genre Representations - Blues

• Blues music isn't a common genre in the modern, if around at all. Most soul is found in the 60's, such as in the era of Aretha Franklin and Etta James.
• Blues music was typically black and white in colour, because colour television wasn't around when the music video was released. They are usually performance based videos, with back up singers doing a simple dance routine in the background, and the artist at the front singing (with a corded microphone).
• An example of a Blues song is Say a Little Prayer - Aretha Franklin

Genre Representations - Country

• A country music video typically shows the artist with a carefree attitude, either shown through having a good time with friends (without alcohol or drugs) or through singing in tranquil locations (such as in the woods, or a field).
• The videos are usually set in warm weather, with the sun shining. This represents them as happy and joyful, with little to worry about (hence the carefree attitude).
• They nearly always have a narrative strand, with the artist lip singing through the narrative.
• An example of this carefree attitude is 22 - Taylor Swift, a modern, young country artist.

Genre Representations - Electric/Drum and Bass

• These music videos usually feature crowds and concerts - to show the reaction that their music has on their audience.
• Fast paced editing is a common factor in this genres videos, and although the videos rarely feature a narrative (with some exceptions) the editing and location (concerts) keep the audience interested.
• These videos are usually performance based, with little to no narrative, and feature the artist with their music equipment and therefore showcasing their talents as a DJ.
• A good example of a drum and bass music video with crowds is Daydreamer - Flux Pavillion ft Example

• An example of a drum and bass music video with a narrative is Crush - Pendulum

The Technical Codes in Music Videos - Lighting

• Lighting is an important aspect of any music video and can make the audience feel different things. For example, naturalistic lighting may help the audience to connect to the music video, because the lighting isn't considered 'out there' and unrealistic.
• Lighting can portray different moods among the audience, or how the artist is feeling. This can link to the lyrics, the speed of the song or the location that the video is set in. Artifical lighting is also used to achieve a desired effect, or used for creative flair.

• The lighting in Disturbia by Rihanna is always dark. This is reflected in the lyrics of the song and the link to mental illnesses. This music video really stands out from Rihanna's other videos, where she is over sexualised and seems very 'pop' genre. The lighting really brings out the darker elements of the video, making everything seem shrouded in mystery and shadow.
• The colour of the music video seems to have been darkened at every possible opportunity, with no bright colours and nothing to stand out ultimately - all colours are grey, black and an orange hue.
• The music video as a whole is represented as dark not only through her lyrics and the editing techniques, but literally dark in reference to the lighting. The audience will be intrigued by this because of how different it is to her other music videos - and so because of that, this video is a success.

The Technical Codes in Music Videos - Editing

• The pace of editing can determine what genre and what speed the song is. Fast pace editing usually follows a faster paced song, and slower pace is usually a slower song. For example, fast editing can create excitement and suspense for the audience and will keep them interested in the music video. The editing can also emphasise the beat or the lyrics of the song.
• Frequently used in narrative based videos is the shot-reverse-shot, usually to follow conversation or to follow the emotions of the characters and the lyrics of the song.
• Fades, dissolves and straight cuts are the most commonly used editing techniques in music videos. Fades and dissolves aren't as frequent in the modern day music video industry, but are still used for stylistic effect or as a brand of an artist.
• A shot can also be reversed for stylistic effect, such as playing it forward and then rewinding in backwards again - or simply rewinding it and never playing it forward.

• We Disappear - Jon Hopkins ft Lulu James is a music video that has very intricate editing that fits in time with the song itself. The song has varying speeds; such as when 'the beat drops' the editing pace quickens, and when in the verses it slows again. This technique is used to keep the audience calm while the song is, and then when the song quickens and becomes exciting the editing is supposed to transmit that into the audience as well.
• The rewinding of shots is definitely used for stylistic effect in this music video. The forward play and then rewinding really shows the artistic flair of the artist and the song; this technique is very modern and isn't used very often - because if not done to absolute perfection the video would not have the desired effect on the audience and therefore the video wouldn't prove successful.
• The video is full of straight cuts and doesn't have any dissolves or fades, although this is not uncommon amongst modern day music videos and so cannot be judged because of it. 

The Technical Codes in Music Videos - Mise en Scene

• Mise en scene in music videos can range from outfits to make up and hair styles to the use of props. It also features the use of lighting and location. These different aspects of mise en scene can contribute to how the artist is represented and perceived by the audience - and it can give the audience an idea about what genre this artist and song is in.
• The colour of the music video can also be accounted as mise en scene; for example, if a video is in full colour (Taylor Swift - 22), black and white/monochrome (The 1975 - Chocolate) or with a tint of another colour (Britney Spears - Gimme More).

