Vox Pox Questions 1

1. What Genres of music do you listen to?
2. What things do you expect to see in a music video of your chosen genre?
3. What appeals to you in a music video?
4. Where do you watch music videos?
5. When was the last time you bought an album? Music Downloaded or in store?
6. Would you like to see new ideas introduced to the video?
7. Do you prefer a story idea or performance based video?
8. What do you think of the song? Based on the music, would you consider watching a video of it?
9. List 5 words that come to your head when you listen to this music track.
10. What channel would your expect a music video of this genre to be broadcasted on?

Production Log

I have now looked at gender stereotypes, feminism and post feminism and In these few weeks I will be completing;

• Vox pox interviews, graphs and questionnaire
• Information on chosen artist
• Track I have chosen
• Analysis of lyrics
• Actors
• Storyboard for video
• Upload track
• Prop list, Shooting schedule 
• Equipment
• Music channels

Gender Stereotypes/ Feminism and Post Feminism

Gender Stereotypes in music 

• Men engaged in significantly more aggressive and dominant behaviour
• Men are represented as independent, adventurous, unemotional and competent
• Stereotypical Gendered occupations apparent( i.e Males as Firefighters/ Mechanics women as cheerleader/Waitress)
• Women engaged in significantly more explicit, sexual and passive behaviour
• Women are represented as objects of sexual advances or as sexual objects
• Sex role stereotyping and negative attitudes towards females
• Women are more likely to be presented in provocative/revealing clothing
• Women portrayed as decorative objects that dance, pose and do not play instruments. These findings were not restricted only to hip hop.  

Feminism (1960/70's)

•  Movement in which women questioned their position within patriarchal society and the 'private sphere' of home/children/domestic bliss. 
• Serves to uncover, challenge and eliminate oppression and dominant gender imagery
• Women began to debate the narrow range of stereotypes present across all media
• Women as virgins, mothers or promiscuous
• Women were seen as sex objects
• Women are inferior to men
• Women as seen as the domestic based in the household
• Feminism is a controversial viewpoint for challenging traditions and supporting the political and economic balance towards women.
• Some feminists argue men cause and benefit from sexism whereas others argue all people are harmed by gender roles. 

Sexual Objectification and the Male Gaze(Laura Mulvey)

• Definition of Voyeurism: Erotic pleasures gained from looking at a sexual object (who is unaware of being watched)
• Presence of women solely for the purpose of display (rather than narrative function)
• Female on display is passive and objectified for a male gaze regardless of viewers gender
• Voyeuristic treatment of female body in 'male' videos- use of dancers as adornments to the male ego
• The inclusion of women for display is a staple element in music video's in all genres
• Women connote to-be-looked-at-ness and are the object of the male gaze
• Women connoting promiscuity 

Post Feminism & The Female Gaze (1980's)

• A re-appraisal of feminist views
• Generally the belief that feminism has succeeded in its goal of ameliorating sexism, making it fundamentally opposed to the third-wave intention of broadening feminist struggle. 
• Does not strive for 'euqality' as this assumes men are 'the best'- they wish to surpass male achievements
• Objected to theories which position them as objects of the 'male gaze'
• Identifies a 'female gaze' as women actively desiring men. Women began to assert their right to dress and be sexually attractive as long as they maintain control and solid composure.

Feminist And Post Feminist Readings

Feminist Reading- Britney Spears.




- Stereotypes are shown of women being sexual and 'center of attention'.
- Feminine Occupations such as domestic work.
- She is seen as revealing with her clothing when wearing the diamond dress.
-Provocative character- when she pours the drink on the man then she rubs her bottom on his lap.
- She isn't in control of the motorcycle, the man in which connotes men are more active and women need someone for protection.
- Shows a different side of women, when she pours the poison in the man's mouth. This shows shes quite viscous.
- The plane shows typical views of feminism as the majority of passengers are male.
- In the video, Britney is in control and dominates men. She also takes different identies e.g) super heroine. 
- Female gaze


Post-Feminist Reading- Pussycat Dolls & Rihanna








- Shows women are assertive and in control of the 'male gaze'. 
- Confident,sexy,classy women challenging traditional assumptions about passive female sexuality. 
- They challenge the male character by being using provocative male address challenging Snoop to "loosen up my buttons babe".
- Sexual power derived from physical attractiveness to men.
- Snoops' voyeuristic male gaze, Point of view shots invites male viewer to join in
- Suggestive body language
- The women are used as objects to create patterns in an aerial shot









-In the video we can see Rihanna is not represented for the male audience however she is experiencing different identities
- She is successful and independent
- The overall message she is connoting is of Empowerment and Confidence to female audiences.

