Key Terms

Key terminology:

- Homage-imitation from a respectful standpoint.

- Intertextuality - one media text referring to another.

- Bricolage - mixing up and using different genres and styles. e.g Shaun of the Dead: Zombie mixed with and romantc comedy.

- Pastiche - an artistic work in a style that imitates that of another work, artist or period. This is a self-conscious imitation.

- Pastiche/ Homage - Generic conventions of a "golden age" Hollywood film of which "gaga" is the leading lady

- Parody - mocking something in an original way.
Part of the idea of postmodernism is that there is no divide between high arts and mass culture.

Marxist

The Dominant Ideology -
The ideologiacl forces that determine how society functions. Marxists believe that all powerful institutions subtly control how we, the masses, conduct our lives within society.

The Media and Marxism -
The founder of Marxist theory was Karl Marx, who believed that the media and its messages could be used for good in the right hands. However, in the hands of what he called the dominant ideology the message could have a dangerously influential and controlling effects.
Marxists believe that the media plays a significant part in controlling the massesand some would say as an institution it is a greater influence on society than religon, politics and the family (nature over nurture). The supposed subtle dominance with which the media control the masses is also known as hegemonic control.

Hegemony -
Hegemony was an ideological concept first introduced by italian Marxist Antonio Gramsci, who believed that the media message could perform a subtle indoctrination, influencing the manner in which society viewed the world until the message becomes 'common sense', unchallenged by the masses.

A Marxists annalysis on Goldies-Inner City Life video.
The video's narrative is about the pressures faced when living in the inner city. This is evidenced in th emusic video by the setting being london and some of the scenes being set in a club and in a council flat. The narrative also shows a single mother raising two kids in a council flat and dealing with ways to pay off the bills reinforcing the pressures of innercity life. There are high angled shots looking down on people displaying their vulnerability whilst it shows that the upper class are controlling the working classes.
Marxists would say this video demonstrates a small amount postive emssages of kids playing around sohwing a postive aspect on life however, it is mainly portaying negative messages as their is youths chucking trollies off roofs, people smoking in a club etc. This challenges the hegemonic control as usually people would vision living in the city to be a happy and postive life, with lots of money and little worries however the video shows the non realistic aspect of that. The target audience for this would be the masses and a niche young audience who are interested in listening to drum and base. It gratifies the audience as it challenges what most videos do and subverts the stereotypes of these type of videos.

Thanks for adding me Hina.

Questionnaire

1)What gender are you?

Male______ Female______


2)How old are you?

Under 12______ 12-16_______ 17-19______ 20+_______


3)What genres do you listen to?

Rock_______ Pop_______ R&B_______ Funky_______ Hip-hop_______ Other________


4)What music channels do you watch?

______________________________________________________

5)What websites do you use to consume music videos?

______________________________________________________

6)How often do you watch music videos?

______________________________________________________

7)Does a good music video make you want to buy the track?

_______________________________________________________

8)Do you download music?

Yes________ No________

9)What type of music video do you prefer? (Performance, Narrative, A Story,
Concept – based on idea or theme)

______________________________________________________________________

10)What is your favourite music video?

_____________________________________________________________________

Feminist and Post Feminist reading

* Post-Feminsm - Feminism has now been achieved. Women want to surpass men. Women are adopting "the female gaze" (Women purposely dress themselves erotically for men to stare at them.)

* Feminsm - Equal opportunities for women.

Pussycat Dolls - Buttons

The Pussycat Dolls - Buttons
Uploaded by The-Pussycat-Dolls. - See the latest featured music videos.
The music video of Buttons by Pussycat Dolls offers messages of sexual empowerment alongside assertive provocative and in control of 'the gaze'. The females are shown as confident, sassy, sexy icons challenging traditional assumptions about passive females sexuality "I'm a sexy mama". The group also uses a provacative male address challenging Snoop to "loosen up my buttons babe", however the pussycat dolls prove "too hot to handle" for Snoop Dogg.

Britney Spears - Toxic

Britney Spears - Toxic (Music Video)
Uploaded by EnvBritney. - Music videos, artist interviews, concerts and more.
Post Feminist -
They would say this is a good video. This is because it supports the views of post feminists. In Toxic by Britney Spears, she is in control. She is seen to be aggressive, by pulling the men and dragging them in toliets. This shows she is the dominate one instead of the man. This does not support the steorotypical image of how men are reprensented, usually men are in control and the more superior one. She also conveys female power (sexual empowerment). In the music video, Britney also subverts the subvervient role of an air hostess, i.e. Air hostess are supposed to be polite and do welcoming and appropriate. However, Britney is dressed more provacatively (Mini Skirt, clevage showing, rubbing the man's crotch area). Also the use of fire in the video could be seen as a visual metaphor that conveys her female sexuality/passion. Moreover, cameleon effect is empowering. Dominatrix dress code has been used throughtout the music video which makes it more appealing. She has a sparkling naked costume in one of the scenes, which contrasts with other scenes. She looks more vunerable in this clip, this maybe because she is showing a side of her which is a conventional female image.

Feminist Reading:
- Provacative - inappropriate for young audiences.
- "Chameleon effect": She has to use her image rather than her talent.
- There is strong media demand for Female pop stars to look as sexual as ever.
- This may reveal Britney's low self esteem (Bowing down to peer pressure) which in turn embaresses and demeans herself for money.
- Sex sells. The industry has won, Britney can't convey her own image and be individual.
- The Female Gaze: There are half naked men in the video. The video isn't just for men to stare at Britney.
- Confirms female styles.
- She has to use her image rather than her talent
- Capitalises on her sexuality to "cash in".