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riptide formation equdas

MUSIC VIDEOS INTRO

Conven­tions: sets of codes repeated across numerous media texts from the same form and within the same industry.
 
ANDREW GOODWIN MUSIC VIDEO CONVEN­TIONS
Goodwin (1992) studied hundreds of music videos
He tried to find what most of them had in common.
1. There is a relati­onship between lyrics and visuals.
2. There is a relati­onship between music and visuals.
3. Music videos demons­trate genre charac­ter­istics.
4. Commun­icating (or creating) Star power will be required by the record company.
5. Audiences are encouraged to become voyeurs and are positioned to look intently at indivi­duals (often object­ifying them)
6. There are often intert­extual references to other media texts - films, TV progra­mmes, other music videos etc.

RIPTIDE - MEDIA LANGUA­GE/­REP­RES­ENT­ATION

Vance Joy, Riptide, 2013
Real name: James Gabriel Keogh
Australian singer­-so­ngw­riter
Signed to Atlantic records: subsidiary of major label, Warner
 
Lyrics have been described as a “coming of age story”
Contains many metaphors
And pop culture references
Video directed by Dimitri Basil and Laura Gor
 
Roland Barthes - Semiotics
Meaning is commun­icated through a process of signif­ication
Denotation – literal or common sense meaning of a sign
Connot­ation – associated or suggested meanings
Connot­ations usually rely of multiple possible meanings, depending on the situation and interp­ret­ation
Barthes said that many signs are POLYSEMIC - have many meanings.
The connot­ations usually rely on culturally learned meanings
 
Lyric - “All my friends are turning green”
Denotation – these people are friends of the singer, they are looking at the money.
Connot­ations - the symbolic nature of the colour green: Envy/j­eal­ousy, illnes­s/s­ick­ness, nature, growth, life etc. The symbolic nature of money: Wealth, status, power, success
Is it implying that friends are envious about the success of Vance Joy as he will be making lots more money than them?
that friends (possibly in other bands) have “sold out” by giving into money? (turning away from the singer and towards the money)
That money will always cause problems and sour romantic relati­onships – the money is becoming between the two people in shot.
 
Consider intell­ectual montage
 
Does Riptide feature Goodwin conven­tions?
RELATI­ONSHIP BETWEEN LYRICS AND VISUALS - In Riptide there is a direct connection between what we hear and see -texts commun­icate meanings in a process of signif­ica­tion. Mostly the images denote the lyrics – using first level signif­ica­tion. Some images connote deeper meanings – using second level signif­ica­tion. Some signs in the text are polysemic.
RELATI­ONSHIP BETWEN MUSIC AND VISUALS - The editing of the visuals is on the beat of the music. However the edits are irregular compared to the beats (shots are held for different lengths). ome elements of the visuals repeat (to an extent) with the chorus. BUT the overall ‘upbeat’ nature of the music contrasts the ‘dark’ atmosphere in the imagery (horror and abuse refere­nces)
MUSIC VIDEOS DEMONS­TRATE GENRE CHARAC­TER­ISTICS - Vance Joy’s Riptide belongs to the hybrid genre of Indie Folk. Repetition within the Indie Folk genre includes lo-fi videos with bands playing instru­ments, basic narrative (if any) and few special effects. Riptide is relatively unusual as an Indie Folk video in terms of its production values, its lack of perfor­mance and its different settings and iconog­raphy.
COMMUN­ICATING STAR POWER - Vance joy was a relatively unknown artist – new to a major record label, might expect the label to want to use the video to build star power for a new artist. However Vance Joy does not appear in the video
It is very cinematic and has high production values
The colour scheme, compos­ition and quirky perfor­mances might remind audiences of Wes Anderson’s films
Indepe­ndent film aesthetic
Lends indie credib­ility to Vance Joy as an artist
INTERT­EXTUAL REFERENCES - This shot of tarot cards also references the French New Wave film Cleo from 5 to 7 (Agnés Varda, 1962), Midnight Cowboy (John Schles­inger, 1969): Referred to in the lyrics “There’s this movie that I think you’ll like” ETC
 
