Male Gaze In Music Videos

Male Gaze is a term commonly used in music, film and TV. In music videos, women are presented to be weaker and more vulnerable as the camera is from a man's perspective. This means more slow motion and panning across women and zooming into their face to emphasise the seductive look on their face. This theory is by Laura Mulvey.

I analysed Beyonce's video, 'Best Thing I Never Had'.

Beyonce is a synthetic artist who's fan base is made up of mostly teenagers who aspire to be like her with her amazing figure which is shown off by what she is dressed in which is a common convention of a synthetic artist who is being sold on other things other than they're music. There is also many close up's throughout this video which demonstrates Richard Dyer's star theory. This shows that she is full of youthfulness. The shots also represent male gaze because she is being looked at from a high angle shot which portrays women as weaker. Additionally, the camera pans up her body when lying on the bed which also make the women look vulnerable which is a key point to male gaze. Lastly, there is a hand held camera shot which makes the women seem more vulnerable as she is looking at herself in the mirror. Throughout the video the male gaze is turned around which is a well known women power of Beyonce amongst her fans. This may reflect why this video is somewhat unconventional, it may also be that pre married she is more vulnerable and more male gaze whereas when overcoming the boy that hurt her she becomes the powerful person in this music video.

As well as this, there is close ups of the main artist which has to be put in there as demanded by the music industry to focus on the singer, which is stated by John Stewart.

Also the visuals link to the lyrics, for example 'I saw the real you', this links to the man dancing with his prom date and then turning and dancing with another girl. Additionally, 'sucks to be you right now' is sung as she leaves the man. Not only is this stated by theorist Andrew Goodwin but also this opposes male gaze as the man is seen to be weaker as the women is higher than him connoting that she is more powerful so this is unconventional. The video is cut to the beat which is a theory stated by Andrew Goodwin who thinks this makes the video flows which is demonstrated in this music video.









The sunset in the background whilst Beyonce is singing is backed up by John Stewart who says that lighting demonstrates an aspirational lifestyle, as she is getting married at the alter, the light is shining down creating a soft and happy mood in the scene which shows a new equilibrium which is applied to Todorov's theory which is that she has finally got her happy ending which is matches with the lyrics 'Best thing i never had' meaning that compared to her bad relationship before this is her ideal man, her aspirations and the best thing since the man that was referred to as a bullet, something that could really hurt her.