Billie Jean Essay

Analyse how the Billy Jean music video by Michael Jackson represent or subvert black stereotypes of black identity.

700 Words Minimum.

Billie Jean, which was released in 1982 and directed by Steve Barron, is an example of a historically significant music video as it was one of the very first videos on MTV to feature a black artist, it was aired regularly and became extremely popular, which brought MTV to break through racial barriers on TV networks and helped advertise the album 'Thriller' making it a bestseller at the time. It was greatly believed that "Billie Jean" was an autobiographical song, referring to someone who claimed Jackson was the father of her child. 

The music video opens in a movie styled way,introducing the antagonist of the video, which is the inspector, the clip is edited to be black and white making it more mysterious, which would attract the audience. In the next clip Michael Jackson enters for the first time and the screen changes to colour, this could be to show how he is the protagonist and will play the good character, it could also have a deeper meaning, trying to show that just because he's black doesn't mean he's a bad person, as during the time segregation was still happening and the black community was very looked down on. He appears to be wearing a suit, which counter-stereotypes the idea that black people aren't very presentable and neat.There's also a scene where Michael cleans his shoe, showing how he cares for his appearance. He then sees a homeless man and throws a coin into his cup. The cup then begins to glow and the homeless man wakes up wearing a white suit, this then reflects the stereotypical magical negro. A magical negro is a black person who comes to the help of a white person. This is shown in this part of the clip as Jackson supposedly uses his 'powers' to help the homeless man, this also shows how black people are also really nice and help others, going against the stereotype that all black people, especially men, are aggressive. All throughout the video Michael emphasises the magical negro as he disappears on multiple occasions and everything he touches glows, suggesting the 'magic powers' he possess. The next scene is a wide shot showing the setting which the video was located in, being an empty street. There's then a close up of a newspaper which says 'Billie Jean' which corresponds to the lyrics 'told me her name was Billie Jean, as she caused a scene.' which refers back to the original purpose of the song, showing how this woman made a huge deal about Jackson being the father of her child. This then goes along with the stereotype that black men usually abandon women and often don't father their children, all throughout the video Jackson is trying to prove his innocence to go against this stereotype which he was associated with. 
Everything Michael touches seems to turn white, this could be a sign of purity and innocence, showing that he's a good person and trying to prove that the child isn't his, that also reflected through the lyrics as he constantly repeats 'but the kid is not my son', showing how he wants his name cleared from all the accusations he's been getting. 

The video uses advanced and sophisticated editing, such as different filters, quick camera angle changes and cutting and merging clips together. For example, there's a lyric which says 'his eyes were like mine' and at the same time Michael's eyes are cut out and stay focused on the screen while everything else keeps on moving. This links to Andrew Goodwin’s theory of music videos as he believes that there should be a link between the visuals and lyrics, which Michael did. It was one of the first ever music videos to have a large filming budget, which makes it a huge turnover point in the music industry. It was the first time Michael ever showed people how good of a dancer he was. Neale’s genre theory of repetition and difference really appeals to Jackson as he introduced originality and he widened his audience by incorporating different things into his videos, like dance and higher quality editing, making him stand out. 

Michael was a huge turning point into how people perceived black people and their music. This is because before Michael, "Super Freak" by Rick James was released about five months after MTV went on the air. At the time, however, MTV refused to play videos by black artists and they rejected his clip, continuing to feed America a steady stream of rock and EuroPop. This refusal to play black music was the stations fear that they would lose their white listeners if they played black music. Ricks video was also slightly inappropriate as he played a hyper-sexualised black male, who white women found attractive. His video represented many of the more negative stereotypes associated with black people, like pimp/ stud culture, which a black female MTV director said that she as a black woman, did not want him representing her people in the first black video on MTV. Michael's video is completely different and is filled with many more positive stereotypes, which made it a huge step forward for the black community.

Music Video: Billie Jeans

•Billie Jean: is an example of a historically significant music video. The video was one of

the very first videos on MTV to feature a black artist and be aired on regular rotation by the

channel. The video’s immense popularity helped bring MTV into the mainstream and

breakthrough racial barriers on TV networks and helped propel the album ‘Thriller’ to

the bestselling album of all time. The video was released in 1982 & directed by Steve

Barron. It was popularly believed that "Billie Jean" was an autobiographical song, referring

to someone who claimed Jackson was the father of her child. He was the first black artist on

MTV, as before they didn't play black music, due to the segregation at the time. It was the

first time he preformed the moon walk & expanded his audience as he mixed

Magical Negro: Black person helping a white person

- Everything he touches turns white; could reflect purity & innocence

- Sophisticated editing

- Detective = bad

- MJ = good

Goodwin’s theory:

•Andrew Goodwin’s theory of music videos states that music videos contain some or all of

the following elements:

•A link between the visuals & lyrics (compliment, contradict or amplify)

•Genre characteristics (heavy metal in industrialised settings; rap music in urban street

contexts etc.)

