Michael Jackson - Billie Jean blog tasks

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, this is minuscule in comparison to his other music videos that released after; Beat it had a budget of $300,000 and Thriller was budgeted at $2 million

2) Why was the video rejected by MTV?

 MTV believed that the music video did not suit their audience demographic and did not suit what they had previously published in the past.

3) Applying Goodwin's theory of music video, how does Billie Jean reflect the genre characteristics of pop music video?
  • There are a few notions of looking within the music video, one when a picture is taken of MJ as the "detective" is trying to catch MJ and the part where the women on the billboard are looking at MJ 
  • Another characteristic would be the studio demands of having MJ dance and perform, his dancing was a signature trait of MJ during that period.
4) How do the visuals reflect the lyrics in Billie Jean?

 One instance MJ sings "eye like mine", the music video then almost freeze frames at MJ, reflecting the lyrics to the visuals
5) Why does the video feature fewer close-up shots than in most pop videos?

 MJ was known for his dance moves, for MJ getting shots of him dancing was arguably more important than getting close ups of MJ

6) What intertextual references can be found in the video?

 certain conventions of Film noir can be found within the music video, along with this the setting of the music video is very reminiscent of the Hollywood skyline, this could be a reference to the Hollywood entertainment industry 

7) How does the video use the notion of looking as a recurring motif?

 One instance would the Polaroid picture of MJ being taken just before the main antagonist attempts to grab MJ, another instance would be the part within the music video where two young ladies are looking at MJ from within a billboard

8) What representations can be found in the video?

 The major representation that can be said is within the music video is the idea that within the media famous black individuals are often misrepresented to be seen as the bad guy. It can also be said that MJ is actively trying to subvert the typical aggressive and savage nature of which black people are presented within the media to a normal representation.


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 costume of the main antagonist of the music video is wearing a film noir typical outfit, this creates a feeling of typical enigma codes that come with that genre. Another instance of a film noir genre being created is the the colour grading in the first instance of the music video, the start is entirely in black and white with splashes of grey, this is a stereotypical colour pallet of old noir films.

2) How does the video use narrative theory of equilibrium?

MJ not being chased around is the equilibrium, the detective chasing MJ is the disequilibrium, MJ fading away in the bed and the detective being arrested is the new equilibrium.

3) How are characters used to create narrative through binary opposition?

  • The most notable form of binary opposition would be good and evil, the good being MJ and the evil being the spy/detective
  • There is also a binary opposition between the rich and poor at the beginning that helps signify that MJ is a good guy

4) What is the significance of the freeze-frames and split-screen visual effects?

  • The freeze frames and split-screen visuals help give the idea of the effect of the paparazzi on celebrities, it also helps add meaning to the lyrics.

5) What meanings could the recurring motif of 'pictures-within-pictures' create for the audience?
  • The motif of "pictures within pictures" helps put empahsis on the fact that different persepctives exsist in most situations


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?

  • I believe that the video enforces theories of race and ethnicity e.g. MJ seems to almost feel lost in the music video, this reinforces Gilroys theory of diaspora

7) Does this video reflect Steve Neale's genre theory of 'repetition and difference'? Does it reflect other music videos or does it innovate?
  • As music videos (with this production quality) were quite uncommon when Billie Jean was made, it would be safe to assume that Billie Jean actually helped to create new conventions of music videos instead repeating old ones

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?

  • There are multiple forms of intertextuality within Billie Jean e.g. Pastiche is used as the crime noir genre has a serious emphasis throughout the music video.

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