Research for music Video; Laura Mulvey's ides on Representation

Laura Mulvey

Representation consists of many parts- gender, age, ethnicity, religion etc. When we are making our own video we must take into account representation as a whole. 

"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". (Laura Mulvey, 1992)

My version of Laura Mulvey's quote;

 "We live in a world where status is based on gender. People are satisfied by looking at an attractive man and obedient (in terms of styling and attitude) women. The male fantasy is fulfilled through women's styling. 

What kind of representions of women could you expect in some music videos? 

Based on the quote you may find that women dress provocatively to attract a male's attention. Women are expected to dress a certain way in music videos to sell music. Women are also seen as sex toys and dressed and styled to meet the fantasy of the male viewer. 

The woman above is in 50cent's music video 'Candy shop'...The woman fulfils the fantasy as she is dressed provocatively, the mise en scene also helps to do this. Her short skirt, tight top which reveals cleavage, with a whip in her hand...Around her a candle lit room which is dim which sets a seductive mood.

Can you think of any other particular genres of music or artists that this might be specific to?

Dance

Hip Hop

Reggae 

R&B

Any artists that might challenge this?

Adele 

Amy Whinehouse

Susan Boyle 

In my opinion I still think that Laura Mulvey's opinion is still relevant in today's society.

Dizzee Rascal- Holiday 

During the video although we see a woman talking on the phone 0.06 into the video, we never actually hear her speak. During the whole video there is no female voice. There is Dismemberment as the women in the video are just legs and bodies, they are all young and in bikinis. Goldie is eyeing up a woman 0.38 as she enters the party, this connotes that she has fulfilled a male's fantasy or caught the right attention with her body. The men in the video are dressed which shows a double standard. These are all things that are typical for this genre of music.