Production Log

I have analysed 5 music videos and now I will research into Feminism and Post feminism and some music videos that represent these theories.

Ciara- Like A boy

This R&B video is performance and concept based. It was directed by Diane Martel. This video shows women having the power throughout the video therefore it can be seen as a post feminist view.


The video begins with a extreme close up of Ciaras' hands which are covered with tattoos and rings on her finger. Instantly it shows subverted stereotypes of women as rings on women are usually placed on the married or third finger however here her rings are placed on her little fingers. Tattoos are usually seen as a masculine feature on arms however here it has been subverted. The camera then zooms out and we are seen Ciara sitting on a chair in a very laid back posture saying "2007, Ladies i think its time to switch roles". This dialogue can straight away tell the audience what the video is possibly going to be based upon. 

From the opening the audience can tell it is based on the genre R&B due to the typical conventions such as tattoos, Jewellery and the artist. We then see a close up of Ciara shouting at her boyfriend/partner whereas the male character is sitting on the chair. The shot can indicate their status and the fact that she is standing up shows she has more authority and power in the relationship whereas he is seen as the less important person. This can be seen as subverted in terms of stereotypes as feminists would argue that the man in the relationship has the most power and controls the woman. From the shot we can tell that they have switched gender roles and we can tell from the way Ciara is dressed. She is not dressed in feminine clothes which most R&B videos represent, however she is dressed in a top and joggers which can be quite masculine. 

Ciara is shown as more powerful due to her posture and appearance. This contributes to her being seen as a male rapper. The man is sitting on the chair whereas Ciara is shouting at him, talking into his ear, we are shown this through a series of close up shots. However the man sitting on the chair can indicate his power aswell like someone who is respected with high authority. This could be argued as she is telling him what to do therefore he doesn't have as much power as her showing he is weak. 

It is seen as different in terms of authority when Ciara is sitting on the chair as it shows she has maintained her power by performing it before to her partner. The posture of her in the chair shows she is laid back and knows she has control. Her costume (mise en scene) is very masculine with the trainers, baggy jeans, vest top and hat. We are shown close ups of her tattoos which can all symbolise a message.  

Some of her actions dominate masculinity. For example in the shot above she is grabbing her crotch which is something you would expect a man to do. There are also dance movements which show the masculinity she is trying to show. When she grabs her crotch it shows her possibly mimicking rappers and that she is living up to their standard. This can have many implications to the media. Her dance movements shown below are stereotypical dance moves that audiences would expect male dancers to perform however this has been subverted. The image below can have some connotations to Micheal Jackson and the common move he used in some of his music videos. In the second shot below, it shows all the dancers walking towards Ciara. This again can show her importance due to her power/status.

Here a silhouette is used to add effects to this scene in the video. The music stops at this point of the video and we hear the sound of the dance movement which is similar to a heartbeat. This can be stereotypical of men performing this move as I personally have seen this move in many R&B videos.

This long shot shows the same person as two different personas. There is Ciara as a male who is wearing a suit with converses and a top hat whereas on the right hand side of the shot we can see Ciara as a female who is wearing a dress, heels and a stick which is more conventional of a R&B female artist. The male Ciara is dressed in black which can show the overall message of the video of it being based upon men and their importance whereas Ciara is wearing white which can connote purity. Both these colors compliment each other well as a theme in which the colors contrast effectively. The next part of the video is when Ciara wants the man's hat and she gets the hat in the end. This can portray that now things have twisted and women are becoming more controlling and powerful. The shot of Ciara standing on top of male Ciara's shoulder suggests that the female now has the power as she is standing and the male is on his knees which shows women again have the authority as she is telling him what to do. 

From Ciara's hand gestures we can see she is trying to push him out of the shot therefore implying she has the authority and status and he is seen as less important. 

There is an example of an editing technique - cut used to show vertical intertextual reference to Marylin Monroe when Ciara poses like the shot above. This is similar because they both wear white dresses when this shot is performed and also the wind is blowing her dress to give a more feminine look. 

