SHOT	Audio	Video
Medium shot (5-6 seconds)	“Please leave me alone”	Angle; mid-shot, straight Movement Description; Teenage boy wants to be left alone during the summer, and makes it known
Long shot (2-3 seconds)	"we can do all sorts of stuff in the summer!"	Angle;- long-shot, face-up. Movement- still Description- Teenage boy is walking with his friends, talking about summer plans
Medium shots (5-7 seconds)	The sound of a ball being kicked, heavy breathing etc.  Music	Angle;- 1. Medium shot, tracking. 2. Still, medium, over the shoulder Movement- Shot 1. follows boy running with the ball shot 2. still shot of boy taking penalty  Description 1. Boy runs with ball 2. Boy takes penalty
Medium shot (3 seconds)	Chewing sounds Movie background sounds (?) Music	Angle; Full shot Movement Still Description Boy is with a friend in the cinema watching a film and eating popcorn
Close shot (4-5 seconds)	Arcade sounds Music	Angle; Still, camera at side of boy Movement Still  Description- Boy playing on an arcade machine
Medium shot (7-9 seconds)	"Your cousin is coming to stay, you will have to look after him. I have to work."	Angle;  Movement Camera moves from news-breaker to boy Description A parent tells the teenage boy that he has to look after his younger cousin
Close shot (3-5 seconds)	"Ahh"	Angle; Medium-close shot Movement Still Description Kid punches teenager in the face
Close shot (5-6 seconds)	Dialogue	Angle;Medum-close shot  Movement From little boy to tennager's reaction Description- Boy says that he wet himself
Medium shot (7-8 seconds)		Angle; Movement Description

Maybelline ad

Advertising: Maybelline case study and wider reading

Our second Advertising and Marketing CSP is the 2017 Maybelline 'That Boss Life Pt 1' mascara video advert.

This gives us an opportunity to explore the idea of gender fluidity in society and the media - plus compare the changing representation of masculinity in advertising. Notes from the lesson are here:

Gender fluidity

Gender fluidity is when gender expression shifts between masculine and feminine. Indeed, gender identity has become a major media and social issue in the last 10 years.

Young (and some older) people are increasingly identifying as gender fluid – and some have credited the internet for this change. They suggest that millennials grew up with the internet so can easily find information on topics like gender expression.

You can read more on this view and gender fluidity in this CNN article here.

Maybelline 'That Boss Life Pt 1'

The Maybelline ‘That Boss Life’ advert is part of a digital campaign for their ‘Big Shot Mascara’ product.

The campaign is significant as it is the first time Maybelline has used a male brand ambassador and digital influencers. The use of YouTube stars Manny Gutierrez and Shayla Mitchell means the brand can reach their combined 5.1 million Instagram followers and 2.5 million YouTube subscribers.

In addition, Gutierrez (‘MannyMua’) is Mexican-Spanish-American and openly gay, offering a very different representation of masculinity and sexuality to the 1967 Score hair cream advert.

Blog task: Maybelline 'That Boss Life' case study and wider reading

Work through the following tasks to make sure you're an expert on the Maybelline CSP and particularly the wider social and cultural context.

'That Boss Life' close textual analysis

Use your notes from class to write about the connotations and representations created by the following technical and audio codes. Write at least a paragraph on each:

1) Narrative & genre: narrative theory and sub-genre

The narrative is that the product makes the people's life better. Their life becomes much more luxurious with the mascara than without it. It implies that there is two different worlds depending on whether you use the mascara or not.

2) Cinematography: camera shots and movement

The camera focuses solely on the people who are using the mascara, so it properly emphasises the narrative and the difference between the lives of the people with the mascara and the people without it.

3) Mise-en-scene: costume & props

There is a significant change between the costume of the people before they use the mascara, as they are wearing ordinary clothes and the costumes of the people after they use the mascara, where they are wearing lavish clothes. This again emphasises and separates the people who don't and do use the mascara.

