Dyers Star Theory

Dyers star theory

Star theory provides a variety of ways to analyse music videos. These ways being:

Star persona - Someone whos' image embodies meanings that the audience can instantly recognize. 

The image being promoted to an audience in music videos is different than their personal image and identity that isn't in the public eye.

An image is constructed for them to make them memorable to the audience but also allows them to be seen as an interesting and unique figure, not just the average person. They become instantly recognizable as an artist and embody a variety of meanings they show through their music and image. 

A stars persona can be represented in a variety of ways and through different platforms:

• A name change to something more interesting than their birth name - giving them a unique edge e.g Rihanna who is actually called Robyn Rihanna Fenty 

  

  She also adds to her star persona by a variety of different image changes and different elaborate styles and mise en scene being seen in her music videos 

• A certain public behavior which presents a personality which they would like their star persona to embody and be associated with and be recognized by it. E.g - Snoop Dogg is very well recognized for smoking weed and it is a persona he presents publicly and is related to.
  
  

  

He has presented and promoted this image so that even with a lot of his face covered Snoop Dogg is instantly recognizable. 

These are two examples of Lady Gaga videos. She uses extreem and eye catching costume and makeup. Although the actual costume used is ever changing and even varies throughout the video it is still instantly recognizable as her star persona as each look is of the same extremity and intricately designed style. 

• The use of mise - en - scene with particular choices of clothing and makeup which give a distinctive image and construct the persona of a star. When using clothing/costume it is normally detailed and interesting, showing that they are not just a normal person. An artist who is iconic with the use of costume to drill in a image or someone complex and slightly odd is Lady Gaga. 

Empowerment - Gender empowerment - completely opposite to objectification 

Gender empowerment is now being used by many female artists in a way to construct an image of strong and independent women. They may do this through very provocative clothing. Some feminist points of view may argue that this is not empowering and only giving in the the male gaze theory and allowing themselves to be objectified.

This is an concept mostly seen in pop, r&b and rap videos.

Although some feminists may disagree with this idea, many artists who chose to empower themselves in this way say it actually allows them to take control of their sexuality. This makes many women feel very liberated that we are now in a day and age were they can use their looks and sexual appeal to promote themselves and create a recognized image.

Beyoncé is an artist who comes to mind for many when looking at this concept. Many of her songs are about empowering all women and she calls herself a strong feminist. She is a clear artist who uses her femininity to her advantage instead of allowing herself to be objectified by it.

Single Ladies - This is a clear example of Beyoncé using provocative dancing and outfits to empower herself and other women and to make them feel strong. She uses this concept of empowerment to represent women as independent. 

Commodities - Using an artists brand to promote products and themselves

Music videos can be used as an advert for promoting the artist and also the brand they've created around themselves, trying to persuade their audience to by related merchandise. This is the industry using the artist as a marketing tool to expand further from just selling their music to also items such as T-shirts. (This advertising and marketing is usually targeted at the younger audience as pre-teens and young teenagers are more likely to buy artist merchandise than adult fans). 

 Justin Bieber is an artist who has always promoted himself as brand through music videos, with lots of close up camera work where fans feel connected to him. He has had a range of merchandise available all throughout his career, including perfumes, hats and books.

Objectification - Reducing someone only to being on the level of an object

Objectification within the music industry, causes women and artists in the music video to only be seen as an object for viewer gratification, and highly sexualises them. 

Many women in music are failed to be represented as anything more than an object, and a lot of the time their true emotions and thoughts are not shown throughout the video as they are not treated with consideration but only as something to look at. 

Objectification in the media is a big problem with many women in the industry as although men can be objectified, it is much more common for it to be done to women. 

Blurred lines - Robin Thicke - this music video is highly objectifying to women as it is made clear throughout they have no other purpose apart from to be enjoyed by the men present. Although this version is still objectifying, the original was so controversial that it has been removed from YouTube. This is because the women were filmed completely naked in many shots.

Voyeurism - The concept of looking and overseeing

This is the concept of looking at someone when they don't know they're being watched. This concept gives the viewer pleasure from the visuals of watching someone when they're not being watched. 

Most of the time in videos, this concept is also objectifying women and filming them in proactive shots for male pleasure, relating to the male gaze theory. 

Many find audience appeal from the satisfaction of viewing shots where the artist appears not aware they're being filmed. 

Jennifer Lopez - Booty - both women in this video are objectified. In many shots the camera work has been made to linger upon their assets, implying that is the most important feature for women. Although sometimes they have direct address when looking at the camera, the majority is filming of them dancing and appearing unaware they are being filmed. 

Intertexuality/Parody - Links the video to other texts by easy to recognize references

This is the concept of a new music video having links and references to previous texts. Or a parody - meaning that the new video is making fun of previous media texts. 

An example of referencing to other texts is Michael Jackson - Beat It - where there is a direct reference to shot out of West Side Story