Research for Music Video: Laura Mulvey's ideas

Laura’s mulvey’s theory on representation is ‘In a world ordered by sexual imbalance, pleasure in looking has been split between active/male and passive/female. The determining male gaze projects its fantasy onto the female figure which is styled accordingly’ to my knowledge I would interpret this quote by saying this means that men and women are still unequal within society and that therefore women are perceived as sexual objects. The idea of the ‘fantasy’ may indicate that women become whatever men want them to especially in music videos for instance walking around in a bikini, with a lot of makeup on looking stunning.

Two videos that illustrate my understanding would be:

• Akon Feat Eminem-Smack That

This music video is an example of how women are represented as sex symbols. This was a good choice to use as the idea of women being used as part of the male gaze is enhanced by the fact that the lightening I very dark and hidden. This reinforces how men may perceive women. Women in this video are dancing around the artists in tiny hot pants and low cut tops revealing alot of their clevage and bums. This shows how women are sometimes degraded as human beings and how men look at them. The music of the song also emphasis the concept 'smack that' a term referred to sexual desire'a and interests in women. As viewers there are lots of close ups and explicit shots.

·         Chipmunk Feat. Mavado - Every Gyal

In this video we directly see what Mulvey was trying to convey through her theory as throughout the video we see girls dancing around in bikini’s some where even topless which really suggest the way women are downgraded within society. Viewers can also see the women handing the artist with his chain and a glass of baileys. This can reinforce the status of women and that they are suppose to act like providers for men. This furthermore indicates the roles of an active male and passive female. There is also a lot of close up of girl’s bodies, particularly their bums and hips this may seem ‘fantasying’ to the male species. A female never speaks in the video neither and it’s as if they know how they are suppose to behave without being told.

There are artists who challenge this and are still able to be very successful musicians without falling into the trap of the 'male gaze' An example would be Adele who is always appropriately dressed in her music videos and breaks the idea of a 'half naked girl in front of the camera' 

Missy Elliot is also much more reserved and covered up in her music videos. She seems to be happy with her size and doesn't let it effect how she appeals to the audience. In this video that i will post below also breaks the typical conventions that are usually portrayed not just in music videos but society. The fact that men re supposed to be active while woman remain passive, however in this video Missy Elliot is able to flip it opposite ways, we see her being the much more dominate person in the relationship acted in her music video.