The ending shot shows Ciara kissing and her hands around her partner. This again highlights the idea of gender roles being subverted. The kiss  can show love and protection and the fact she is kissing him can imply she is the one who will be protecting him and not vice versa. 


Feminists and Post feminists would argue that the woman in this video is the stronger person. This video overall shows standards in society of how men in relationships can do certain things however when women do the same it is looked down upon and is judged. This video can successfully show different types of women and that women do not always have to be portrayed as feminine because in a relationship it can be the woman controlling the man. Nevertheless, the whole video implies the perspective of how most women are treated in a relationship however this is performed by Ciara to show the man how standards could change. 

Keri Hilson- Pretty Girl Rock

Pretty Girl rock is a song by American R&B recording artist Keri Hilson. For many fans of this artist might expect certain features/things in her video for them to recognise what kind of artist she is. For example typical conventions of an R&B music video would be Jewellery, dresses, cars etc.. The song was directed by Joseph Kahn who portrays Keri Hilson as an African American female.

The video opens in black and white in which it is set out like a movie due to the text. Instantly from the beginning the audience can assume this video is going to be based on a previous era in time. In the opening Keri Hilson is shown as portraying Josephine Baker before transforming into Dorothy Dandridge. The effect of this can pay tribute to these specific people or maybe has had an influence in the artist's life.

These similarities that she is trying to portray show very feminine features. For example in both pictures Keri Hilson is wearing Jewellery which can show she is wealthy. In the second image the setting looks very modern and posh. This can tribute to what class and background Dorothy came from. The effect of black and white allows older audiences to relate to the period of time. The use of black and white is quite unconventional in an R&B video. However the wide shot used in the second image shows her independence and the way the dancing is choreographed indicates her freedom of a woman enjoying her life. She is wearing a long dress with very simple accessories. This can show she is possibly going for the 'simple' look. The black and white can emphasise how videos and films were back in the day and this video may be trying to recreate this.

The video then switches into colour and she is shown portraying lead singer Patty from The Andrews Sisters. This is a medium shot shows the era of 'boogie-woogie' and the group of 'swing'.  The clothing represents the women as sophisticated and prominent. Their clothing is very smart which can show the type of genre The Andrew Sisters belonged to. This scene in the video seems like it would appear in a talent show which shows women are confident characters. The use of colour can show that The Andrew Sisters were possibly a more newer/popular group during the time. The USA flag in the background can show these sisters were well known in America. There is typography present on the screen of 'beautiful'. The font is very bold and clear which draws the audiences attention to keep watching.

A blackout is then used with a cut to this next shot of Hilson channeling Diana Ross as lead singer of The Supremes. The lighting here compliments her features very well and shows the group as a very classy modern group. It shows women represented as loyal and again independent. The clothing is stereotypical of the time period which this is representing and that most women dressed very sophisticated yet fashionable.

The previous scene cuts to this shot of Hilson being portrayed as Donner Summer- wearing a blue sequined mini dress. Here there are male dancers in the background in which Feminists would support this view as they see society as patriarchal. However the clothing of the dancers can be seen as unstereotypical because usually many male dancers wear t-shirt and trousers however this view is contrasted. The man on the left has a tattoo which can show stereotypes of most men as they are courageous and strong.

The video then cuts to a scene of Keri portraying Janet Jackson from the military- Inspired "Rhythm Nation" music video. This shows another side of women as being strong and courageous. The costume shows a more masculine side to women.
There is a close up shot of Keri wearing one hoop earing and on the other ear she is wearing studs. This connotes her flexibility as a women and that all women are different. This image shows the unity of women together.

Lastly, she is shown as lead singer T-Boz of the R&B girl group TLC wearing blue silk pajamas from their "Creep" music video. This portrays the simplicity of women. The dancing performed in this shot can be seen as stereotypical of an R&B video.





At the end of the video, Hilson is shown dressed herself in very causal wear; Simple Tshirt and jeans, singing in front of a black backdrop. The message in this shot can show she has put herself into other peoples perspectives of lives however this is who she has become today. The Dre headphones can target a young audience as many teenagers now have them. The video ends with a series of shots like a movie sliding across the screen. Overall this music video can be seen as paying homage to the groundbreaking women, strong women who were fearless and so bold and confident that they made women feel that way. This video can be an example of Post Modernism as it shows Pastiche which is when a piece of work imitates that of another work or artist. Thus in this video Keri Hilson is shown as portraying other peoples work within hers by using her favourite artists which influenced her throughout her career history.

