music video analysis - beyonce "why don't you love me"
Post on 02-Aug-2015
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TRANSCRIPT
VIDEO CONCEPT
The music video demonstrates genre characteristics. In this
case the quality of the action filmed by the camera works in
parallel to create a sense of an authentic 1950s movie.
Therefore the video is a highly cinematic narrative . This
reflects Carol Vernallis’ ideology that music videos demonstrate
genre characteristics.
CONCEPT
Glamorised
Very post 90’s
Hard to imagine someone as successful and beautiful as the one being
portrayed in the video experiencing feelings of heartbreak and depression
deriving from decaying relationships. From the lyrics in the song the
theme of the video is conveyed to the audience – Beyonce is asking for a
plead for help – emulating about a cheating husband or boyfriend. Here
we as an audience, and the character played by Beyonce that beauty is not
everything. The stereotypical female projection of an object of sexual
desire can no longer manipulate the mind of the male in this scenario.
BEYONCÉ'S AESTHETICBeyonce plays the role of a traditional 1950s housewife named BB
“Homemaker”. The video follows many of the genre characteristics of 1950s
homemade movie ; elements such as the artificial lighting, credits on screen,
colouring and costumes portray this. However, throughout the duration of the
video Beyoncé acts out a number of traditional housewife “responsibilities”
such as cleaning, cooking and gardening, assisting in the overall perception
of the video.
BEYONCE’S AESTHETIC
Beyonce is the only subject on screen throughout the whole video. She is dressed in
tight fitting outfits and traditional 1950s underwear whilst rolling around, crouching
and crawling on the floor whilst singing “Why don’t you love me”. It could be
suggested through the videos portrayal of Beyonce that she is inanimate – purely an
object of desire for the egotistical male that doesn’t really love her. This ideology or
concept of sexual fantasy or desire is highlighted by Beyonce exaggerating or flawing
her female assets such as her breasts, bottom, midriff, legs and face. The face is
particularly highlighted as a main focal point through the elaborate eye makeup and
bright red lipstick connoting feelings of lust and infatuation; where Beyonce bites her
finger it could even allude to the idea of promiscuity when considering that during the
1950s, what is perceived to be acceptable in Beyonce’s video by today’s standards,
would have been classified as a form of pornography.
BEYONCE’S AESTHETIC
Throughout the narrative there is a conscious portrayal of BB.Homemaker’s vivacity and
contrastive nature to that of “traditional” or “real” 1950s housewives e.g.. Tries to carry out
everyday tasks but manages to fail (sets food on fire). The ostentatious and exaggerative
jewellery connotes wealth and luxury, projected stars behind BB Homemakers silhouette signify
honour, glamour and her clothing conveys BB Homemaker as lascivious , unique and desirable
woman. This is done primarily to juxtapose Beyonce’s aesthetic with the lyrics of the song – why
wouldn’t any man want to love a woman as gratifying as this? This is justified by the lyrics
“Why don't you need me, tell me baby why don't you need me?
When I make me so damn easy to need.
I got beauty. I got class. I got style and I got ass.
And you don't even to care to care. Looka here
I even put money in the bank account don't have to ask no one to help me out
you don't even notice that.”
CAMERA MOVEMENT/ANGLES
The cuts and soft focus reflect genre characteristics to indicate an air of age and
authenticity.
There are various straight cuts and zooms throughout the narrative to emphasise the
body of “B.B Homemaker” and also creates a sense of voyeurism which also abides by
Goodwin’s theory of reference to notion of looking, and the demands of the record
label being reflected through the video .
At the beginning of the video there are mainly straight cuts in mid shots and long
shots to act as a topic marker – what we see is Beyonce standing over a steaming
bonnet of a car in a cropped chequered shirt, stockings and high heels. The camera
then cuts to a medium shot of Beyonce rolling a tire on the floor towards the car.