4) Mise-en-scene: actors, setting, lighting and colour

5) Editing: pace, transitions and visual effects

6) Graphics: text/graphics on screen

7) Sound: dialogue, music and sound effects

Maybelline 'That Boss Life': wider reading

Read the following articles on this campaign:

Glamour: Manny Gutierrez Is the First Man to Star in a Maybelline Campaign, and Its a Huge Deal
Your Story: Cosmetics giant breaks gender stereotypes by choosing male model as a face of the brand
Adweek: Maybelline Recruits Manny Gutierrez as Its First Male Beauty Star

Complete the following questions/tasks:

1) Why was this campaign such a landmark for beauty product advertising?

2) What do the articles suggest regarding the changing representation of sexuality and masculinity?

3) Read this WWD article: Maybelline Taps Digital Makeup Influencers for New Mascara Campaign. Why might 'digital influencers' be so attractive to companies?

4) Why do you think Maybelline chose to use MannyMua and MakeUpShayla in particular?

5) What does the WWD article suggest is the crucial factor for brands regardless of whether they use influencers or more traditional celebrities?


Media Magazine: The Changing Face of Masculinity

Now go to our Media Magazine archive and read the feature 'The Changing Face of Masculinity' in MM63 (page 15). This will allow us to compare our two advertising CSPs - the Score hair cream advert and the Maybelline digital campaign. Answer the following questions:

1) What message does the article suggest the Score hair cream advert is trying to communicate to the 1967 audience?

2) How does the article suggest the Score hair cream advert uses narrative to sell the product?

3) What 1967 stereotypes does the article suggest the Score hair cream advert reinforces?

4) Applying Stuart Hall's reception theory, what does the article suggest the preferred and oppositional readings could be for the Score hair cream advert?

5) Moving on to the Maybelline advert, why is the background of Manny Gutierrez and Shayla Mitchell significant?

6) What is the narrative of the Maybelline advert?

7) What does the article suggest the Maybelline advert's message is?

8) The final section of the article focuses on masculinity. What do the Score advert and the Maybelline advert suggest regarding the changes in society and media between 1967 and 2017?

Score ad

Advertising: Score case study and wider reading

We have already studied the changing representation of women in advertising but there is no doubt that the portrayal of men and masculinity has also changed significantly too.

Our first advertising CSP, the 1967 Score hair cream advert, provides a compelling case study for the representation of both men and women.

Notes from the lesson and the blog task are below.

Hypermasculinity in advertising

Hypermasculinity is defined as: a psychological term for the exaggeration of male stereotypical behaviour, such as an emphasis on physical strength, aggression, and sexuality.

Advertising in the 1950s-1980s often featured a hypermasculine representation of men – and some representations in the media today still continue this.

Gelfer: Changing masculinity in advertising

Joseph Gelfer, a director of masculinity research, suggests that the way masculinity is represented in advertising is changing. Looking at advertising over the last 20 years:

“Previously, masculinity was mostly presented in one of two ways: either a glamorous James Bond-style masculinity that attracted ‘the ladies’, or a buffoon-style masculinity that was firmly under the wifely thumb. 

Thankfully, and somewhat belatedly, things are beginning to change.” (Gelfer, 2017)

Gelfer: Five stages of Masculinity

Gelfer suggests there are five stages of masculinity – how people perceive and understand what it means to be a man.

Stage 1: “unconscious masculinity” – traditional view of men

Stage 2: “conscious masculinity” – as above but deliberate

Stage 3: “critical masculinities” – feminist; socially constructed

Stage 4: “multiple masculinities” – anyone can be anything

Stage 5: “beyond masculinities” – it doesn’t exist 

Gelfer says advertisers need to think about how their target audience views men and masculinity when creating campaigns.