Ed Sheeran - The A Team

The single 'The A Team' was released in 2011 and was debuted 3rd in the UK. In the opening of the video, we hear birds tweaking in the background. We are shown a close up of a girl who looks like an ordinary teenager who seems upset, isolated and in trouble. We can see she has been crying possibly due to something shes seen(image below). This high angle shot shows a teenage girl who looks depressed. The image is in black and white which can connote how videos in the Olden days were, without any colour. This shot is then blurred out, the effect of this can indicate that maybe she is seen as less important in society because of who she is or who she has become. The dark key lighting doesn't compliment her features. The starting of this video can be seen as unconventional as the music doesn't start straight away, yet keeping the audience interested by wanting them to carry on watching.

A wide shot is shown of a girl who is sleeping with a blanket on a park bench. Instantly the viewer would assume she is a homeless teenager. This can subvert stereotypes as it is usually old people who tend to experience homelessness in society however we are shown a young girl. Her facial expressions when she gets up seems as if shes confused and doesn't know where she is. The long shot of her standing up allows us to see what she is wearing. The mise en scene here of her costume reveals that she doesn't have proper clothes. Her tights are ripped which can tell us that maybe she is unable to afford new clothes. This can also link to class in society and that maybe she is from a working class background which tells us that people from those backgrounds are the less fortunate and tend to face more problems during life.

The next scene is of her walking along the park gradually getting happier from her facial expression. She seems like she doesn't know where she was the night before and she has woken up in a place where she feels better.

This shot of her feet can convey many things. The image is still in black and white which can imply the theme of depression and loneliness. Nevertheless, this shot shows her footsteps towards her future. By her walking, it allows the audience to follow her footsteps and the direction she is going in. However the shoes she are wearing can be contrasted from usual shoes teenage girls wear. This again can be explained by the fact that she may be homeless or kicked out from her house.

This low angle shot shows her around in the area she is in. It shows she is unfamiliar to where she is. The effect of this low angle can show her low status and how she is seen in society.

This wide shot shows how different she is portrayed from others in society. For example, she doesn't seem to fit in with others in the shot. Firstly, she is the only one who is wearing a blanket. This can indicate she is very different from others and is marganalised from everybody else in the shot. She can be seen as the outcast. The next shot shows her trying to sell magazines to get money. We can see she is putting on a brave face however viewers know inside she is feeling a lot of pain.

Furthermore, we are shown a scene when she is on a local high street trying to sell magazines. This can be stereotypical of most homeless people, as I myself have seen people do this. This indicates she is not wealthy. In London, many people ignore homeless people and do not give money to them because people believe they don't use it for the right reasons. However this can be subverted by the man who gives the girl the money in this shot. This is probably because he felt sympathy towards her. The next shot is a wide shot showing her isolation by her sitting on the floor alone. In the video we see people going past her and not giving her any money or help.

A close up is shown of the girls face and she is in tears. This can show homeless people experience a lot and many people choose to ignore them. A cut is used to the next scene where she is putting on make up and looking more revealing. From this we can instantly tell she is going into prostitution. Many young teenagers believe prostitution is the only way they can get money, and society on a whole can sometimes influence this to young people. A car approaches and she is walking directly towards it. She takes off her jacket indicating the message to the driver. We see a different side to the protagonist here. Up until this point, she has changed her clothes and put more a more feminine touch on herself to make her look more appealing and sexual. Her facial expression to the driver gives away the message.

The medium close up shows her taking out money from the mans pocket. This can represent that she is doing whatever he wants for that money. It also shows that she is desperate for the money.

This is a medium close up of her exchanging her money for drugs. This is a stereotypical view of homeless people as they usually use the money for drugs. The reason she does drugs is possibly due to her loneliness. She then goes to her apartment and we can tell she cant live without her drugs because she is shaking and seems worried. The overall message in this video is that the protagonist does drugs to overcome all her problems.

