RIPTIDE Flashcards
How are women represented as victims in terms of violence?
Scenes are intercut with depictions of violence.
For example: A mid-shot of a woman singing is intercut with an image of a gun.
Also intercut scenes of plants being cut violently with scissors.
This links to Eisenstein’s Intellectual Montage, these intercut generate meaning through commenting on the treatment of women in society - they are victims of violence.
In terms of editing, how are women represented as victims?
The fast paced editing of short torture scenes.
For example: A close up shot of a woman being g dragged out of her bed into darkness. This is a short, fast paced clip.
This depicts women as fearful and jumpy, like victims of a horror film.
How do intertextual references represent women as victims?
There is an intertextual reference to the horror film ‘Wickerman’ through the long shot of a woman with the clothing code of a brown suit holding her hands in the air.
This shot anchors to the lyrics “magicians assistant”, connoting the idea that she is submissive to the patriarchy as the males “assistant”
How are women represented as victims through gesture codes?
The long shot women untying herself from the tree shares a gesture code with the mid shot of a woman removing her bathing suit at the beach.
This might comment on the idea that women are either victims of violence or sexualisation.
How do enigma codes represent women as victims?
The video frequently cuts back to a close-up shot of a woman singing, her make-up deteriorating and bruises/blood appearing each time it cuts back.
This creates an enigma code, as we question what is happening to her.
These scenes are long, contrasting previous fast-paced editing, which makes audiences feel uncomfortable or perhaps sympathise (positioning) for the woman being controlled.
How might representations in the music video be deemed as complex?
Arguably, it might represent women as being their own ‘heroes’ by saving themselves.
For example: The long shot of a woman untying herself from a tree.
For Propp, this is going from a damsel in distress to a hero.
However, the video might simply be an intellectual montage to some - therefore, it could be down to audience interpretation.
How are women sexualised/objectified through the male gaze?
Beauty standards are reinforced throughout the video.
For example: The first close up shot of the woman singing, shows her with her make-up and hair done with a glamours clothing code.
For example: The mid-shot of a woman removing her swimsuit, she has a stereotypically attractive body.
It could be argued that these shots link to Mulvey’s Male Gaze.
How are women sexualised/objectified through dehumanisation?
It might be argued that women are dehumanised through shots of only their body parts.
For example: There is a close up tracking shot of a woman’s feet running on sand.
This strips the woman of her identity and supports Van Zoonen’s theory that women are simply a spectacle in the media.
How are women sexualised/objectified through male control?
There are depictions of women being controlled by men.
For example: There is a mid shot of women being hypnotised.
The red lighting in this shot might hold a semantic code (Barthes) of the danger she is in.
How are women sexualised/objectified through voyeurism?
There is a mid-shot of a woman removing her swimming costume at the beach, as the shot zooms in - it seems as if the audience are observing her from a voyeuristic perspective.
This is reinforced through the Kuleshov effect, as the shot cuts to a close up shot of a book titled “how to photograph girls”. This further reinforces that she is being watched by an unwanted voyeur.
How are men represented as voyeurs through point of view shots?
The video suggests that men are voyeurs, through observing women with the male gaze (Mulvey).
The low angle shot of a woman looking out of her balcony with binoculars is framed with a bush.
The audience are positioned to assume a POV shot from a man secretly watching her - she is being constantly observed.
How are men represented as voyeurs through their minimal shots?
There are mid-shots of men with binoculars and cameras, which suggests Mulvey’s male gaze as men are actively observing whilst women are being passive (Eg unknowingly removing swimsuit)
How does the music video relate to Gauntlett’s identity theory?
The concept of “pick and mix” seems particularly relevant to the style of the video which constructs a range of different stimuli that the audience are invited to interpret.
The video rejects singular, straightforward messages and instead invites a variety of different responses and interpretations.
How could the music video relate to hook’s feminist theory?
Hooks could be used as a stimulus to explore the seemingly contradictory messages about gender in the video. Is the video objectifying women in an ironic or knowing way or is it instead feeding into the oppression of women in a patriarchal society?
How could the music video relate to Neale’s genre theory?
The indie folk music video genre is dominated by repetition (low-fi videos with bands playing instruments, etc) and Riptide offers variation to these aspects. This variation comes through intertextual references with different genres - such as the Western/horror genres too.
The video fits into the wider economic and institutional context of the music industry- some may write about the purpose of the video- whether it’s artistic or purely for profit by being different.
What is a running motif throughout the video and what is its significance?
“Lady running down to the riptide” - lyric and visual cohesion to create meaning.
Tracking shots of women running away from something - enigma code (Barthes) from what exactly.
If interpreting the video as a social commentary - perhaps she is running from patriarchal order/stereotypes/oppression.
Initially, the woman is sexualised through clothing codes such as heels - which make it harder to run, perhaps symbolic of male control - however the final shot of the motif is her stood at the water. Perhaps she has found peace, free from masculine control.
How might the reoccuring birds-eye shot of the riptide create meaning?
A riptide is two currents of water going in different directions clashing together.
This could link to the ideas of the “lady running down to the riptide” in which her desires of freeing herself from the patriarchy clash with social ideologies of the patriarchy.
This leads to the idea that this freedom is a turbulent process.
How might notions of the patriarchy be broken down through symbols in the music video?
Through the extreme long shot of the cowboy “running from himself”.
The cowboy used to be a symbol of white patriarchal control in Western culture.
However, the extreme long-shot emphasises isolation and disorientation, which breaks down this notion of patriarchal dominance through a confused representation.
How might the music video be influenced by economic factors?
Seemingly, Riptide is quite a low-budget music video. This is due to unique editorial and visual style.
Perhaps due to this music video being at the start of Vance Joy’s career, the video had little funding.
This idea is reinforced as later music videos, such as “Georgia” have a higher production.
However, perhaps this low-budget feel was a stylistic choice - perhaps the artist doesn’t want a high-production video which retracts from the music itself.
What is Andrew Goodwin’s music video theory?
There are certain characteristics which appear in music videos.
1) genre characteristics
2) relationship between visuals and lyrics/music.
(Either illustrate or amplify meaning)
3) close ups of artist
4) use of motifs/iconography
5) voyeurism of female body
7) nostalgia/intertextual references
How far does Riptide follow Goodwin’s music video convention theory?
Genre characteristics (alternative genre)
Lyrics match visuals
Voyeurism of female body
Intertextual references
How does the music video reflect Avant-Guarde visuals?
It rejects a clear story and instead presents surreal, disjointed images. For example, when the lyric says “I was scared of dentists and the dark,” the video shows a literal image of a dentist and a dark hallway.
The video also repeats unsettling shots, like a distressed woman singing with smeared lipstick, and uses surreal imagery such as hands with painted nails holding guns.
How does the music video relate to surrealist film?
The visuals and editing that are seen in the music video seem to be influenced by artists such as Dali and Buñuel with their film ‘Un Chien Andalou’.
The film has themes of violence and sexual desire along with symbolism of dream-like imagery.
It could be argued that what is seen in Riptide is influenced by this film
(for example, the scene in Riptide where the hand is being stabbed with a knife could be a reference to the famous eye cutting scene in ‘Un Chien Andalou’).
How does the video hold intertextual reference to other media texts?
The music video almost positions itself as a short film, due to the use of a credit block in the opening shot.
Perhaps this aids the videos stylistic choices.
