Formation by Beyonce - Representation

Question 1

Women

Representation

Answer 1

Representation as a person of strength and power:
- Beyoncé frequently makes direct addressto the audience by gazing directly at us, she stands in strong, powerful stances at the front of groups (of both men and women), and perhaps most iconic is the image of her on top of the police car.

Question 2

Ethnicity

Representation

Question 3

Hurricane Katrina/New Orleans

Context

Question 4

Relevant Theory: Paul Gilroy’s Post Colonial theory

Answer 4

• Beyonce subverts Gilroy’s theory as the empowering depiction of black people paired with the lack/ unfavourable representation of white people illustrates them to be powerful.
• E.g. Low angle shots of Beyonce in antebellum clothing surrounded by the mis-en-scene of southern slavery plantations verus the unnecessary brigade of SWAT police infront of a little black boy dancing.
• The lack of white representation also creates an other effect for the typically hegemonic group.

Question 5

Relevant theory: Gauntlett’s Identity Theory

Question 6

Relevant Theory: bell hooks feminist theory

Question 7

Why was Beyonce sued?

Answer 7

• B was sued for sampling Messy Mya without permission as it was arguably disrespectful.
• Beyonce perhaps tried to give the ‘illusion’ of supporting black culture on screen for marketing reasons, failing to show actual respect in real life.

Question 8

Intertextuality

Answer 8

• The use of Messy Mya’s voice might signify the genre of the Music Video: the theme of black oppression and discrimination and discrimination which may engage Beyonce’s audience. As Messy Mya was shot and killed, it might also help to emphasise the themes of violent crimes affecting black victims.

Question 9

Messi Mya

Intertexuality

Answer 9

• A popular rapper, comedian, and Youtube star, quite famous within black and LGBTQ+ communities due to his subversion of gender roles and expectations.
• He was famous for speaking out, in a controversial way, on issues of race and sexuality, and Hurricane Katrina.
• Shot dead at a party.

Question 10

‘That B.E.A.T’

Intertextuality

Answer 10

• Several shots come from a documentary called ‘That B.E.A.T’ which was about bounce music and fans in New Orleans.
• The reference to this documentary, including blue flashing lights, police uniforms and so on, communicate a theme of police brutality against black communities.
• This reflects the social, cultural and political context in America, of racial discrimination, police brutality, Black Lives Matter movements etc.
• This would be familiar to the audience.
• The shots highlight the conflict that is so common, in America in particular, highlighting binary oppositions bewteen black communities and police.

Question 11

“When he fuck me good I take his ass to Red Lobster, ‘cause I slay.”

Media language - lyrics, audio codes

Answer 11

• The use of profanity adds an aggresive, passionate feel to the video, and to Beyonce, perhaps connoting her power and challenging typical female representations of submissiveness.

Question 12

Slurs in Formation

Answer 12

• The use of reclaimed racial slurs (for example, the ‘n’ word) might also demonstrate themes of historical discrimination and a desire to reclaim this previously repressed power.

Question 13

Camera shots & angles

Beyonce on top of the police car

Answer 13

• The loosely framed, wide angle shots of B on top of the police car, portray her as independent.
• Low angles, combined with her confident, more typically masculine body language, make her seem powerful and in control.
• B’s position on top of the police car suggests dominance over the police.
• Could be a challenge to the context of America, where black people are often represented as subordinate to the police and white people.

Question 14

X formation

Question 15

Formation

Word choice: ‘Cocky

Answer 15

• The use of words like ‘cocky’ in her lyrics add to the representation of B as confident and self assured.

Question 16

Audience Interpretation of Beyonce on top of a police car

Stuart Hall Reception Theory (?)

Answer 16

Some audiences reacted badly to the shot of Beyonce on the police car, assuming she was ‘anti-law enforcement’ and therefore anti-America.

Question 17

Costume

Answer 17

• The juxtaposition of the historical style clothing/ setting, with black people wearing symbols of wealth, might highlight the historic wat in which black people were enslaved . And draw attention to the the ways in which this changed.

Question 18

The inclusion of young black girls in the Formation music video

Answer 18

• The use of young children might signify that discrimination is still happening to young black people today.
• Alternatively, their smiling faces, dancing etc may connote how the treatment of black people has chnaged, and there is hope for the black youth of youth of today.

Question 19

Historical references in Formation

MLK

Answer 19

The newspaper reference to Martin Luther King Jr draws attention again to the way racial discrimation has been an ongoing issue for a long time.

Question 20

Beyonces own feelings towards her origins and the diversity in the USA.

Answer 20

• Her reference to her mother and father’s cultural origins, suggest she is proud of her heritage, and that she is celebrating the rich diversity of ethinicity within America.

