Representation within music videos

Women and men are represented very differently within music videos

Male artists are more likely to play instruments in music videos and women are more likely to be dancing
Women are more likely to be portrayed in less glamorous/important roles within the music video

Voyuerism
Freuds' theory relates to the notion that erotic pleasure can be gained by looking at a sexual object
Technically we are all voyeurs in regards to watching a moving image
Laura Mulvey male gaze, the purpose for women in the text is display
Goodwin claimed that the female performer is constantly objectified through a combination of camera work and editing, with body shots emphasising the sexualisation of the female star or male performer backing dancers

It can be argued women create this representation as a sense of empowerment
Women have taken charge and are now inviting the sexualised gaze. Therefore it can no longer be classed as voyeurism, but exhibitionism

My analysis:

Calvin Harirs - Thinking About You

• This video makes men look like they are in charge of themselves and their own lives. They are able to fight each other to settle arguments and walk around gazing at women if they want to who are just 'bits on the side.' The women are literally walking round with their butts hanging out or laying on a boat with no tops on whilst men drive past them on boats staring. This makes women look very much like they have no control over who looks at them or what they do, they are just there to please the man
• The men on the other boats then proceed to come onto the women's boat and hold them at gun point. In between these shots there are shots of a group of women in a room dancing provocatively for the men. So at the same time that they are being held gun point physically, there are also being held gun point mentally as well, they are made to dance around like this for a man to please him
• At the end of the video, a young girl who is dressed appropriately pulls the guy who is beating another guy off of him. Therefore this music video represents that perhaps only women who are not dressed inappropriately can think for themselves and act sensibly
• Goodwin's theory can be used here as Calvin Harris' backing dancers are constantly objectified through a combination of camera work and editing, with clevage and butt body shots emphasising the sexualisation of them
• Also, Laura Mulvey's theory of the male gaze can be applied here, as the purpose for women in this music video is for the women to be on display for men to gaze at them
• Freuds' theory is also appropriate here as the music video relates to the notion that erotic pleasure can be gained by looking at a sexual object. For example here, erotic pleasure is gained by looking at the basically naked women in this music video
• Women are inviting the sexualised gaze in this video as they do not protest against it, therefore it can be seen as exhibitionism