Formation Beyonce

Section A - Component 1

(2016)

Unit 1: Selling images – Advertising, marketing and music video

Focus area:

Media language

Representation

Audiences

Media contexts

PRODUCT CONTEXT

  • Formation, lead single for the album Lemonade, was released the day before BeyoncĂ© performed at the Super Bowl final in February 2016.

  • The Formation music video, directed by Melina Matsoukas, was released with the song. ‱ This music video has won numerous awards including a Clio Award for Innovation and Creative Excellence in a Music Video at the 2016 awards, and has been nominated in the music video category at the 59th Grammy Awards.

  • The video is set against the backdrop of the flooding in New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina and the associated racial tension in America, and also draws historical parallels with references to racism and slavery

  • PART 1: STARTING POINTS – Media language

  • Consider how the different elements of media language, and the combination of elements, influence meaning and communicate multiple meanings:

  • The music video offers a wealth of (sometimes conflicting/contradictory) messages and possible meanings.

  • Many of the references in the video require an awareness of issues and events (such as the flooding in New Orleans and racial tension in America).

  • The video also requires a high level of media literacy to recognise and understand

  • intertextual references such as footage taken from a documentary about ‘bounce’ called That B.E.A.T. and references to news footage of police brutality, such as the lone dancing boy.

  • Consider the ways in which factors in the music video contrast and conflict and whether this creates a confused meaning in audiences or offers a coherent message.

  • » The use of costume is interesting.

  • Antebellum dresses which seem to reference slavery contrast heavily with stereotypical “pop” signifiers such as tight fitting/revealing costume in some of the dance sections.

  • » Similarly Beyoncé’s performance shifts from moments of aggression such as obscene gestures with her fingers to more culturally recognisable dance routines that seem less loaded with political or social messages.

  • This contrasting use of signs leads to possible readings/meaning of the video: » Is it exploring issues of the Black experience in America? Is it a personal exploration of Beyoncé’s life? Is it attempting to discuss issues of gender and equality? Is it possible for the video to be all of these things?

  • Consider theoretical perspectives

  • Semiotics – Roland Barthes

  • The concept of the signifier/signified, using specific signification in the music video and considering how this might be interpreted according to social convention:

  • » For example, the use of antebellum era dresses. BeyoncĂ© and a group of other Black women pose in white dresses that appear to reference the antebellum era of American history.

  • Consider the significance of slavery in relation to this sequence and what is being signified

  • The antebellum period refers to the time period in the United States before the Civil War, specifically from the late 18th century to the start of the war in 1861.

  • It was characterized by significant social, economic, and political changes, including the expansion of slavery, the growth of industrialization, and the rise of sectional tensions between the North and the South.

  • The antebellum period was a time of social, economic, and political changes in the United States. It occurred from the late 18th century to the start of the American Civil War in 1861.

  • During this period, the country experienced rapid industrialization, westward expansion, and the growth of slavery.

  • It was marked by debates over states' rights, the abolitionist movement, and the rise of sectional tensions between the North and the South.

  • The antebellum period ultimately led to the secession of Southern states and the outbreak of the Civil War.

  • An antebellum plantation house refers to a historic house that was built during the period before the American Civil War (pre-1861) in the southern United States.

  • These houses were typically large and grand, serving as the centrepiece of a plantation where crops such as cotton, tobacco, or rice were cultivated.

  • They often featured architectural styles like Greek Revival or Federal, with spacious rooms, elegant furnishings, and expansive grounds.

  • These houses were symbols of wealth and power for the plantation owners, but they were also associated with the institution of slavery, as enslaved people were forced to work on the plantations.

  • The impact of slavery on Americans was profound and far-reaching.

  • Slavery had a significant economic, social, and political impact on the United States.

  • It fuelled the growth of the Southern economy, particularly in agriculture, but also perpetuated a system of racial inequality and oppression.

  • Slavery also played a central role in the lead-up to the American Civil War, as tensions over its expansion and abolition divided the nation.

  • The legacy of slavery continues to shape American society today, with ongoing discussions and efforts to address its lasting effects.

  • Slave codes were laws enacted in the American colonies and later in the United States that regulated the institution of slavery.

  • These codes varied by region but generally aimed to control and restrict the rights and freedoms of enslaved individuals.

  • They defined slaves as property, denied them basic human rights, and enforced strict punishments for disobedience or escape attempts.