The video opens with text similar to a billing block on film posters
So many parallels with and references to film
Could commun­icate to an audience that this is more ambitious and artistic than an average music video
Therefore commun­icating that Vance Joy is an ambitious, creative, forwar­d-t­hinking artist
 
Riptide is a very polysemic text – it is ambiguous and open to interp­ret­ation
It’s good to be able to acknow­ledge and explore multiple possible meanings
Meanings aren’t fixed and are created by audiences
 
THINK Gauntlett Identity theory
The ambiguous nature of the text means that audiences can pick and mix the elements of the video that appeal to them
Audiences may interpret the video according their own identities

FORMATION CONTEXT

NEW ORLEANS
Louisiana (southern USA)
Majority black population
Culturally mixed
Distin­ctive culture called créole
Spanish and French influences from colonial era, mixed with African, Native American etc.
Famous for mardi gras
The Mardi Gras Indians are black citizens who wear elaborate costumes
Inspired by Native American traditions
Famous for music
Marching bands …which developed into jazz – ‘invented’ in New Orleans
... and Blues music
And known for food
Especially sea food
Influenced by both African and European cultures
Problems with poverty
Locals often work in poorly paid service jobs
Dispro­por­tio­nately affects the black community
Economy relies on tourism
31% black residents live in poverty
Compared to 10% white residents
Average black-­owned home is worth half as much as average white-­owned home
‘Anteb­ellum’ period in Louisiana – early to mid 19th century
Formation refers to the fashion of this era
- And the grand homes built then
These would have been accessible only to wealthy white people
 
HURRICANE KATRINA
August 2005
Category 5 hurricane
- “Catas­trophic damage will occur”
- “Most of the area will be uninha­bitable for weeks or months.”
New Orleans is surrounded by water
Much of the city is below sea level
Man-made ‘levees’ hold the water back from the city
Several of these broke in the hurricane, causing flooding
80% city was under water
What were leaders expecting to happen after they moved citizens into temporary shelters?
- Outside help would soon come
- Federal police, national guard etc.
- A mass evacuation was expected
What actually happened?
- People were stranded without food and medical support
- Ordinary citizens had to take charge of rescue
- Wealthy residents were able to leave by car
- Poorer residents were trapped in the city
BUSH: response was too slow, did not publicly acknow­ledge hurricane Katrina at first. Relief package signed 3 days** after hurricane ended. Took too long to visit New Orleans. Claimed the government didn't know the hurricane was coming but this was proven to be untrue
why do people thing Bush responded this way?
- Worst affected areas were workin­g-class and predom­inantly black
- Some felt racism played a part in the slow response
 
BLACK LIVES MATTER
Term was first used in 2013
Response to the death of 17 year-old Trayvon Martin
Shot and killed by a member of a local community watch group on his way back from a nearby shop
His killer was acquitted of murder and mansla­ughter
Responding to deaths linked to police brutality
Argues that racism is systematic + ‘Embedded’ in the way the police operate
 
THE BLACK PANTHER PARTY 1966 - 1982
Called for;
- End to police brutality
- Employment for black Americans
- Better housing for black Americans
- Justice for black Americans
- Part of wider Black Power movement
- Worked within community: free breakfast for children, free health clinics
- But were not pacifists and often clashed with police
- Observed secretly by the FBI
 
BEYONCE 2016 SUPERBOWL PERFOR­MANCE
Her dancers were dressed in berets and black leather : refere­ncing the Black Panther party
2016 was the 50th annive­rsary of the founding of the Party
This reference might make us think about how much progress has been made since 1966
the demands of the Black Panthers are the same issues still affect black people
Black Lives Matter takes up many of the same concerns the Panthers had in the 1960s
Some people felt the Panthers were anti-white
Some associated with the party supported black separa­tism: Idea that white and black people could not co-exist
 
