MUSIC VIDEO ANALYSIS

Beyoncé Knowles – “Why don’t you love me”

Molly Simcox & Yasmine Sinclair

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.”

BEYONCE’S AESTHETIC

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?”