Michael Jackson - Billie Jean blog tasks
1) What was the budget for Billie Jean? How did this compare with later Michael Jackson videos?
Billie Jean's budget was $50,00, Beat It's budget was $300,00 and Thriller was $2 million.
2) Why was the video rejected by MTV?
They argued that it didn't suit their 'middle America' audience. MTV played mainly white rock music and didn't want to put a black person an air. Effectively Michael Jackson became the first ever black person to appear on MTV.
3) Applying Goodwin's theory of music video, how does Billie Jean reflect the genre characteristics of pop music video?
In Billie Jean, Michael Jackson wears high-fashion costume which is a characteristic of pop music video. He also incorporates many dance routines within the video alongside lip syncing, creating a performance styled video. However, this performance is also interwoven with a narrative that is reflected of the lyrics.
4) How do the visuals reflect the lyrics in Billie Jean?
It is based on 'groupies' and fan girls who claim that Michael himself or his brothers are the father of their babies. He had also read a story about a missing person which inspired aspects of the video. The lyrics about 'Billie Jean', a girl which cant be trusted is shown through the way her face is never actually revealed. She is rather referred to through the billboard, her name in the newspaper and the other figure within the bed.
5) Why does the video feature fewer close-up shots than in most pop videos?
The video focuses rather on his signature dance moves rather than close-ups.Utilising his ability to dance, it became moreof a focus than his face as his dancing made him iconic. Because this hadn't been seen onscreen in this way before, it was innovative idea that propelled him to the top.
6) What intertextual references can be found in the video?
There are intertextual references to 'Film Noir' in the form of the detective character who is following Michael Jackson throughout the music video. Michael Jackson himself is also an intertextual refernce to a romantic west end musical through his clothing and the narrative within the music video. We see him slant on lamp post looking into the sky with an almost love struck expression on hsi face which is almost typical of a musical.
7) How does the video use the notion of looking as a recurring motif?
The use of the detective following and watching Michael creates a a notion of lookingthroughout the music video. He tries to snap pictures of Michael, however he seems to be supernatural as he mystically disappears everytime the picture is almost snapped. He is also spied through a window by an old woman as he runs up the staircase of a motel. He then stands next to a sleeping figure within a bed, staring at her before climbing in.8) What representations can be found in the video?
Michael represents himself in a 'messiah-complex' as he is almost like a Jesus figure. In the beginning, he tosses a coin into the cup of a homeless man, it then starts glowing and he becomes clean, dressed in a white tuxedo. Everything he goes past or touches seems to light up; the steps on the pavement, the sign on the motel etc.
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.
5) What meanings could the recurring motif of 'pictures-within-pictures' create for the audience?
Michael Jackson is never in any of the photos taken and this could be a reference to his personal life.
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?
It reinforces Hall's representation of being the performer who’s sole purpose is to entertain.
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 Billie Jean video follows Steve Neale's genre theory as within the video, it includes performance based visuals which was common. However, the difference was that Michael incorporated a narrative with a high budget. Modern music videos follow repetitions of conventions from the Billie Jean video through the way that they try to incorporate some kind of narrative within the videos and/or includes a focus on the performance. There are alot more visual effects to create a fast paced feel in modern music videos which in innovative from the Billie Jean video.
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?
Pastiche and bricolage can be found within the Billie Jean video as it includes themes from film noir and 50s musicals. The reference to film noir can be seen through the use of the detective character as he is dressed in a costume which would have been seen in the crime genre. The costume, actions and body language which Michael Jackson does is a reference to 50s musicals. He is dressed in vivid colours and can be seen leaning on a lampost with a seemingly lovestruck expression.
Billie Jean's budget was $50,00, Beat It's budget was $300,00 and Thriller was $2 million.
2) Why was the video rejected by MTV?
They argued that it didn't suit their 'middle America' audience. MTV played mainly white rock music and didn't want to put a black person an air. Effectively Michael Jackson became the first ever black person to appear on MTV.
3) Applying Goodwin's theory of music video, how does Billie Jean reflect the genre characteristics of pop music video?
