1. REPRESENTATION ESSAYS

2. What is Representation?
Representation refers to the construction in any medium (especially the mass media) of aspects of ‘reality’ such as people, places, objects, events, cultural identities and other abstract concepts. Such representations may be in speech or writing as well as still or moving pictures.

3. What is Representation?
Representation describes the signs that stand in for and take the place of something else.
It is through representation people know and understand the world and reality through the act of naming it
Signs are manipulated in order to make sense of the world.

4. Representation VS Reality
NORMAL PEOPLE IN THE ‘REAL’ WORLD
Different media producers ‘pick up’ aspects of ‘REALITY’ society AND reshapes them to suit current trends in society that will foster profit-money making for the medium they occur in or for the product they are going to sell.
In doing this, media producers use STEREOTYPES as they are a quick, if distorted way, of conveying information because they are easily recognised by audiences.

5. Reality TO Representation in music videos
THIS
THIS

6. How did this happen? Using Stereotypes from the ‘real’ world.
the music video producers of today represent girls by ‘borrowing’ an old Stereotype from the Showgirls of the silent film era in the 1920s and Burlesque girls from even earlier.

7. Stereotype 1– an old image: The Burlesque Girl
1899 Burlesque girls
THIS TO
THIS
1920s Burlesque girls

8. Characteristics of the ‘Burlesque Girl’ Stereotype
Corsets
Feather boas
Fishnet Stockings
Top Hats or ‘show’ hats
Accessories like canes or microphone used as a cane
Elbow length gloves

9. From Burlesque to Music video 2000s
THIS TO
THIS
Lady Gaga ‘Bad Romance’

10. Stereotype 2– The Stripper
THIS TO
Real Stripper in a nightclub TO
THIS
Candy Girls Music video
Beyonce
THIS

11. Characteristics of the ‘Stripper’ Stereotype in music videos
The ‘open’ crouch
Using actual poles or walls like poles
Bra and G-Strings
The bum shot – wiggle
Stripper shoes
Glitter on clothing/body; strobe lights

12. Stereotype 3– The Gansta Hoe
THIS TO
THIS
Gangsta girl in the ‘real’ world-America
50 cent music video stills

13. Characteristics of the ‘Gangsta Hoe’ Stereotype in music videos
Afro-American women and girls
Bikini Tops and torn shorts – 95% skin exposure
The backward cap
The ‘Krumping’ moves
Simulated sexual positions
The use of water/oil on bodies
The ‘Bling’
Tattoos and blatant body jewellery/piercings

14. Gangsta Hoe meets the Stripper in the music video
Top rap music videos female artists 2010

15. Representation Now

16. Representation Now

17. Representation Now

18. Representation Now

19. The effect of the Representation on girls in the ‘real’ world
Gangsta Babies for sale
10 year olds going to a party - America

20. The effect of the Representation on girls in the ‘real’ world

21. The effect of the Representation on girls in the ‘real’ world
Pole Dancing Doll Toy

22. Messages of Representation
The objectification of women and girls
Women and girls are disposable and interchangeable
Women’s own sexuality only exists in relation to men
Women and girls are passive and acted upon - there to be watched (The Male Gaze)
Women and girls only have ascribed meaning in relation to men (either directly or implied)

23. Values of Representation
Women and girls are ‘cheap’ and ‘easy’
Women and girls are their bodies
Women and girls are powerless
Women get rewarded for sexual behaviour (either through money or through ‘fame’)
Women are commodities on the open market
Women who don’t fit the stereotype are not women

24. How does this representation FIT with this Post- Feminist age?
Largely educated female population in Western World
Independent and disposable income
Sexual freedom from pregnancy
‘Gansta’ represents only a small proportion of selected areas of the USA-but influence of American media organisations is worldwide. E.g. MTV; Sky; Cable and Digital TV delivery
The legitimisation of prostitution- legal in NZ since 2003; parts of Africa; Asia; Europe; South America and Australia – any link?

25. Representation in the Future in music videos?
Where could this representation go?
What kind of music videos will we see?
What kind of music videos will your children see?