Masculinity in crisis? David Gauntlett

Media theorist David Gauntlett has written extensively on gender and identity. He disagrees with the popular view that masculinity is ‘in crisis’:

“Contemporary masculinity is often said to be 'in crisis'; as women become increasingly assertive and successful… men are said to be anxious and confused about what their role is today.”

Instead, Gauntlett suggests that many modern representations of masculinity are “about men finding a place for themselves in the modern world.” He sees this as a positive thing. (Gauntlett, 2002)

Score hair cream advert: CSP context

The Score hair cream advert is an historical artefact from 1967. It should be examined by considering its historical, social and cultural contexts, particularly as it relates to gender roles, sexuality and the historical context of advertising techniques.

Context: 1967 can be seen as a period of change in the UK with legislation on (and changing attitudes to) the role of women – and men – in society. Produced in the year of decriminalisation of homosexuality and three years before the 1970 Equal Pay Act, the representation of gender could be read as signalling more anxiety than might first appear. The reference to colonialist values can also be linked to social and cultural contexts of the ending of Empire.

Blog task: Score advert and wider reading

Complete the following tasks and wider reading on the Score hair cream advert and masculinity in advertising.

Score hair cream advert

Answer the following questions to ensure you have a comprehensive textual analysis of the Score hair cream advert:

1) What year was the advert produced and why is the historical context important?

It was created in 1967, just as the feminist movement picking up steam. This may mean why hyper-masculinity was becoming more prominent, to counter the feminist movement. 

2) Analyse the mise-en-scene in the advert how is costume, make-up and placement of models constructed to show male dominance?

The man has army clothing on, which could show his strength. The placement of models is also beneath the man, which shows that the man is "above" the women, which shows that they are superior and therefore shows male dominance.

3) The main slogan is: 'Get what you've always wanted'. What does this suggest to the audience and how does it reflect the social and cultural context of 1967?

It suggests to the audience that women are things to "get" and be sought after, which reflects the context of 1967 as women were seen as people to get and marry rather than independent.

4) Why is it significant that the advert text says it is "made by men" and that it also contains "Score's famous masculine scent"?

It is significant because if it is made by men, then the ad suggests that it if it was made by women, it would be inferior and not get the job done properly. It suggests women are incompetent. "Masculine scent" also suggests that having a "feminine"

5) What representation of sexuality can be found in the advert?

Women are carrying the man around, which suggests that they worship him in a way and want to have sex with him.

6) How does the advert reflect representations of masculinity in advertising 50 years ago?

Masculinity in advertising suggested that men were superior, which is what is suggested in the ad as women are placed below the man and are carrying him around.

7) How much do you think things have changed with regards to representations of masculinity in advertising?

It has changed, there is no blatantly sexist ads like this anymore, but there is still elements of sexism in advertising.


The Drum: This Boy Can article

Read this article from The Drum magazine on gender and the new masculinity. If the Drum website is blocked, you can find the text of the article here. Think about how the issues raised in this article link to our Score hair cream advert CSP and then answer the following questions:

1) Why does the writer suggest that we may face a "growing 'boy crisis'"?

Because of the complete focus on the empowerment of women, we are not well-equipped to tackle issues affecting boys.

2) How has the Axe/Lynx brand changed its marketing to present a different representation of masculinity?

They wanted to relieve the pressure of old paradigms while also re-defining what it means to be a successful man in modern times.

3) How does campaigner David Brockway, quoted in the article, suggest advertisers "totally reinvent gender constructs"?

I.e paint a world where boys like pink, don't like going out and aren't career ambitious. Eliminate stereotypes.

4) How have changes in family and society altered how brands are targeting their products?
Men ae predominantly handling the household budget now, so advertising has within FMCG has changed to target men. 

5) Why does Fernando Desouches, Axe/Lynx global brand development director, say you've got to "set the platform" before you explode the myth of masculinity?

You have to set up a starting point to which you can then deliver a message.


