Visual essay Representaion

Laura Mulveys’ theory is 'The Male Gaze' it's about how women are seen in television programs, music videos and films. This theory mainly applies for women in olden day’s films however it is also seen in the media today. She claims that women are only in the media for men’s desire who are in the films and the men who are watching at home. Women are seen as sexual objects. Her theory suggests that women are made to act in a sexual ways to please the men. However in media products today the women do this because they know it will get them more viewers and fans which means more money this is shown throughout Taylor swifts' 'bad blood'. Thought out the video we see outfits which are suggestive for the male viewer' attention, however we also see a lot of fighting take place which in unconventional for a women and in the first scene contradicts Mulveys' theory because they are fighting the men not trying to impress the men. We still see elements of cinematography which evident her theory for example we see a medium shot of a women legs and this is the first shot we see of her which straight away gives sexual connotations because we are seeing her as an object not as a person. There are also elements of slow motion are connotations of a typical scene with a gorgeous women in. 

Richard Dyer's Theory 'The Star Theory' is that 'stars' are not really. Celebrities pretend to be something they are not to aspire to what the institutions want them to do to set an example for their fans and be a role modal for them. However they have many different characters to play for example Taylor Swift, Ellie Goulding and Selena Gomez all play their own roles as their fake selves but in Taylor's music video bad blood they all have a new conformed identities. Taylor plays 'Catastrophe' who is looking for revenge on Selena's Character 'Arsyn' for pushing her out the window. Ellie Goulding plays 'Destructa X' who is on Catastrophe's army to get revenge. Dyer's theory is shown excellently well in this video because it shows them clearing acting as something they are not demonstrating they are 'fake'.

Tessa Perkins's theory is all about stereotypes. She has five assumptions which identify a stereotype these are, stereotypes are not always negative, they are not always about minority groups or the less powerful, they can be held about one's own group, they are not rigid or unchanging and they are not always false. In Taylor Swift's music video there isn't any common stereotypes. Women are usually understood to be a damsel in distress, however in this video the women are seen as the heroes and villains which is unusual. Perkins says that stereotypes can not rigid or unchanging. This video goes against that theory however it still hasn't changed how women are identified in general but it touches on how women now can do most things men can for example fight in the army.