Lady Gaga- Papparazzi

This music video is directed by Jonas Akerlund and was released in 2008. There are scenes in which performances are shown in this video however overall this video can be seen as a narrative. I am fond of this video therefore I am going to show a deep understanding and analysis of the video 'Papparazzi'.It features a murderous plot line involving a doomed starlet who is constantly followed by photographers. From the opening of the video the audience can immediately tell this is a story line based video. In the beginning of the video there is no music present we just hear sounds of scenery such as water, birds and the piano playing very softly in the background. The opening begins with many quick shots of the setting; The low angle shot of the palm trees can indicate to the audience that it is set in Los Angles. The setting of the house looks very posh and affordable therefore we can understand why the director would have chosen this place. It connotes that celebrities are able to afford such furniture such as chandeliers. We are shown a logic pattern of shots of the house, high angle shots are used to show the state of the house.

From this shot we can tell this video is shot in a very posh traditional setting. There is typography present in the opening of the video. This makes the video seem more movie like. There are also subtitles present to translate the Swedish they are speaking, in order for the audience to understand. All these features can also be seen in a movie therefore Papparazzi is known as a 'mini movie'.

The font and setting allows the audience to recognise some past facts aboout the 1950's. For example, the typography used shows the type of fonts which were used in movies at the time. The video is trying to bring the old within the new. The opening setting uses a scene from a movie in the 50's called Sunset Boulevard.

Furthermore, this medium shot gives credit to the Artist by Lady Gaga being placed on the money. This can have many connotations such as her success in her career and that she has got far in life. It can also show that maybe she is in charge of the relationship she has with her partner. However it may also show her importance in USA.

This shot can tell us that there are hidden Papparazzi involved in her life. The man is looking directly at the camera and the directors intentionally done this to convey a message to the audience that he was involved with the Papparazzi. Instantly, the audience would probably think that Gaga is going to get revenge on her boyfriend.

The colour scheme throughout the video can also be analysed. The colour purple is used quite often in the video. Purple can connote poison and revenge. The fact purple is used and not red can indicate that Lady Gaga is not an typical artist like others and therefore she is unique.

In the first image there has been subverted stereotypes. For example, the carpet is purple instead of red.This can show a sense of richness and revenge. Also this can show the different stages celebrities go through to get what they want and that everything is not easy.

These shots of Gaga being in the newspapers can show her reputation and status. In the first image, she can be seen as not that well respected however after she kills her boyfriend and gets revenge on him everyone seems to 'love her again'. This can indicate that people go through a lot to maintain how they are seen in society. It can also link to her music title 'Papparazzi' and that they tend to capture all stories about the celebrity however these stories change over time and because of the Papparazzi, the celebrities reputation and fame changes.

In the video, a variety of mise en scene is used to convey the message. The dance scene of Gaga holding crutches is very different because it portrays her as a robotic character due to her costume. This marganilses' her from the other dancers. There are close ups of Gaga's eyes and lips when she is dancing. This can show sexual representations and that things have changed since the 1960's and the appearance of women have changed as they now wear make up and revealing clothes. However her costume in another shot can be seen as Gothic when she is wearing a black skirt and white suit. The close up of the dog also connotes messages with the video title. It shows that Paparazzi's are restless and violent. Towards the end of the song, a dissolve is used and fades in with the servant at the table. At this point, Lady Gaga is wearing a yellow mini mouse jumpsuit. This can be seen as an intexuality because she is showing similarities between her and the cartoon character; Minnie Mouse. The yellow suit can show her 'nice' side however the close up of her black lipstick can show 'danger' or 'death'. When she puts poison in her boyfriends drink, the audience would assume she is an evil character.

This video can reflect upon Post feminist views as it shows Lady Gaga with the most loyalty in her relationship. This music video can be seen as different to most videos because firstly it is a 'mini movie' in which there is a story line in such a small period of time. There is a very traditional theme used throughout this video, the costume is very unique. However there can be some conventional features such as dancing scenes and the theme of relationships. The target audience for this video is possibly teenagers as some enjoy looking forward to what happens next which is exactly what 'Papparazzi' conveys. There are many techniques used in order to produce such an effective video.