The camera then cuts to a close-up of Beyonce’s face showing her hand wiping
across her forehead leaving a dark greasy stain. Here the female is juxtaposed with
very traditionally male traits such as grease, cars, steam and mechanics to add to the
air of mystery and ambiguity which is so keenly portrayed. This shot could suggest
that Beyonce is taking on the role of a male – maybe she had had to learn to do things
for herself as the male she loves so dearly is no longer in her life, hence her lyrics
“Why don't you love me, tell me baby why don't you love me”.
CAMERA MOVEMENT/ANGLES
Throughout the introductory section of the video the happy and cheery 1950s music
is played to create an essence of nostalgia why the story is being foretold.
The camera cuts from close-up and zooms out to a mid shot, followed by a long shot
to show BB homemaker walking away to the front door of a retro/avant garde styled
house – this is portrayed by the bright green colouring of the front door. The camera
cuts to a low angled position as BB homemaker walks up the steps to the front of the
house, poses, and enters. There is then another cut in the style of an aged 1950s film
accompanied by a sound-bridge to another scene. We can see a shot in close up of a
board with the words “Why don't you love me”, the camera then zooms out to reveal
the setting.
BB homemaker is finally revealed. She holds the board in front of her body and walks
across the camera and places the board onto a stand in the corner of the room.
CAMERA MOVEMENT/ANGLES
There is matched cuts throughout the narrative, however a
jittery/jumpy effect makes the movement seem distorted to add to the
aged feel of the video. The camera cuts to a tilt in low angle shot to
reveal B.B Homemaker dressed in a corset and smoking a cigarette
which creates the illusion of power or alludes to the ides that she is
looking down on someone.
Next there are continuous close-ups in order to refer back to Beyonce’s
facial features. The tears in her eyes and smoke from the cigarette she
blows in front of her face creates and obscure ideology as to why she is
crying, yet conveys her fragile state.
CAMERA MOVEMENT/ANGLES
The evident pattern of shots in the narrative is from close-up to medium or
long shot; close ups to convey emotion or implied meaning through BB
Homemaker’s facial expressions and long shots to purposely reinstate the
theme of female gender representation as an object of sexual desire.
When BB Homemaker carries out traditional house wife responsibility
there is emphasis on what task she is doing through the conscious crafting
of mis-en-scene and camera work. The low angle shot shows the mop
juxtaposed with her high heel shoes, followed by a mid shot showing her
expression as well as the scenery (an ironing board and washing detergent
is visible in the background as every object within the frame remains in soft
focus).
CAMERA MOVEMENT/ANGLES
There is then a buffer shot where the action followed by the
preceding shot is synchronous in the next. As Beyonce moves her
hands upwards, the camera cuts to a separate visual of the narrative
where “B.B Homemaker” is dressed as a stereotypical secretary,
complete with red lipstick and glasses. Just as the camera cuts the
moment of Beyonce’s hands continues in a downward motion whilst
holding a book.
CAMERA MOVEMENT/EDITING
As the narrative progresses we as an audience are
in a way, voyeurs, into the frantic decline of BB
Homemakers psychological state of mind as it grows
increasingly evident of her desperation and downfall
to submission through her tears and stumbling
around the bedroom, rolling around on the floor and
spilling the contents of her martini glass.
SOUND AND EDITING
To work in conjunction with the theme of the music video, and the time period
of which it is set, there is a section of the video which pauses whilst “B.B
Homemaker” takes a bubble bath using cheery yet slow music resembling a
theme tune as a sound bridge. The camera then cuts to “B.B Homemaker”
dressed in a maids outfit dusting off her 16 Grammy awards – the sound here is
parallel; just as the camera cuts back to the narrative the music does in
conjunction with the action to restart the narrative and the sound resumes as
contrapuntal throughout.
The dissolves or cuts into other scenes flicker and are sepia/aged in colour to
create the illusion of a deteriorated 1950s home movie – the quality of the
image is expected to be far less than videos that are made today.
LYRICSAccording to Goodwin's’ analysis theory there is evidence that
there is a relationship between the lyrics and the visuals within the
narrative. Prime examples of this are:
“...keep my head in them books I'm sharp. But you don’t care to know I'm smart”
“Tell me baby why don't you love me?When I make me so damn easy to love?”
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