This is an example of a chosen music video suggested by our teacher Tim that as a group of me, India and Sophie can use to analyse, looking at introduction, genre, setting, costume, props, body language & movement and narrative, and then reflection upon them in the final section.
Introduction
Throughout the music video, the themes of sexism and gender
roles within most conventional country videos is pivotal, and the story of the
video hinges on the effect of those gender roles being reversed, such as the
clothing and style of female country singers and actresses being applied to the
male actors in the videos. This involves dressing them in the same stereotypical
clothing as is usually worn by the females, such as crop tops, short shorts and
other skimpy outfits. This gives a strong impact to the role reversal effect
that this video presents.
Genre
The genre of music is country, but it is unconventional for
its genre as it is mocking the country music genre for its sexism and
unnecessary over sexualisation of women, and demonstrates how ridiculous those
gender rules and conventions actually are. This breaks the usual conventions of
a country music video by exposing the sexist themes and attempting to show how absurd
the gender roles shown in this genre are and how they should be abolished.
However, while it is mocking the genre for its usual sexist
tones, it too conforms to a large amount of the usual country music conventions.
An example of this would be the way in which women are treated at the start of
the video, being catcalled and objectified by the men who are sitting on the
back of the truck. They are shown to do this likely due to the clothing, and
therefore when the roles are reversed the major visual change is the clothing
to help the audience associate this with the way females are treat
Setting
Through the video, almost all settings presented in frame
are conventional of music videos in the country genre, taking place mainly on farms
that are littered with various other country-conventional set pieces such as
pick-up trucks, hay bales and barbeques. This all helps give the video an
authentic country song look, which further helps to tell the narrative of the
video and conveys the genre.
Through the various settings used, the audience is made to
believe at the start that it is just another normal and conventional country
music video, which continues to hold up during the not-so-normal scenes during
which the gender roles are reversed. This therefore makes effective use of the
surroundings given by using the setting to not only demonstrate the genre from
the start and first few opening shots, but to maintain that look throughout the
entire video. This helps the video stay conventional to the genre while still
allowing room for the gender role challenging to be placed.
Costume
During the entire video, costume plays one of the most pivotal
parts in the telling of the narrative in the whole music video. Through the
costume, gender roles are associated and represented with crop-tops, short
shorts and dungarees, with straw sun hats. Representing the women in the music video
through this manner allows for a better representation of the roles being
reversed when the men are walking dressed in the same type of clothing in the
same style.
This stereotype is further explored when throughout a large
amount of the video the lead singers are shown in non-conventional clothes that
are less exposing then the conventional ones – long sleeved tops, jeans and
large boots that cover a lot of their legs. This is unconventional due to the
large amount of skin that is usually being exposed being covered up, therefore associating
that with them breaking free of their designated gender roles and dressing as
they like in a manner that suits their own needs and wants. This also furthers
the uncomfortable look of the men in the conventional female outfits, as it
shows them as the literal opposite of how the females have chosen to dress, as
they look very uncomfortable and unnatural in them.
Props
Jewellery is used to convey the
character of the girls, being very girly; they are wearing lots of accessories
to show how they care about their appearance and want to portray themselves in
a ladylike manner. The jewellery also convey the characteristic of the
girls as if it was black, chunky accessories you would stereotype the girls as
‘Goths’ and maybe unapproachable. Shallow depth of field is used at the
beginning of the video to blur the background, making the girls the main focus
where you then focus on what they are wearing, being light colours, and what
they are holding; a guitar, this shows the acoustic instruments and convey the
genre. The wallpaper of the room is pink, following the stereotype of a
girl having pink as a favourite colour as it’s girly. The men have cowboy
hats/straw hats to also represent the genre. Typical connotations of
Country are wearing cowboy hats, checked shirts, white t-shirts under, cowboy
boots. Specific props are used in the mise-en-scene to create the correct
ideology for the genre.
Body
Language & Movement
At the beginning of the video feature
girls in a group which is very stereotypical of the gender, as girls are very
reliant on each other, and often do everything together. There are more
than one groups suggesting characteristics of girls and how they can be quite
gossipy about other girls out of jealousy. One of the girls is leaned
over the motorbike, in eye view of the men which is quite provocative behaviour
suggesting how women are sexual objects. A girl to the left also looks at
her nails while talking, conveying the cliché stereotype of being girly and
more interested in themselves and appearance than conversation. In
contrast, two girls at the back are throwing a ball, although they are wearing
different clothing to the other girls as they are more covered up.
They are at the back also conveying how girls who don’t follow the girly stereotype of being interested in their appearance, and nails and don’t partake in sport get less attention paid to again suggesting how women are sexual objects. This is also suggested by how one of the singers, Tae is fiddling with her pen to her cheek representing her not focusing trying to be in a seductive manner. In contrast, the guys are represented in a ‘laddish’ way, as they are in a group and nudge each other to look at how attractive the girls look; another stereotype of male gender is how they only care about girls.
They are at the back also conveying how girls who don’t follow the girly stereotype of being interested in their appearance, and nails and don’t partake in sport get less attention paid to again suggesting how women are sexual objects. This is also suggested by how one of the singers, Tae is fiddling with her pen to her cheek representing her not focusing trying to be in a seductive manner. In contrast, the guys are represented in a ‘laddish’ way, as they are in a group and nudge each other to look at how attractive the girls look; another stereotype of male gender is how they only care about girls.
Narrative
This music video presents typical
stereotypes of gender roles, presenting the girls with long wavy blonde hair,
with makeup in little clothing representing how they’re a sexual object and
attractive. The women are the ones singing, women are preferably more
linguistic than men; another stereotype of a girl is that they are dramatic and
are centre of attention which is represented in this music video, also
represented by the name of the song ‘Girl In A Country Song’.
They have pink lipstick and eye shadow another
typical stereotype of a girl is how they are girly, which wearing pink lipstick
and eyeshadow conveys, this is also conveyed through the use of the pink pen
used; the props used help to create the narrative. A sign is shown
reading ‘Role reversal’ to help the audience to understand the narrative of the
video. This is followed by the camera tilting upwards showing men wearing
little clothing walking seductively towards the camera mimicking the stereotype
of girls to create humour and entertain the audience.
Reflection
By analysing ‘Girl in a Country Song’
by Maddie and Tae with Taylor Swift’s ‘You Belong With Me, it has helped me
understand typical generic conventions within the specific genre,
country. I have come to a general conclusion that the people look
similar, particularly focusing on makeup used; Taylor Swift uses very subtle
makeup, where as if it was a rock video she might have really heavy dark eye
makeup conveying more of a heavy genre.
She has blonde wavy hair, mirroring
‘Girl In A Country Song’ blonde is a very subtle, light colour conveying the
lightness and subtle use of instruments in Country, often using acoustic
guitar. Taylor Swift in her music video is supposed to be the girl who is
unnoticed in comparison to another girl, her subtle coloured hair I have learnt
that the props, body language and movement should all connote a meaning
connected to the actual song, the narrative also helps massively to help the
audience to understand the meaning of the song.