Campaign: Why brands need to change

Read this Campaign article on Why brands need to change their approach to marketing masculinity. If the Campaign website is blocked, you can find the text of the article here. Think about how the article relates to our work on gender and advertising then answer the following questions:

1) What are two ways advertising traditionally presented masculinity?

"Either a glamorous
James Bond-style masculinity that attracted ‘the ladies’, or a buffoon-style masculinity that was
firmly under the wifely thumb."
2) What are the two reasons the writer Joseph Gelfer suggests for why this needs to change?
"The altruistic reason is that traditional masculinity causes problems, whether it be its
impact on men’s wellbeing or on women and their equal representation in society. All brands need
to do their part in making the world a better place, so looking at masculinity can really be seen as
part of corporate social responsibility efforts. The self-serving reason is that masculinity is constantly
shifting and brands need an equally agile response in order to engage with consumers and remain
relevant and competitive.

3) What are the five stages of masculinity?
Stage 1 is defined as "unconscious masculinity", which means that traditional masculinity has been
adopted by someone without them even thinking about it. People at Stage 1 are living their lives
according to what they perceive to be "common sense" or "intuition" and do not actively address
masculinity, perhaps because they are too busy surviving, or just don’t have the required critical
thinking skills.

Stage 2 is defined as "conscious masculinity", which means that traditional masculinity has been
consciously adopted by someone. People at Stage 2 look to various "proofs" of masculinity, such as
historical evidence, biological determinism or even holy books.
Stage 3 is defined as "critical masculinities" and is largely aligned with feminist thought. People at
Stage 3 are aware that society is often patriarchal and homophobic and want to counter these
problems. They also tend to believe that masculinity is not biologically determined, rather socially
constructed.
Stage 4 is defined as "multiple masculinities" and suggests that masculinity can mean anything to
anyone. People at Stage 4 share many of the concerns of those at Stage 3, but they are less
burdened by guilt from the problems caused by masculinity, and focus more on the freedom to be
who they want to be.
Stage 5 is defined as "beyond masculinities" and proposes the simple truth that masculinity does not
exist. People at Stage 5 understand how masculinity operates at the other stages, but ultimately
believe it to be an illusion that society has created to keep people in line.

4) Take the Five Stages of Masculinity Personality Inventory test to see what stage of masculinity you are at. Where did it suggest your views are currently? Do you agree with its assessment? You can read more about the five stages of masculinity here.

5) What stage of masculinity was the Score advert aiming at in 1967?

Stage 2.

6) Why are the stages of masculinity important for companies and advertisers when targeting an audience?

The Five Stages of Masculinity offers a more granular way of thinking about men as both individuals
and consumers. Masculinity is complex and continually evolving and we must have thinking tools
that reflect this complexity. We also need to stay humble and remember what is actually driving
change in this domain. In other words, advertising does not change masculinity; masculinity changes
advertising.

• What is the product being sold?

Hair cream 

How does this advert create desire for the product?

What is the idea being sold?

How does Score construct a narrative which appeals to its target audience?

How is this reinforced through Mise en Scene?

• Can you use semiotics to argue this?

How and why audience responses to the narrative of this advert may have changed over time?

Postmodernism

 

Jean Baudrillard.

PASTICHE – Means to combine multiple elements.  In postmodern media this can be a homage or a parody of past styles.

It can often reference pop culture as part of the narrative.

Postmodern productions often blur the lines between good and evil, light and dark for both viewers and characters.

HYPER REALITY- is a condition in which reality has been replaced by simulacra.

SIMULACRA- an image or representation of someone or something.

Give examples of Billie Jean aligning with Baudrillard.

Pastiche- The set is both an homage and parody of Singing in the Rain. An homage because it is referencing it and a parody because it is dark and gloomy, which could suggest that when black people do it, it is represented as dark and gloomy.

Simulacra- Michael Jackson has the ability to make the floor light up if he steps on it and change a man's appearance.