Hip Hop Evolution – New Orleans ‘bounce’
Africans were brought to New Orleans in the slave trade
French colonisers let them retain elements of their native culture
Second line tradition: The centrality of music and dance, part of life and death, something everyone can partic­ipate in
TIGGERMAN
- A song by New York group The Showboys
- A particular drum beat from the song became popular with New Orleans DJs
CHARAC­TER­ISTICS OF BOUNCE MUSIC
- Use of 808 drum machines (including the ‘Trigg­erman’ sample)
- Call and response
- Dancing
- Links to the ‘second line’ tradition and New Orleans’ musical heritage
SISSY BOUNCE
- Inclusive subculture of bounce music
- LGBTQ+ rappers and DJs
- Performers often non-binary and explore gender identity
- Performers often non-binary and explore gender identity
- Beyonce samples ‘sissy bounce’ artist Big Freedia in Formation
- Big Freedia is a gay man, but describes himself as “gender noncon­for­ming, fluid, non-bi­nary”
- Sometimes uses pronouns ‘she’ and ‘her’
- Refere­ncing Big Freedia might tell us that … Beyonce wants to represent diversity within the black community
- Sending the message that there is no “correct” way to be black, to be a man, etc.

context 2

Beyonce sings…
"My daddy Alabama, Momma Louisiana
... make a Texas bamma"
Her mother is Louisiana Creole
Beyonce would be considered Creole because of her family heritage
She owns a home in New Orleans
she suggests a personal connection to New Orleans and its culture. “Bama” - Southern slang - ‘unsop­his­ticated person’
Perhaps suggesting a hierarchy in which she is seen as “less black”
she reclaims the stereotype and uses it positively

STAR POWER -powerful

Gesture code
Confident pose, legs spread
Might remind us a male rapper in a music video
Matched by the tone and delivery of her vocals
Clothes and mise-e­n-scene
Connotes Beyonce’s wealth and success
  

STAR POWER - defiant

Gesture code is a clear message of defiance
Although the two images are not consec­utive, we might be reminded of this moment in the video…
Could be seen as a message to paparazzi who intrude on her private life
The lyrics say, “Papar­azzi, catch my fly, and my cocky fresh”

ANTEBELLUM ERA REFERENCE

Reference to the Antebellum era
Then, clothes and houses like this would be almost exclus­ively for white people
In Formation, these settings are all-black spaces
Perhaps challe­nging stereo­types of black people as poor or not succes­sful?
Perhaps reimag­ining the Antebellum history
What if black people had had power, rather than been enslaved?

SEXUAL­ISED?

Beyonce (and other women) are often dressed in a way that displays their bodies
Some of the dancing accent­uates certain areas of their bodies However Beyonce has a strong + engaged presence
Frequent direct­-to­-camera address
Close-ups on her face
No voyeurism
Perhaps commun­icating that she is in control
showing her body doesn’t mean she can’t be powerful

BASKETBALL SHOT

Shots of a basketball team with ‘bamas’ on their vests
Bamas are Beyonce’s “team”!

REFERENCES TO BLACK CULTURE

Beyonce gives the black power raised fist salute
Lots of lyrical references to (parti­cularly Southern) black culture
“I got hot sauce in my bag swag”
“I like cornbreads and collard greens, bitch”
Note the defiance
Perhaps suggesting these traditions are perceived as unsoph­ist­icated
“I like my negro nose with Jackson Five nostrils”
Michael Jackson had plastic surgery to change the shape of his nose
Could reflect beauty standards – changing to look more ‘white’
Could also refer to husband Jay-Z, who is often mocked for his nose
Beyonce rejecting white beauty standards and celebr­ating black features
Message of pride in Beyonce’s identity
 