Lady Gaga- Papparazzi

Beyonce- Best Thing I Never Had

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'Best thing i never had' is a narrative music video by an American singer Beyonce Knowles. It was released by Columbia records on June 1 2011. The video was composed by Patrick Smith and directed by Diane Martel. Best thing i never had is an r&B pop video, in which the lyrics in the video is about revenge and karma. The female protagonist relates that she feels happy to have parted from her love interest who did not recognize the potential of leading a happy life beside her.






The video opens with Beyonce singing and the audience can instantly recognise the Artist by her being shown in the opening medium shot. In this show, she is wearing a Lacey corset in which compliments her figure. The fact that the corset is in white and the setting behind her is all white can indicate a wedding theme and her preparation for her wedding. The white flowers at the back convey typical colored flowers present at a wedding. This shot connotes purity and independence on her wedding day.

In this medium shot above, Beyonce is looking directly at the camera. This is known as direct address. The effect of this is that it allows the audience to connect with the Artist. By looking directly at the camera, she is affirming the subject of the song that she is the best he has ever had. The high key lighting used compliments her features by showing her beauty.

This is a high angle shot of her smelling the flower. This can connote she wants a 'new fresh start'. The flower has many connotations to the wedding theme. We can also see that she is wearing simple studded earrings which can show she is going for the 'simple' look. The earrings convey a feminine side to her.

There is this close up shot of her touching the typical finger in which the wedding ring goes on. This can show that her life is about to change and she is taking the last moments to experience being an independent woman. It can also connote womans happiness of moving on from old times and looking forward to the future. This can be seen as a stereotypical view of woman as they like to 'put the past behind them'.

From there, the video moves to Knowles playing with a tiara, a veil and lots of tulle on a bed, to various stages of getting dressed. This high angle shot shows her richness of a character. It connotes she is a free woman until the stage of marriage. There are also editing techniques used in between these shots like a cut between different shots. 




We are then shown a beautiful scenery of a sunset in which the Artist is conveying the message that she has moved on so does she expect him to care? 
In-between there is a quick cut to old video footage of a young Knowles (played by Knowles own younger sister, Solange) and her former high school boyfriend, at their senior-prom night in 1998.

The shot here shows an editing technique of a flashback of the prom. We are shown this couple together dancing however in the video we see the man going off and dancing with another woman. This can show some stereotypes of men and them not being loyal to the woman they are suppose to be with. From the shot we can tell it is a recording due to the text on the right hand corner. The lighting is purple which can make it seem a bit vicious.

A cut is then used to the original scene of an Interlaced shot of the Artist singing on the top of a grassy hill. This is a wide shot showing her authority. This shot shows her in a beautiful white wedding dress in which the costume here adheres typical conventions of a music video showing a scene about a wedding. 

A tilt is used here going upwards to the top of her dress. This is usual within wedding dresses as they are usually long and dragged on the floor. However when she is walking she doesn't have anyone walking her down the aisle. This can subvert stereotypes because usually the father gives his daughter away to the groom however this is not the case in this video. 

This close up shot shows commitment in a relationship. This is shown by the rings placed on each other. This is a typical stage in a wedding and this is stereotypical because the man usually puts the ring on the woman first. It shows commitment and dedication in a relationship and that they are going to spend the rest of their lives together. 

This is a wide shot showing the reception party after the wedding. Here we can see the family is united and having a good time. It shows all the women in white dresses which are very formal and suitable for the occasion. The men are also dressed very traditional in suits. Most people are drinking wine and this can be seen as a stereotypical view in weddings. 

The last shot of the video is the same as a previous shot used before. The artist is represented as a woman whose heart is not broken and shes a happy married woman. The overall message of this video can be that women go through many rough situations in life and everyone deserves to be happy at a point during their life. The artist shows that if you want something bad you are able to achieve it no matter what. 


Institutions- The artist Beyonce Knowles is known as a top certified artist since 2000. The RIAA ( Recording Industry Association Of America) also recognise this.
Audiences- The target audience for this video would be older girl teens. This is because they may be going through the same situation or they can feel as if it appeals to them or a situation in their life. The audience would watch this video to get a deeper understanding of how society has changed in terms of relationships.  For example the Uses and Gratification Theory. This is an approach to understanding mass communication.  It assumes that members of the audience are not passive but take an active role in interpreting and integrating media into their own lives. The theory also holds that audiences are responsible for choosing media to meet their needs. This can relate to this music video because by the audience watching it, they can find out their personal identity.