Hyper Reality- These powers seem to be normalised within the video, there is no surprising reaction to them which would happen in reality. 

(9 Marks)

Advertising Marmite

Advertising: Persuasive techniques

Adverts - both print and moving image - use a range of persuasive techniques to try and positively influence their audience.

We need to learn a range of these techniques and later apply them to the two CSP adverts we need to study for the exam..

Persuasive techniques

Advertisements are generally trying to persuade their target audience to:

• Buy a product or service
• Believe something or act in a certain way
• Agree with a point of view
   
  There are many persuasive techniques used in advertising. A selection include:
   

• Slogan – a catchy phrase or statement
• Repetition – constant reference to product name
• Bandwagon – everyone is buying it
• Testimonial/association – e.g. celebrity endorsement
• Emotional appeal – designed to create strong feelings
• Expert opinion – ‘4 out of 5 dentists…’
   
  Examples:

• Slogan – Just Do It
• Repetition – Go Compare
• Bandwagon – Maybelline ‘America’s favourite mascara’
• Testimonial/association – FIFA18 ‘El Tornado’ / Ronaldo
• Emotional appeal – WaterAid ‘Dig toilets not graves’
• Expert opinion – Max Factor ‘The make-up of make-up artists’
   
   
  Case study: Marmite
  
  Marmite has a long history of unusual advertising based around the idea ‘You either love it or you hate it’. How many of the persuasive techniques can you spot in these adverts?
  
  
  
  https://youtu.be/7R1TDZtNq9g
   

https://youtu.be/B_191RnWwww

1) What does John Berger suggest about advertising in ‘Ways of Seeing’?

That “Advertising offers us an improved version of ourselves, whether we are male or female.”

2) What is it psychologists refer to as referencing? Which persuasive techniques could you link this idea to?

Referencing is when we refer, either knowingly or subconsciously, to lifestyles represented to us (through the media or in real life) that we find attractive. We create a vision of ourselves living this idealised lifestyle, and then behave in ways that help us to realise this vision. This links to emotional appeal, as it is putting an idea and feeling in your head.

3) How was Marmite discovered?

When German scientist Justus von Liebig discovered that brewer’s yeast could be concentrated, bottled and eaten.

4) Who owns the Marmite brand now?

The Marmite Food Extract Company and Unileiver.

5) How has Marmite marketing used intertextuality? Which of the persuasive techniques we’ve learned can this be linked to?

6) What is the difference between popular culture and high culture? How does Marmite play on this?

7) Why does Marmite position the audience as ‘enlightened, superior, knowing insiders’?

8) What examples does the writer provide of why Marmite advertising is a good example of postmodernism?

Questions on Letter to the Free and Billie Jean

1. How do the lyrics of Letter to the Free reflect the cultural, social and political context at the time?




The lyrics of Letter to the Free reflect context by referring to past and present events. It references how black people "ain't seen as human beings with feelings" which links to cultivation theory as some white people have developed this idea from TV and films that black people are almost like a different species. It also references political context, talking about the "hate that they say will make America great again" which is a reference to the slogan of Donald Trump's 2016 presidential election slogan. Social context is referred to throughout, consistently bringing up the mass incarceration of Black Americans.

Possible Exam Qs

How do the lyrics of Letter to the Free reflect the cultural, social and political context of the time?

How does this work present the artist?

(Refer to Cultivation Theory and Reception Theory.)

How does this differ from Billie Jean?

Michael Jackson

Michael Jackson was an international superstar, and many in the black community herald him for breaking down racial barriers in the music industry.

"Michael Jackson made culture accept a person of color way before Tiger Woods, way before Oprah Winfrey, way before Barack Obama," said the Rev. Al Sharpton. "Michael did with music what they later did in sports and in politics and in television. And no controversy will erase the historic impact."

As the Jackson 5, Michael Jackson and his brothers "became a cutting-edge example of black crossover artists," said Mark Anthony Neal, a professor of black popular culture at Duke University's Department of African and African American Studies.

