Exam questions

1. How are the elements of the theoretical framework used to construct representations? 

In 'Black Magic' (BM) the band are represented as geeks through the plain clothes they wear which are baggy and not revealing in any way. This representation of the group is a negative one because it is implying these type of clothes are not normal for girls to wear and people don't like them because of it. The audience could interpret this as a preferred reading and think that they have to dress more attractively like the band did when they became more popular and the boys started to like them. This representation of the band after their transformation is a dominant one because they are shown as superior and more popular.

In 'Somebody To You' (STY) the band are represented as typical teens having fun on the beach. This representation gives a sense of realism to the video because the audience can relate as most teens have gone to the beach to have fun. The use of high angle and low angle shots in the video further emphasises the sense of realism because it shows the band as being inclusive but also shows their importance in the video.

2. Does the video portray people in stereotypical ways? Are these reflections of real people or are they just one-sided characters?

In the video 'Black Magic' (BM), characters are portrayed in stereotypical ways. The band, at the beginning of the video, are portrayed as stereotypical geeks. They are represented as powerless and unworthy which is a negative representation of geeks. Later on in the video when the girls switch from geeky to popular girls, the emphasis is focused on their popularity and looks which encourages audiences to think that they have to dress in an appealing way to be popular. This is a dominant representation of popular girls in real life because they are seen to have more power and control over others in the video.

In the vamps music video 'Somebody To You' (STY), there are stereotypical characters portrayed. For example, there are only white members in the band and the cast which reflects the stereotype that they are usually more powerful. The group of girls in the cast are all of a white race which could reflect that they are more attractive than others. This stereotype is a dominant representation for all people of a white race because it shows them as superior/better than others. These are reflections of real people because this stereotype is still present in some societies.

3. What is the benefit for the musician to portray him or herself in the ways they are shown in the music video?

Through watching the Little Mix video 'Black Magic' (BM) it is evident that the artists portray themselves in a positive way so they can act as role models to the people that admire them. In BM the group are very favouritised towards the end to show they are superior to others and they are not failing like in the beginning. The change from geeky teen to popular girls allows them to have more freedom but also means that people can look up to them and aspire to be like them whereas in the first part of BM their fans could well have questioned the bands appearance as it is not what they are used to.

In the vamps 'Somebody To You' (STY) the band portray themselves as fun, relatable people. For example, at the beginning when they are playing football on the beach. All the members of that band want to be seen are relaxed and fun people because they are only young men and this shows that they are not getting caught up in their fame and they can relate to their fans. This will then mean the fans will want to be like them because they know that they are liked by many people. This positive represenation of the band will attract more viewers to watch their videos. 

4. How and why might audiences base themselves on the celebrities within the music videos you have studied?

Through watching the Little Mix video 'Black Magic' (BM) I can see that audeinces can base themselves based on the music video. In the beginning of the video the group are portrayed as geeks with not many friends and not very popular. Their baggy and unattractive clothes could suggest imply to the audience that if they were to wear these type of clothes, they would not be popular but instead be a typical geek like Little Mix in the beginning. When the group change from typical geeks to popular girls, they are wearing more revealing clothes. This is a positive representaiton of all teens wearing revealing clothes and could suggest that is you want a boy to like you, you may have to change your fashion choice. This can make some feel uncomfortable.

In the vamps 'Somebody To You' (STY) the audeince can base themselves on the people in the video such as the group of girls on the beach. These girls are seen to have very slim bodies which is seen as attractive in modern society. As the target audience for the vamps is only 12-16 year old girls, this can put a huge pressure on their body image from a very young age. These girls may think they have to dress in a certain way to get the attention of others or even fit in. And the fact that it is a dominant representation means that the young girls watching the video could look up to the group of girls in STY and be pressured by others around them to be like that.