22/3/24- Formation social groups and gender

Explore how representations of social groups are constructed through media language in... (this image) 

• The representation of Beyoncé as a hegemonically attractive woman clearly may appeal to both heterosexual male audiences and lesbians. While her costume covers her entire body, her dress emphasises her curvaceous figure.
• This image constructs a highly polysemic mode of address. Beyoncé is both sexualised and complex representation reinforces the ideological perspective that black people are not a single representational group, but are complex with many different cultures and identities. 
• The mise-en-scene of the police car is striking. It forms a binary opposition of authority that conflicts with Beyoncé's performatively lazy and unbothered posture. 
• The mise-en-scene of the water around her however not only relates to Hurricane Katrina, it also constructs Beyoncé as isolated and vulnerable. This alarming binary opposition contradicts Beyoncé's star image, and reinforces the vulnerability of black people in the south of America. 
• The colour palette is dull and desaturated, which connotes themes of poverty and oppression. 
• The shot makes intertextual reference to Hurricane Katrina, and in particular the news footage of this event that would be particularly relevant to Americans. 
• Beyoncé's direct address constructs her as powerful in spite of the flooded setting. 
• Beyoncé's dress has connotations of the 1970s, and may be making reference to the civil rights movement, or even just symbolising the timeless notions of black resistance.     

Jumpin' Jumpin' - Destiny's Child

• In Jumpin' Jumpin' Beyonce is seen to use her sexual and male partners to present herself as powerful, however in Formation she uses herself to present herself as powerful; which is shown through  the shots of her by herself.
• She also has changed her appearance, in the Jumpin' Jumpin' video she has her hair straight and is wearing highly sexual clothes whereas in Formation she is wearing her hair naturally and not sexualised which empowers the black culture and makes her and black women look strong. 
• Beyonce has also matures, in Jumpin' Jumpin' she sings about clubs, boys and her girl friends but in Formation she is singing about serious problems like Hurricane Katrina and Racism. 

How is gender encodes through media language? 

• The range of portraits on the wall behind white dressed Beyonce constructs a complex representation of womanhood. It suggests the conflation of both the past and the present to suggest that not much has changed in terms of the treatment of black women.
• There are huge portions of the video that solely focuses on women. The mid shot of Beyonce dancing in the narrow corridor of the old fashioned house constructs a sense of female empowerment, and the idea that Beyonce is mire powerful when 'dancing in formation' 
• Beyonce is wearing a red, vaguely 19th century costume that is nonetheless heavily sexualised. Her legs and chest are emphasised through the cut of the costume. This self-sexualisation connotes confidence and empowerment, yet also clearly appeals to the male gaze and ultimately targets a wider audience. 
• Constructed through a range of binary oppositions, this representation is highly complex and even polysemic.
• The contrast between Beyonce in the hallway and Beyonce stranded on the police car opposes confidence with vulnerability.
• The white dress and the red dress are completely contradictory. The red dress is highly revealing with the colour red symbolising passion and love, yet the white dress has connotations of purity and modesty. Once more, a complex representation of femininity. 
• Beyonce's dance movements are jerky and aggressive, which constructs an ideology that women are not vulnerable and can fight their own battles: a clear binary opposition to the shot on top of the police car.

• In this shot Beyonce is flicking her long braids, not only does this link to the empowerment of the black culture but also the female beauty. Beyonce is hegemonically attractive and by her embracing her long braids it shows her confidence and empowerment of her own beauty.