TOXIC – Britney Spears

In this part of the music video from Britney Spears’ Toxic video, we are able to see how a pop genre convention has been used through the use of bright colours for Britney’s flight attendant outfit. This has been used to make the video seem more upbeat and positiveGoodwin’s theoryGoodwin said that one of the conventions for a music video is that the lyrics that are being said match up with what is happening on the screen, for example, in this

section of the music video, Britney says ‘I’m calling’, at which time we are shown her on a phone, showing a link between the lyrics and the story on screen.

In this section of the video, we are shown a shot of Britney wearing heavy makeup, this represents her youth and makes her seem more appealing to the audience. Focus lighting is also used to make the scene seem brighter as well as making the scene seem more energetic and positive. Finally, Britney is made to seem glossy and shiny, which has been done to make herself look more sexually appealing to the audience. Goodwin’s theoryGoodwin stated that a main convention for a music video is that there are lots of close up shots of the artist. We are able to see here how this is used to make the artist seem more sexually appealing to people.

In this shot, we are able to see how Britney is wearing an air hostess’s uniform whilst posing as someone working on an aeroplane. This shown how her clothing is co-ordinated to the part that she is playing, and adding to the idea of this being a pop convention. Goodwin’s theoryGoodwin said that the female’s body is made to be something to look at in music videos, which is clear in this video as a shot allows us to see Britney bending over a tray

with her pants on show.

In this section of Britney’s music video, we are able to see how hear by the lyrics that she is singing that she

has an extravagant lifestyle. In this shot, we are able to hear her saying ‘I need a hit’. This can be used to represent drugs or other illegal substances, in which we associate her with being rebellious and out of control, which is a pop convention. Goodwin’s theoryGoodwin’s theory can be applied to this music video due to the fact that in this video Britney is referring to something else, in this case, drugs. This is a main convention of a music video and allows us to give Britney connotations of being exotic .

In this part of the music video, we are able to see how the pop convention of matching outfits has been used in order to make the women seem more sexually appealing. The women are all wearing bright blue air hostess outfits that have many sections cut out in order to make the women more attractive and draw attention to their bodies. Goodwin’s theoryIn this scene in the video, Goodwin’s theory can be applied as the female’s body has been made to be something to look at. This is due to

the short revealing outfits that they are wearing which makes the women look more sexually available.

One of the main pop conventions that feature in pop music videos is the dance routines. This can be identified in this scene by the ‘safety check’ that the women are doing on the plane, which doubles up as a dance routine in this video. This has been used in order to make the video more entertaining and fun for the audience. Goodwin’s theoryGoodwin’s theory can be applied here as Britney sings ‘too high, can’t come down’ which matched to the actions that they are doing as she points up before quickly bending down to the floor. This can have reference both to being high up on a plane, or being high on drugs, which will link in with the idea of Britney having an exotic lifestyle.

In this shot, we are able to see how there are a series of shot takes and quick shots used. This is a major pop convention as pop music videos like to give off the idea of being very past paced and lots of things going on. The handheld camera used here adds to the idea of lots of action and excitement happening. Goodwin’s theoryGoodwin’s theory can be applied to this music video and this scene in particular as we can see Britney looking directly at the man she is kissing and vice versa. This can be used to show the determination that Britney has to

get exactly what she wants.

Here, we are able to see how the pop convention of having a large budget has been used. We can see this by the way that Britney is riding on a bike in Paris. This as well as her being on a plane earlier in the music video shows how the budget of this video has been used to make it seem more eccentric and out there

to people. Goodwin’s theoryGoodwin’s theory can be applied to this section of the music video as Britney has been made someone to look at due to the outfit and makeup that she has used. The red hair attracts people to look at her as well as connotating being sexy and sultry. This combined with the way that she is sexually rubbing the man’s arms makes people thing that she is sexually appealing and attractive to the audience. These conventions used have been specifically selected to attract and to be watched by a predominantly male audience.

In this shot, we are able to see how the use of bright colours is used in pop videos, and this one in particular. The bright colours of Britney’s hair have been used to stand out and to attract people to Britney and make them look at her. The use of bright colours is a major pop convention as it connotates fun and excitement. We are also able to see how heavy makeup has been used to further attract people to Britney and to make her look more attractive. Goodwin’s theoryHere we are able to see how Goodwin’s theory can be applied to this music video as there is a reference to people looking as Britney looks straight ahead of

her, showing determination to what she is doing.

GENRE THEORIESInstitutionKapsis’ theory can be applied to the Toxic music video by Britney Spears because many of the conventions of the pop genre have been used in this video. Kapsis says that in order to keep the pop genre a success, the videos must include many of the pop conventions. This is done by Britney in this video as she uses bright colours for her hair, co-ordinated outfits for the outfits that the air hostesses wear on the plane, and the larger budget by being able to use an aeroplane and a motorbike.

AudienceKing’s theory can be applied to this video as he says that certain codes and conventions have to be included in specific genre music videos. For example, the codes and conventions of a pop genre music video have been included in this music video, for example, by the use of focus onto a relationship. This is shown through mainly the use of close up shots that are used in this music video, especially during the scene on the plane.

RitualKapsis’ theory can again be applied here as he says that things that happen in society will influence what happens in genres of music. For example, in this music video Britney frequently makes references to drugs and sex which are 2 things that happen frequently in society.

Classification and Interpretation Neale’s theory can be applied to this theory as he says that the audience has certain expectations of things in specific genres. For example, people who are about to listen to a song in the pop music genre may expect things such as a song that focuses on relationships or very upbeat songs with quick takes and fast moving action in the music video, both of which feature in the Toxic music video.

IdeologyHess’ theory can be applied to this music video as he says that genres are repeated and songs in the pop genre will not have changed in terms of conventions that they include compared to ones that are produced now. For example, bright colours were included in music videos that were shown in the 80’s and also have been used in this music video by Britney Spears.