"You basically had five working-class black boys with Afros and bell bottoms, and they really didn't have to trade any of that stuff in order to become mainstream stars," Neal said.

Young Michael Jackson was the first black "bubblegum teen star" in the vein of Monkees singer Davy Jones, Neal said.

Jackson continued as a pioneer in the black culture when he broke barriers by appearing on MTV, and by breaking sales records with the 1982 album, "Thriller."  Timeline: The life of a "King" »

"At the time that he releases 'Thriller,' I always argue that MTV was arguably the best example of cultural apartheid in the United States," Neal said.

The former president of CBS Records, Walter Yetnikoff, remembered with scorn that MTV would not play "Billie Jean" or "Beat It" because it billed itself as a rock station.

Looking back on that era, a 1991 Los Angeles Times article quoted MTV founder and then-CEO Robert Pittman as saying the channel's format didn't lend itself to other musical styles, including R&B and country. And Pittman accused his critics of attempting to impose their musical pluralism on the channel's die-hard rock fans.

But Yetnikoff said he threatened to pull videos of his other artists unless MTV played Jackson's videos. 

Soon Jackson's videos were heavily in rotation on MTV. Showcasing a black artist paved the way for the popular show, "Yo! MTV Raps," and other black artists, Neal said.

In turn, Jackson became one of the first African-Americans to be a global icon.

He also influenced a new generation of black musicians, including Usher, Ne-Yo and Kanye West, according to Joycelyn Wilson, a professor of African-American studies at Morehouse College, who specializes in popular culture and hip-hop studies. 

Changing appearance

Jackson's changing physical appearance in the past two decades led to criticism he was trying to be less black.

"Here's a man who started off looking very typically African-American and ended up looking like something few people would have recognized early in his career. His nose was trimmed, his lips were different ... his skin was different," said Cheryl Contee, who writes as Jill Tubman on Jack & Jill Politics, a blog centered on African-American issues.

"The only thing that seemed to almost stay the same were his eyes," said Contee, who also called Jackson "a genius and more than a trailblazer."

"I think [it] troubled a lot of people that he left his skin color behind and seemed somehow to be ashamed of who he was [when] he was born," Contee said.

But during a 1993 interview with Oprah Winfrey, Jackson shot down rumors that he was dying his skin to make it lighter. He told the talk show host that he had vitiligo, a disorder that destroyed his skin pigmentation.

Black popular culture professor Neal said Jackson's physical changes did not reflect his life on the whole.

"I think if you solely pay attention to Michael Jackson's physicality, you actually miss something that's much more complex. ... Michael Jackson artistically and aesthetically never turned his back on blackness. His work was always in conversation with black culture both in the United States and more globally," said Neal.

Neal said Jackson's changes were not to deny blackness, nor to become more white. "This was somebody who most of his career we read as being asexual. And I think that many of the changes to his face, particularly his skin tone, he was almost trying to achieve an a-raciality," said Neal.

Contee upset some commenters on her blog when she highlighted both the positive and negative aspects of Jackson's life, or what she termed his "mixed legacy."

"Some people were very offended that I would dare to mention some of the unfortunate aspects of his later years," she said. "But others [acknowledged] that they had mixed feelings about his legacy and what tha

Music video- theory

Notes from the lesson

Paul Gilroy: The Black Atlantic

Paul Gilroy is a key theorist in A Level Media and has written about race in both the UK and USA.

In The Black Atlantic (1993), Gilroy explores influences on black culture. One review states: “Gilroy’s ‘black Atlantic’ delineates a distinctively modern, cultural-political space that is not specifically African, American, Caribbean, or British, but is, rather, a hybrid mix of all of these at once.”

Gilroy is particularly interested in the idea of black diasporic identity – the feeling of never quite belonging or being accepted in western societies even to this day.