•Contain intertextual references (references to popular culture)

•Contain notions of looking (e.g. screens within screens)

•Include objectification of females (e.g. male gaze)

•Include demands of the record label (close ups of lead singer, symbols or motifs associated

with the band / performer etc.)

•Video will be performance, narrative or concept based.

Neale’s genre theory of Repetition and Difference:

•Steve Neale states that though all genres are structured along the identical conventions of

plot, narrative and mise-en-scene, success lies in their ability to manipulate and re-shape

these elements.

•In this sense, all genres all contain instances of repetition and difference – and difference is

essential to the economy of the genre.

•Neale’s model holds that a product’s genre is defined by:

•How much it conforms to its genre’s individual conventions and stereotypes. A product

must match the genre’s conventions to be identified as part of that genre if it is to attract that

audience.

•How much a product subverts the genre’s conventions and stereotypes. The product must

subvert convention enough to be considered unique and not just a clone of another product.

•Michael Jackson largely defined the modern music video with Billie Jean. He followed it

with two bigger-budget videos: Bad (directed by Martin Scorcese) and Thriller (directed by

John Landis) – pushing the boundaries of the music video genre.

•Both of these later videos were effectively short films that leaned heavily on film genres –

using well established film directors. This reinforced the intertextual element of his music

videos and helped to create the Michael Jackson identity of the 1980s and 1990s.

THE SHORT FILM

Director: Steve Barron

Primary Production Location: Los Angeles, California

Michael Jackson's short film for "Billie Jean" was the first of three short films produced for

recordings from Thriller, which continues its reign as the biggest selling album of all time

with worldwide sales in excess of 105 million as of June 1, 2016 and in December, 2015

became the first ever album to be awarded triple diamond status by the RIAA for US sales

alone. The "Billie Jean" single reached No. 1 in 10 countries in the spring of 1983, including

seven consecutive weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100 - becoming the second-highest selling 

single in America that same year.

The short film featured a paparazzo attempting to photograph Jackson as he danced

through an urban landscape. A specially created set featured steps and sidewalk tiles that lit

up underneath Michael's feet. It is here that fans first saw some of Michael's best-

known dance moves, such as spinning and landing on his toes. Many of Michael's steps

and mannerisms in the video would become forever associated with The King of Pop.

The "Billie Jean" short film made history as the first video by a black artist to be

played in heavy rotation on MTV, then in its second year. In 1992, the short film was

inducted into the Music Video Producers Hall of Fame. MTV ranked "Billie Jean" as the 35th

greatest music video of all time in 1999, one of three entries of Jackson's on the

chart alongside "Thriller" and "Beat It." - Binary theory, levi strouce

Lyric Analysis: 

'I said, "Don't mind, but what do you mean

I am the one' - confused by accusation 

For forty days and for forty nights - religious reference 

Law was on her side -  sounds like court case, shows how she made a big deal, she

went court & tried getting money from hi

But who can stand

When she's in demand

Her schemes and plans - he thinks she planned & did it on purpose 

Billie Jean is not my lover 

She's just a girl who claims that I am the one -  making false accusations

But the kid is not my son - denial 

'Cause the lie becomes the truth." - people start believing it

Race Stereotypes:

"Super Freak" was released about five months after MTV went on the air, and Rick

James made a slick video for the song hoping it would get some spins on the network. At

the time, however, MTV refused to play videos by black artists, and they rejected this clip,

continuing to feed America a steady stream of rock and EuroPop. This refusal to play black

music was a holdover from radio station programming, where conventional wisdom was that

you would lose your white listeners if you played black music.

Superfreak Video

•Rick James video presented a hyper-sexualised black male who white women found

attractive.

•Rick James’ subliminal media language of “the “Black Buck” was not suited to white white

producers.

Rick James has Beef with MTV

MTV director was a black woman who said "As a black woman, I did not want that

representing my people as the first black video on MTV."

•black sidekick of a white protagonist (the help)(secondary role) – learners may

independently research the meaning of the “foil” as a character role.

•the token black person,

•the comedic relief,

•the athlete

•the over-sexed ladies’ man, (black Buck, “in the negro, all the passions, emotions, and

ambitions are almost entirely dominated by the sexual instinct”)

•the absentee father or the violent black man as drug-dealing criminal and gangster thug

Stereotypes: Positive and negative stereotypes are often seen in contemporary British

media.

–Musicians – jazz, hip-hop and soul

–Sportsmen and women

–Comedians

–Criminals

–Socially dysfunctional

–Prostitute/sexually promiscuous

–The stud/pimp

MJ- 

-good dancer & musician

-nicely dressed, clean

-represented as the hero/good person (protagonist)

-magical negro - helps poor person

 - Inspector, B&W, looks like a film

 - Cup glows, black negro, helps

 - Relates to lyrics, shows how she made a big deal

      - Everything he steps on/ touches glows

      - Links to lyrics

      - Editing

Million Reasons Essay

Analyse how the Million Reasons music video by Lady Gaga uses stereotypes to represent a variety of images of feminine identity.

