This was a hugely influential media product that helped set the conventions for future music videos - and persuaded Michael Jackson's record company to throw million-dollar budgets at future productions.
Notes from the lesson
Goodwin’s music video 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.
- 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: defining 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.
Michael Jackson - Billie Jean
Billie Jean changed the music industry by introducing the idea that a single must be accompanied by a high-production video - thereby transforming a song release into an “event”.
In doing so, Billie Jean transformed MTV from a small niche TV channel for young people into a cultural institution that wider society paid increasing attention to. It also changed MTV itself – persuading MTV executives that a white rock orientated audience would respond enthusiastically to videos featuring a black performer, something they had not previously believed.
Billie Jean and postmodernism
Postmodernists claim that we live in a media-saturated world – immersed in media products 24/7. So much so, that the distinction between the real world and the media representation of the real world has become blurred.
Media producers are copying copies: we no longer have any distinction between the real world and real things and media images of these things. Everything original has been made, all we now have is finding originality in mixing old ideas.
This idea of ‘copying copies’ and finding originality in old ideas is a strong theme of Billie Jean – which uses polaroid photos and intertextual references to old movie genres.
Media producers are copying copies: we no longer have any distinction between the real world and real things and media images of these things. Everything original has been made, all we now have is finding originality in mixing old ideas.
This idea of ‘copying copies’ and finding originality in old ideas is a strong theme of Billie Jean – which uses polaroid photos and intertextual references to old movie genres.
Michael Jackson - Billie Jean blog tasks
Work through the following tasks to create a comprehensive case study for Michael Jackson's Billie Jean music video.
Media Magazine reading: Billie Jean, birth of an icon
Go to our Media Magazine archive and read the case study on Billie Jean - birth of an icon (MM62 - page 20). Answer the following questions:
1) What was the budget for Billie Jean? How did this compare with later Michael Jackson videos?
The budget for Billie Jean was $50,000, which was a very small budget in comparison to Michael Jackson's later videos. For example, Bad had a budget for $300,000, and then Thriller had an extremely larger budget of $2million.
2) Why was the video rejected by MTV?
When they took it to MTV they refused to air the video, arguing that it didn’t suit their ‘middle America’ audience.
3) Applying Goodwin's theory of music video, how does Billie Jean reflect the genre characteristics of pop music video?
Billie Jean contains notion of looking. This is shown evident in the scene when the detective is finally about to catch the criminal(Michael jackson) and a transition is made in a form of a picture then moves on to the photograph that as taken. The video had a performance element to it.
4) How do the visuals reflect the lyrics in Billie Jean?
The song is a about a girl called billie jean, Although we don't physically see her in the movie, there are some lyrics that make as visualise who billie jean is. For example, the use of the billboard lets the audience imagine what this girl might look like.
5) Why does the video feature fewer close-up shots than in most pop videos?
The video assists the star-construction of the artist, not so much through the close-ups that you might expect in other pop videos, but through the focus on the distinctive dance moves (often shown three-fold in the frame) which had not been seen onscreen before.
6) What intertextual references can be found in the video?
This music video reflects a spy genre due to what the detective was wearing e.g. a hat, long jacket covering most of his body. I believe the video has intertexuality with film noir films since its very detective based narrative.
7) How does the video use the notion of looking as a recurring motif?
The notion of looking can be seen through the use of the private detective Jackson is being watched and followed; a polaroid camera attempts to capture his image but he’s elusive, mystical. The audience sees his image multiplied using split-screen editing, he is frozen isolated in a frame-within-a-frame.
8) What representations can be found in the video?
Jackson is beginning to construct a narrative about himself and establish his identity. What Steve Barron describes as a Midas-touch narrative could, in retrospect be interpreted as the beginnings of
the Messiah-complex that Jackson was criticised.
for later his career.Close-textual analysis of the music video
1) How is mise-en-scene used to create intertextuality - reference to other media products or genres? E.g. colour/black and white; light/lighting.
Film noir- low key lighting
Musical- high key lighting
intertexual reference to the movie wizard of oz due to the lighting up tiles and also Singing in the rain by Fred Astaire.
2) How does the video use narrative theory of equilibrium?
Todorov's Equilibrium can be applied to Billie jean as it could be said the disequilibrium was when the detective was following Michael with him not being aware. This was resolved when the detective was caught by the cops instead on billie jean. The new equilibrium may be when the music stopped and everything became peaceful and harmony was created.
4) What is the significance of the freeze-frames and split-screen visual effects?
The notion of looking can be seen through the use of the private detective Jackson is being watched and followed; a polaroid camera attempts to capture his image but he’s elusive, mystical. The audience sees his image multiplied using split-screen editing, he is frozen isolated in a frame-within-a-frame.
3) How are characters used to create narrative through binary opposition?
The detective could of been good and Michael could of been evil since he was seen guilty. There is a sense of rich and poor since in the beginning you see a homeless man which in contrast, in the end of the music video is seen very upper class and posh.
5) What meanings could the recurring motif of 'pictures-within-pictures' create for the audience?
The recurring motif of pictures-within pictures- suggests that Michael Jackson is still being watched which creates tension for the audience when its recurred.
6) Does the video reinforce or subvert theories of race and ethnicity - such as Gilroy's diaspora or Hall's black characterisations in American media?
The video mostly subverts theories of race and ethnicity, as in a time with great racism, the placement in this video with Michael as the hero/princess (unclear) and the white detective as the villain wasn't as commonly seen in the 80s as vice versa would have been seen.
7) Does this video reflect Steve Neale's genre theory of 'repetition and difference'? Does it reflect other music videos or does it innovate?
The video was One of the first of it kind and paved the way for other music videos later in the industry so I think it innovated the generic characteristics you would see in a general music video with lipsyncing , performance.
8) Analyse the video using postmodern theory (e.g. Baudrillard's hyper-reality; Strinati's five definitions of postmodernism). How does the 'picture-in-picture' recurring motif create a postmodern reading?
Postmodernists claim that the distinction between the real world and the media representation of the real world has become blurred as we live in a world completely influenced by the media. By adding Baudrillard's hyper-reality theory you can say how the music video was made to reflect a certain time period (1940s). The picture-in-picture recurring motif creates a postmodern reading through simularca. Due to the scene being imitated, looks much more realistic than the original.
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