For example, Gilroy points to the slave trade as having a huge cultural influence on modern America – as highlighted by Common’s Letter to the Free.

Diaspora: A term that originates from the Greek word meaning “dispersion,” diaspora refers to the community of people that migrated from their homeland. [Source: facinghistory.org]

Gilroy on black music

Gilroy suggests that black music articulates diasporic experiences of resistance to white capitalist culture. 

When writing about British diasporic identities, Gilroy discusses how many black Britons do not feel like they totally belong in Britain but are regarded as ‘English’ when they return to the country of their parents’ birth e.g. the Caribbean or Africa. This can create a sense of never truly belonging anywhere.

Additional theories on race representations and music

Stuart Hall: race representations in media

Stuart Hall suggests that audiences often blur race and class which leads to people associating particular races with certain social classes.

He suggests that western cultures are still white dominated and that ethnic minorities in the media are misinterpreted due to underlying racist tendencies. BAME people are often represented as ‘the other’.

Hall outlined three black characterisations in American media:

·                     The Slave figure: “the faithful fieldhand… attached and devoted to ‘his’ master.” (Hall 1995)

·                     The Native: primitive, cheating, savage, barbarian, criminal.

·                     The Clown/Entertainer: a performer – “implying an ‘innate’ humour in the black man.” (Hall 1995)

https://youtu.be/Ouhdtrmzenw

Tricia Rose: Black Noise (1994)

 

Tricia Rose was one of the first academics to study the cultural impact of the hip hop genre in her influential book Black Noise: Rap Music and Black Culture in Contemporary America (1994).

Rose suggested that hip hop initially gave audiences an insight into the lives of young, black, urban Americans and also gave them a voice (including empowering female artists). However, Rose has since criticised commercial hip hop and suggests black culture has been appropriated and exploited by capitalism.

Michael Eric Dyson: Know What I Mean (2007)

Georgetown University Professor of Sociology Michael Eric Dyson has passionately defended both hip hop and black culture – Jay-Z describes him as “the hip hop intellectual”.

 https://youtu.be/q6rBbT2UktU

Dyson suggests that political hip hop in the 1990s didn’t get the credit (or commercial success) it deserved and this led to the rap music of today – which can be flashy, sexualised and glamorising criminal behaviour.

Dyson states: “Hip hop music is important precisely because it sheds light on contemporary politics, history and race. At its best, hip hop gives voice to marginal black youth we are not used to hearing from on such critics. Sadly, the enlightened aspects of hip hop are overlooked by critics who are out to satisfy a grudge against black youth culture…” Michael Eric Dyson, Know What I Mean (2007)



Music Video theory - blog tasks

https://youtu.be/q6rBbT2UktU

Childish Gambino, the musical stage name of writer and performer Donald Glover, has just released a critique of American culture and Donald Trump with This Is America.

Racking up 10m views in 24 hours and already dubbed ‘genius’ and ‘a masterpiece’, the music video is a satirical comment on American culture, racism and gun violence.

Create a blogpost called 'Music video: theory', watch the video again then answer the questions below:


1) How does the This Is America video meet the key conventions of a music video?

2) What comment is the video making on American culture, racism and gun violence?

It makes the suggestion that guns are enshrined in American culture and helps to fuel racism. It also suggests that these things are considered normal in America. 
3) Write an analysis of the video applying the theories we have learned: Gilroy, Hall, Rose and Dyson. #

The video seems to support Gilroy's theory that black people do not feel at home anywhere. The video suggeststhis is because of gun violence and the discrimination that black people still face. 
Read this Guardian feature on This Is America - including the comments below.

4) What are the three interpretations suggested in the article?

Childish Gambino is playing Jim Crow, he's duping us with dance and that he is taking on the police. 
5) What alternative interpretations of the video are offered in the comments 'below the line'

Gambino is tired of the pressure to accumulate wealth, he is accusing black performers of "coonery" and that he is hinting that phones can be tools for documentation.