Question 21

Jackson Five

Intertexuality

Answer 21

• Wider noses and larder nostrils is a feature that is common amongst people with black heritage, and is often represented by mainstream media as unattractive.
• Thus, Beyonce’s reference to liking noses makes a strong message about black culture and beauty, challenging more colonialist representation in the mainstream media of black features being shown as ‘other’ in complarison to white, westernised beauty ideals.

Question 22

Big Freedia

Intertexuality

Answer 22

• A gay male musician and TV star.
• Whilst she uses the pronouns ‘she’ and ‘her’, she describe herself as a gay male, not trans, although often misidentified as trans.

Question 23

By using Big Freedia, how does Beyonce postively represent herself, thus attracting more audiences?

Answer 23

• The use of Big Freedia would engage an audience familiar with the bounce sub-genre.
• Use of celebrity collaborations in music videos represents the artist Beyonce as successful and popular.

Question 24

LGBTQ+ response to Formation

Answer 24

• People from non-binary background and the LGBTQ+ communities are under-represented in the media, particulary in music videos.

Question 25

Inclusion of Big Freedia and LGBTQ+ represents Beyonce as what?

Answer 25

The inclusion of Big Freedia’s voice, represents Beyonce as an inclusive, progressive, accepting artist who is an ally to the LGBTQ+ community.

Question 26

Scene: Three women in the hair salon/ wig shop.

Answer 26

• The tracking shot through the hair salon/shoo references the popularity of wigs and hairpieces with many black women.
• The variety of hair styles, fashion and colours on offer in the shot, suggests that there is more than one ‘way’ to be fashionable as a black women.
• This connotes that ethinicity is a diverse and complex concept.

Question 27

Scene: Police versus young boy

Answer 27

• The initial low angles of the police, plus their uniform, makes them seem quite intimidating and powerful in contrast to the boy.
• The eye level camera shot encourages the audience to position themselves with the young boy, who seems confident and unaffected.

Question 28

Representation of Police

Answer 28

• Initially, the police do nothing, which makes them seem non-aggressive, which is in direct opposition to what audiences may have seen in the media.
• There have been many incidents of police violence against young black boys in particular.

Question 29

Binary opposition in Formation

Answer 29

The binary opposites between the boy and the police draws attention to the division of race relations that are evident in the US, and the unnecessary moral panic that many white communities often seem to have about black people.

Question 30

What relevant, modern context does Formation reflect?

Answer 30

• The music video clearly reflects revelant contexts such as the victimisation of black people, Black Lives Matter movemengts, institutionalised racism etc.

Question 31

Connotations of the title & dance routines

women

Answer 31

• The song title and the use of formation style dance routines, suggests the women are a tight knit community, working together, united and strong.

Question 32

Sexualisation

Women

Answer 32

Women in the video are ofeten highly sexualised through the use of costume which is conventional of music videos, especially pop.

Question 33

How do the low camera shots of women and the anchorage of their powerful body language represent black women in Formation?

Answer 33

It can be argued that the use of the low camera angle camera shots of women, and the confident body language, represents black women as confident and strong, powerful.

Question 34

How do the imperatives in Beyonce’s lyrics represent her?

Answer 34

• The lyrics show her (and black women) as being confident leaders in charge.
• For example, ‘I see it, I want it, Itake it.’

Question 35

How does Beyonce show sexual dominance over her partner in Formation?

Answer 35

• Her references to takking her man to ‘Red Lobster’ (a restaurant), if he pleases her sexually, shows her dominance over her male partner.

Question 36

What is Beyonce’s reputation?

Answer 36

• Beyonce’s reputation as a ‘political’ artist. Someone who wants to inspire change.
• She has previously taken part in event and campaign to raise money and support for various issues.

Question 37

Why is the representation of Racism personal to Beyonce?

Answer 37

• As a black female artist herself, she (and/or her friends and family) may well have experienced discrimination before, thus she might be more likel to represent the conflict and division between ethinicities in this way.

Question 38

Why might Beyonce chose to represent women as strong?

Answer 38

• Beyonce may feel that her female target audience may be engaged by representations of strong women, as they are used to seeing more submissive representations in music videos.

Question 39

How might Beyonce’s black audience enjoy the depiction of race in Formation?

Answer 39

• Beyonce’s black audiences may enjoy the subversion of historic ideas and images relating to black slavery and oppression.
• They may be entertained by seeing a more powerful representation of black people.

Answer 40

• It can be argued that the representations have been designed to be unusal and, thefore egaging, in attempt to gain more notoriety and money.

Question 41

What can be said about the representations presented by Beyonce before the release of her album, Lemonade?

Answer 41

• The choice to release the song just before the Superbowl, and perform it live during the half time show dressied in ‘Black Panther’ style outfits, might suggest that the representations are deliberately overtly political and controversial in order to gather publicity.

Answer 42

Some people may interpret the video as excluding other ethnic groups, and showing black people as separate and ‘othered’ from the rest of society, even if united.’