AGAINST FORMATION

New Orleans references are exploi­tative
Nothing to do with the song
Don’t address the impact on (parti­cularly black) lives in New Orleans
Designed to shock and attract attention
“I like my baby heir with baby hair and afros.”
- Argues that this line appears to celebrate natural black hair
- Possibly a reference to Beyonce’s daughter who has natural black hair
- The dancers in the video mostly have natural ‘afro’ hair
Beyonce herself contra­dicts the above
Shown with a weave covering her natural hair
Beyonce is shown with a range of hairstyles throughout the video
Some more ‘natural’ than others
Perhaps suggesting that although pride in black features is important…
… so is personal choice
The video also includes shots in a shop selling wigs
Suggesting that hair is part of personal expression
Colourful wigs that suit that vibrant surrou­ndings of New Orleans

BOY AND POLICE SHOTS

The boy is very young
Might remind us of some cases of black people shot by police
Tamir Rice, 12 – shot by police while playing with a toy gun in a park
He also wears a hoodie
When Trayvon Martin was wearing a hoodie when he was shot; it was cited as a reason for finding him suspicious

POLICE AND BOY SHOTS 2

Police outnumber the boy
Low angle shot
Power
Emphas­ising physical size
Helmets, vests etc. for protection
BOYS Gesture:
Surrender?
Showing he is not armed?
Open body language
Surrounded by open space
Emphas­ising vulner­ability
Clear binary opposition (Levi Strauss) here
Police vs. young black man
Power vs vulner­ability

CINEMA­TOG­RPHAY

What might the quality of the images and the way they’re shot remind us of?
CCTV footage
Drones
Helico­pters
All associated with survei­llance and police
The video presents the idea of dancing as resistance
Against police oppression
Against survei­llance
Against racial inequality – Beyonce dancing in the Antebellum style house

POLICE JOIN BOYS DANCE

Commun­ication between black commun­ities and police?
This requires the police to be open and vulnerable
Non-vi­olence
This section ends with the “stop shooting us” graffiti
Reminder that this commun­ication is only possible if police brutality ends

THEORIES

bell hooks
Beyoncé as a role model for women to achieve. Suggestion that women achieving status and success is in itself a challenge to patria­rchy. Lyrics say, “You just might be a black Bill Gates in the making” and “best revenge is your paper”
Promotes solidarity amongst women
The word “forma­tion” has connec­tions to military – organising troops to go into battle
In the video choreo­graphed dancing commun­icates the idea of unity and acting together
The video contains imagery that commun­icates empowe­rment of women…
And imagery that empowers black people
The extent to which it specif­ically comments on black female identity is debatable
 
GAUNTLETT
Challe­nging ‘singular, straig­htf­orward messages’ about gender
Beyoncé as confident and powerful (e.g. adopting the stance of a male rapper)
Celebr­ating different elements of Beyoncé’s own identity
Big Freedia sample
 
STUART HALL
Challe­nging racial stereo­types
E.g. mise-e­n-scene emphas­ising wealth, success, status challe­nging the dominant repres­ent­ation of black people as poor and or unsucc­essful
Reimag­ining the Antebellum era with black people in positions of power
Drawing attention to and subverting racial power dynamics
 
LIESBET VAN ZOONEN
The question of whether Beyoncé’s body is shown as an “object to be looked at” could be debated
Costume, suggestive dance moves etc.
But also filmed and edited in a way that doesn’t allow for a lingering “male gaze”
 
ROLAND BARTHES
The concept of the signif­ier­/si­gni­fied, using specific signif­ication in the music video and consid­ering how this might be interp­reted according to social convention
For example, the use of antebellum era dresses, or the boy in a black hoodie.
 
ROLAND BARTHES
Does the video challenge Baudri­llard’s idea that in the modern age of simulacra we are in a world of images which no longer refer to anything ‘real’? Real events & issues…
Does this video refer very specif­ically to reality and encourage audiences to consider these issues, or is it just a promot­ional tool?
 
PAUL GILROY
Does the music video challenge racial hierarchy by subverting expect­ations and placing a black woman in a position of power and dominion?
But does it perpetuate a sense of binary opposition between races by perpet­uating Gilroy’s sense of ‘other­ness’ and a clear divide based on racial lines?
 

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  • Published: 18th May, 2025

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