In Billie Jean, Michael Jackson wears high-fashion costume which is a characteristic of pop music video. He also incorporates many dance routines within the video alongside lip syncing, creating a performance styled video. However, this performance is also interwoven with a narrative that is reflected of the lyrics.
4) How do the visuals reflect the lyrics in Billie Jean?
It is based on 'groupies' and fan girls who claim that Michael himself or his brothers are the father of their babies. He had also read a story about a missing person which inspired aspects of the video. The lyrics about 'Billie Jean', a girl which cant be trusted is shown through the way her face is never actually revealed. She is rather referred to through the billboard, her name in the newspaper and the other figure within the bed.
5) Why does the video feature fewer close-up shots than in most pop videos?
The video focuses rather on his signature dance moves rather than close-ups.Utilising his ability to dance, it became moreof a focus than his face as his dancing made him iconic. Because this hadn't been seen onscreen in this way before, it was innovative idea that propelled him to the top.
6) What intertextual references can be found in the video?
There are intertextual references to 'Film Noir' in the form of the detective character who is following Michael Jackson throughout the music video. Michael Jackson himself is also an intertextual refernce to a romantic west end musical through his clothing and the narrative within the music video. We see him slant on lamp post looking into the sky with an almost love struck expression on hsi face which is almost typical of a musical.
7) How does the video use the notion of looking as a recurring motif?
The use of the detective following and watching Michael creates a a notion of lookingthroughout the music video. He tries to snap pictures of Michael, however he seems to be supernatural as he mystically disappears everytime the picture is almost snapped. He is also spied through a window by an old woman as he runs up the staircase of a motel. He then stands next to a sleeping figure within a bed, staring at her before climbing in.8) What representations can be found in the video?
Michael represents himself in a 'messiah-complex' as he is almost like a Jesus figure. In the beginning, he tosses a coin into the cup of a homeless man, it then starts glowing and he becomes clean, dressed in a white tuxedo. Everything he goes past or touches seems to light up; the steps on the pavement, the sign on the motel etc.
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.
The high key lighting used within the music video for Billie Jean can be interpreted as a intertextual reference to theatre musicals.
2) How does the video use narrative theory of equilibrium?
4) What is the significance of the freeze-frames and split-screen visual effects?
The freeze-frames are used to match the lyrics, giving the audience a visual representation of the lyrics on screen. An example is when there is a still image of a closeup on Michael’s eyes when he says “the eyes were like mine”. This is done to emphasise the lyrics within the song. The split-screen visual effects emphasise Michael’s dancing talent. It is almost like a compilation of the different moves he pulls off within that sequence of the video all at the same time.
The equilibrium is Michael Jackson being chased by the detective. The disequilibrium is the detective nearly capturing Michael in the house and taking the picture. The new equilibrium is the detective being caught by the police and Michael Jackson disappearing to an escape.
3) How are characters used to create narrative through binary opposition?
There is a binary opposition between the detective and Michael as i he is constantly following him and Michael seems to be inadvertently avoiding him. There is also a binary opposition with the homeless man represents the contrast between rich and poor.4) What is the significance of the freeze-frames and split-screen visual effects?
5) What meanings could the recurring motif of 'pictures-within-pictures' create for the audience?
Michael Jackson is never in any of the photos taken and this could be a reference to his personal life.
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?
It reinforces Hall's representation of being the performer who’s sole purpose is to entertain.
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 Billie Jean video follows Steve Neale's genre theory as within the video, it includes performance based visuals which was common. However, the difference was that Michael incorporated a narrative with a high budget. Modern music videos follow repetitions of conventions from the Billie Jean video through the way that they try to incorporate some kind of narrative within the videos and/or includes a focus on the performance. There are alot more visual effects to create a fast paced feel in modern music videos which in innovative from the Billie Jean video.
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?
Pastiche and bricolage can be found within the Billie Jean video as it includes themes from film noir and 50s musicals. The reference to film noir can be seen through the use of the detective character as he is dressed in a costume which would have been seen in the crime genre. The costume, actions and body language which Michael Jackson does is a reference to 50s musicals. He is dressed in vivid colours and can be seen leaning on a lampost with a seemingly lovestruck expression.
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