Apply comparative stereotypes and theory in the development of your arguments

Word count minimum 700

Million Reasons is a contrasting example of a contemporary music video from a world

famous, white, female artist. This particular video, from the album Joanne, marks a change

in direction for the artist as media producers make use of media language to construct

representations that might attract a broader, more mainstream market whilst not alienating 

the artist’s core fan base. The video is actually a continuation from the music video to

"Perfect Illusion", which is also a song in her album Joanne, it portrays Gaga being handled

roughly in her early career, forced to tour through her hip pain (described by the dancing in

"Perfect Illusion"), and finally in the "Million Reasons" clip, her team helps her in healing

attaching imagery of everyday backstage tour preparation to a song of loneliness and

isolation, life on the road forever breaking its practitioners. The whole music video is

jumbled up, showing how her emotions are all over the place.

The music video opens with a high shot of Lady Gaga rolling in the desert, which is brightly

lit with saturated tones, it gives a happy and relaxing feeling, however this contrasts Gaga's

body language as she places her head in her hands, showing stress, suggesting how

she's worn out. The lyrics "i would run for the hills" show how if she had the chance she

would run away, this could have two meanings. She could be referring to escaping the

oppression of the music industry and the pressure she's put under, or her relationship, as
the song was written after her and her boyfriend of 5 years had just broken up, showing a
stronger emotional connection to the song. The next scene is much darker and dimly lit,
showing a mid shot of Gaga in a car, her body language is once again very negative as
she's sat shaking her head and she now has dark sunglasses and a hat on, this could be a
way of covering up her tiredness and real emotions, counter-stereotyping the idea of women
being weak as this shows her going into work although she's clearly having personal
problems. This links to bell hook's theory as Gaga is a feminist and shows how it's a political
commitment rather than a lifestyle choice as she still has to deal with oppression in the
workforce, even though she's famous and is of a higher class and she's going through
emotional and physical pain. This shows how people from different classes can be
oppressed in different ways. Gaga is also an activist who chooses to address these issues
in the media through her music and this is something bell hook would classify as a real act
of feminism. In the car Gaga also covers up her black top with a pink robe, showing how the
music industry forces her to adapt to the typical stereotype of "girls wear pink" as it's seen
as feminism colour. The next scene is a wide shot of Gaga walking into her backstage
dressing room, where she appears to be much happier, showing how she feels as though
she needs to put up a facade instead of sharing her actual emotions. She's followed by
people carrying her clothes, the camera then pans around the scene showing her dressing
room full of sparkly and colourful clothes, which completely contrasts what she was
originally wearing, once again showing how she feels as though she needs to keep up with
the typical stereotype of women looking and dressing a certain way to be accepted by
society. This links to Liesbet van Zoonen's theory as she's having to dress a certain way
which shows how women’s bodies are seen as objects to be looked at, which is a core
element of western patriarchal culture. 

The next scene is a mid shot of Gaga sitting in front of a mirror, as soon as she sits down
and looks into the mirror the image turns black and white, this makes the image very dull
looking, stripping it from all the happiness and positive emotions, however it does then
reflect Gaga's feelings at the time, it shows sadness and pain. This reflects the stereotype
that women are very emotional. Gaga is sitting in a robe and no makeup on, this shows a
stripped down version of her that fans don't get to see as much, showing her vulnerability,
giving a stronger emotional connection to the song. She is then shown getting her hair and
makeup done, which clearly causes her discomfort as she looks extremely sad and
uninterested, this once again shows the pressures women face to look a specific way as
stereotypically society only accepts a specific look from women. The next clip is a close up,
which is now in colour, it shows Gaga with very heavy makeup and a pink hat. Her heavy
makeup makes a clear statement about how people expect women to look and the pink hat
shows how everyone sees pink as a feminine colour, this is then contrasted in the next see
as the camera zooms out showing a full body shot of Gaga in a pink suit and a pink cowboy
hat, this then defeats gender stereotypes as suits are typically meant for men and by
wearing a pink one she shows how women can wear suits and men can wear pink, showing
how a colour shouldn't define gender. The cowboy hat usually reflected strong men back in
the Western days and by wearing it Gaga shows how women can also be strong and 
powerful. Throughout the clips of Gaga playing the guitar she is constantly covers the face
with her guitar and hat, this shows how she finally wants the industry and society to focus on
her music and art rather than how she looks, its almost like she's embarrassed of what she's
been forced to look like. 

The video then flips back to her in the desert showing her team and friends running towards
her, picking her up, this counter stereotypes the idea that women need and rely on men for
everything as this shows how her friends helped and picked her up when she no longer had
strength to go on. She shows that women can be strong and independent.