Vance Joy- Riptide

Metanarrative- also known as a grand narrative, this refers to an overarching narrative or system of beliefs that helps us make sense of the world. (e.g: science, religion, marriage, Karl Marx).


Postmodern medium- (cannot have a definition)
Aspects of postmodernism:

  • "Style over substance"- valuing the looks of something over the depths of something.
  • Distrust of form, convention and established conventions (postmodern products tend to break rules on purpose).
  • Lack of distinction between "low" and "high" culture.
  • Emphasises surface readings over deeper analysis.

Vance Joy- Riptide
  • No narrative structure.
  • Most shots are only a second long.
  • The woman can't lip sing (unconventional).
  • Each shot has something to do with the lyrics ("dark side"- theres a shot of someones legs under the bed and its dark, "riptide"- a shot of a tide moving, "left-hand"- shots of people's left hands). Montage consistently matches the themes of the lyrics (e.g:"cowboy running" is matched with a long shot, canted angle, symbolic of dual personalities, afraid of what he has become).
  • Binary opposition- goes back and forth from light to dark.
  • General theme and narrative- montage of shots suggest themes of drowning, dying and death.
  • Alternative theme and narrative- Unpredictable and deliberately misleading montage of shots.
  • Deliberately invites polysemic interpretations. 
  • Intertextuality- the mise-en-scene suggests the conventions of a western film, and therefore functions as a referential code.
  • Referential codes create audience appeal, as only certain audiences will understand the reference.
  • Additionally, the mid shot of the seance and the mise-en-scee of the ouija board is referential of horror cinema, in 70's horror film.
  • Mid shot of letter dated 1974 anchors the audience into a particular time period, because its cool.
  • Mid/ long shot of feet being dragged under a bed, low angled shot, low key blue/purple lighting, which connotes darkness, misery and threat- this denies the audience a definite response/ conclusion.
  • Voyeuristic mid shot, high angled, point of view shot of a young woman removing a yellow swimsuit, slow zoom onto naked back- intertextual reference to early bond films and Baywatch (films from the 70's).
  • Techniques of photographing girls' heavily manicured female hand pushes red leather bound book into frame in a manner which seems rehearsed, robotic and non-consential.
  • Positions the audience in a voyeuristic, even perverted perspective.

Media Language

Objectification- The process by which a human is represented as an object. The producer uses media language (mise-en-scene, shot types etc) to do this. 

The male gaze- The assumption that every media product is made for a heterosexual male audience, meaning every woman in a media product is there for the pleasure of the heterosexual audience (Van-zoonen). 

Sexualisation- The process of only valuing someone for their sexual appeal.

Voyeurism- Taking pleasure in watching someone without them knowing. 

Scopophilia- (another word for voyeurism) Love of watching. 


Representation of women in Riptide
  • The mid-shot of the woman's back implies that she doesn't know that the audience is watching her. 
  • Its a high angle shot, suggesting voyeuristic intent, like she is being watched by someone (the audience).
  • The audience is positioned as the voyeur.
  • Male gaze- the woman has long blonde hair and a slim body, which could appeal to a heterosexual male audience. 
  • The woman is looking out into the ocean, which is symbolic of adventure. 
  • The exotic connotations of her costume suggests the connotations of being somewhere exotic.
  • She's framed in the centre of the shot, emphasising her importance for the male audience.
  • Shallow depth of field- she's the only thing in focus, symbolising her importance.
  • Its shot with a zoom lens- positioning the audience in a scopophilia position. 
  • The mise-en-scene of the beach suggests luxury.
  • Key lighting- made to look natural and focus on the woman. 

Analysis of the representation of women in the video

There is a massive emphasis of the representation of women in the video:

                                  -One ideology presented is that women are vulnerable.
-Women are represented as a stereotypical "damsel in distress"- consistently shown in distress.
-Some women are represented as independent, individualistic and powerful (e.g: women smoking, looking at someone through a binoculars, low angle shots on some women to make them look powerful).
-The only shots where women look powerful is where they are dressed as a stereotypical male, implying that in order to be powerful, women need t be like men (shows that we still live in a patriarchal society).
-When women aren't in distress, they are around men, implying that the men are there to protect them.
-Consistent shots of feet and hands which objectify women- dehumanises them.
-This video is both reinforcing patriarchal views of women and subverting the objectification of women. 
-The shot of the women singing is a close up- voyeuristic (it is like the audience is on the stage with her but she is just ignoring them because she's not looking directly at the camera.
-No explicit anchorage in this video (shots don't link in with each other, each shot has a different story relating to the lyrics).
-Smeared make up and blood connotes violence.






 









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