  • Slave codes also prohibited enslaved individuals from learning to read or write, gathering in large groups, and owning property.

  • These codes reinforced the power dynamics of slavery and further entrenched the system of racial inequality and oppression.

Slave codes

Slave codes were laws enacted in various colonies and states in the Americas to regulate the institution of slavery.

  1. The Virginia Slave Codes (1705): These codes defined slaves as property and denied them basic rights. They prohibited slaves from gathering in large groups, learning to read and write, and owning firearms.

  2. The South Carolina Slave Codes (1740): These codes were among the harshest in the American colonies. They restricted the movement of slaves, imposed strict punishments for disobedience, and prohibited slaves from assembling without white supervision.

  3. The Louisiana Black Code (1806): These codes were enacted after the Louisiana Purchase and aimed to maintain control over the large slave population. They reinforced the idea of slaves as property, restricted their rights to assemble and travel, and limited their access to education.

  4. The Mississippi Slave Code (1830): refers to a set of laws enacted in the state of Mississippi during the antebellum period that regulated the institution of slavery. These laws aimed to control and restrict the rights and freedoms of enslaved individuals, reinforcing the power dynamics between slaveholders and slaves. The specific details and provisions of the Mississippi Slave Code varied over time, but they generally encompassed aspects such as slave ownership, punishment, labour, and restrictions on movement and education.

    Southern belles

    Young women from the southern United States during the antebellum period. They were known for their refined manners, beauty, and adherence to traditional gender roles. Southern belles were typically from wealthy, aristocratic families and were expected to embody the ideals of femininity, modesty, and grace. They played a significant role in the social fabric of the antebellum South.

    Paul Gilroy

    Paul Gilroy is a British cultural theorist and historian.

    He is known for his work on race, ethnicity, and postcolonialism. He has written extensively on topics such as black culture, diaspora, and the politics of identity.

    Some of his notable works include "The Black Atlantic: Modernity and Double Consciousness" and "There Ain't No Black in the Union Jack: The Cultural Politics of Race and Nation."

    Studies, writes and lectures about the the politics of race, nation and racism in the UK, and how black cultural experiences are shaped by history, location and the media. Much of his work is based on a study of diasporic identities.

    Paul Gilroy has made significant contributions to the field of postcolonialism.

    He argues that postcolonialism should not be limited to the study of former colonies and their relationship with the colonizers.

    Instead, he emphasizes the importance of understanding the interconnectedness of different cultures and histories in a global context.

    Gilroy challenges the notion of fixed identities and highlights the hybridity and fluidity of cultural formations in the postcolonial world.

    He also critiques the Eurocentric perspective and advocates for a more inclusive and diverse understanding of postcolonialism.

    Theory of Otherness

    The theory of otherness, also known as the theory of alterity, is a concept in social and cultural studies that explores the idea of "otherness" or the perception of individuals or groups as different or separate from oneself.

    It examines how these differences are constructed and how they shape social relationships and power dynamics.

    The theory of otherness emphasizes the importance of recognizing and respecting diverse perspectives, experiences, and identities in order to foster inclusivity and understanding in society.

    Paul Gilroy’s Postcolonial Theories

    The idea that colonial discourses continue to inform contemporary attitudes to race and ethnicity in the postcolonial era

    The idea that civilisation-ism constructs racial hierarchies and sets up binary oppositions based on notions of otherness

    Defining “Diaspora”

    Diaspora refers to the movement of a population from its original homeland.

    Diaspora Identity is when people experience a sense of belonging to a culture which is ‘other’ to the dominant culture of the country they live in.

    If another country comes into your land and begins to change everything you do. From language and sports to politics and religion then you can argue that you become dispersed from your culture rather than the land itself (which some would argue is worse).

    Feelings of ‘otherness’ or alienation emphasised by the lack of representations or negative representations in the media of the country they live in or its original culture.

    Conclusions based on Gilroy’s theories:

    • The media often represents the world from a racist point of view, even though we live in a multicultural society.

    • Representations based on binary opposition create divisions and boundaries between groups of people.

    • People from non-white ethnic groups may demonstrate diasporic identities which are complex and hybrid (and are misrepresented or under-represented in the media)

    • People from different social groups (specifically different ethnic groups) need to become more involved with making media so that their stories are told from their point of view.