• The use of mise en scene in the song All The Small Things - Blink 182 is very effective to the humorous video that they were after. The video itself is in full colour, but the use of props and costume is very evident in this video. The costumes that are worn by the band members are featured in other pop videos that were fashionable at the time - for example, The Backstreet Boys. The costumes where they are themselves feature band t-shirts and jeans, giving a more casual effect (a normal effect). 
• Props were also used in this video, props can make a video seem more realistic to the audience if it's something that they recognise, and so they may enjoy the video more due to the familiarity. Or the prop in question may be something from another well known music video - in this particular video (All The Small Things - Blink 182) a telescope is used, and a similar telescope is also seen in one of Britney Spears' music videos.
• The location that is used in this music video varies along with the costume changes - they're in a bathroom, an airplane hanger, the beach and a rehearsal room (where they are simply themselves). This mise en scene will keep the audience interested in the video because the changing location will give them something newer to watch and keep their interest piqued.

The Technical Codes in Music Videos - Camera Movement

• The movement of the camera is used to track the artist, usually whilst they perform but can also be used to follow them in a narrative. The most commonly used camera movements in music videos are pans, tilts and tracking shots. All these allow performance elements, as well as appreciating the surroundings and the outfits of the artist.

• Single Ladies by Beyonce is a good example of tracking shots. The whole video tracks Beyonce and two backing dancers in a white room, doing a dance routine for the whole length of the song therefore the whole length of the music video. To stand out, Beyonce has a one shouldered black leotard and a metal glove that she wears throughout the video, as well as always being in the middle of the three dancers and therefore holding all the attention.
• Beyonce also lip sings in the video, and the camera tracking allows the audience to see that she always sings throughout the whole video. This can add to her performance element of the video. Her dancing and the dancing of the other two dancers are greatly emphasised through the lack of noticeable editing - it seems as though the whole video was filmed in one take.

The Technical Codes in Music Videos - Camera Shots

• Camera shots are used for different effects in music videos; they're used so the audience can see an outfit or landscape, or used to allow the audience to relate to what is happening in the music video. This can also be done through the lyrics, where the audience can relate to what the artist is going through or feeling.
• The three most commonly used shots are long shot, mid shot and close up. All these provide different effects and give off different vibes to the audience - whilst still being simple and easy to create. Long shots are used to show surroundings or the clothing that the artist is wearing; mid shots are used to create emphasis on the artist themselves and close ups are used to portray emotion or to show the artist lip syncing to the song up close - making the audience feel more involved with the video.

 

• The varied camera shots used in this music video set the location - although with the pink lighting, smoke, Victorian lampost and New York style fire escape it gives the surroundings a timeless feeling - where she can't be placed into one space or time period and so the video can be considered 'fresh' for a long time, because it's not filled with modern day criteria.
• The close ups and extreme close ups let the audience see the extensive detail that has gone into her make up, with the dark and angular eye liner in particular. They also allow for her to be seen singing up close and to the camera - this will make the audience feel more involved with the video and will also allow the focus to remain on her.
• The use of medium shots are mainly used to show off her dancing talents and her outfit - although they are occasionally used to present the surroundings to those watching the video. Medium shots also allow for the audience to see her expressing herself through the lyrics of the song in time with the beat and the video editing.

Love on Top - Beyonce ; Analysis

 

Beyonce is well known for her fashion statements, such as in Crazy in Love with the orange dress, and the black leotard in Single Ladies. This is reflected in this video as well, with her outfits being current and good looking. They all emphasise her assets but not so much that it's the only thing the camera focuses on - this is appreciated by the audience as Beyonce has a lot of younger fans too.

In Love on Top, Beyonce is represented as very happy and joyous - this is shown through her facial expression which is emphasised through the close up camera shots on her face. The dance as well is very bouncy with big movements, this connotes that she is carefree and happy in this moment - this will hopefully transmit into the audience as well, making them listen to this song when they want to feel happy and excited.

The camera makes a note of Beyonce's outfits as well, where they give a full body shot (long shot) to show the full outfit to the audience - this way her fashion expertise is recognised and the audience will recognise her for it. All the outfits are very current and 'in' - this suggests that she is on top of the latest fashion and therefore can be seen as a fashion icon or inspiration. This focus on her and her clothing can suggest she is successful as an artist (with her singing and dancing talent) and successful in the fashion industry as well (with the focus on her clothing changes).

Links to Beyonce's past videos can also show her fashion and artist recognition and success. For example, in Beautiful Liar ft Shakira both artists show their talents for dancing and singing - it is very popular for successful female artists to be skillful in both areas - and their dark outfits are easy to move around in and still show off their assets (their toned bodies and curves).
Beyonce's more recent release Drunk in Love shows not only her talents as an artist, but also as a woman. Beyonce has been renowned for becoming famous through little over the top sexualisation, until her newest album. In Drunk in Love she rolls around on the beach and wears her wet clothing whilst she dances - this sexualises her in ways that were very subtle in her previous videos - this has given her a new audience and yet she still keeps her original one by the talent from the music itself. The video is in black and white and this represents her as mysterious and seductive - something she hasn't emphasised before.