For my music video analysis I have decided to analyze the video ‘Run the world’ by Beyoncé. The reasoning behind this is due to the fact it fits the genre I will be researching. Run the world is an R&B pop song, this would suggest Beyoncé would follow certain elements such as dance routines, lots of props, which the ‘Run the world’ video follows. The song is a female empowerment type of song like many of Beyoncé’s previous songs such as ‘Independent Women’ and ‘Single Ladies’.

The songs begins with what seems to be diegetic wind, this is where we get the first glimpse of the artist. Beyoncé is riding a black horse over an open, deserted plain with her back towards the camera. As the horse lifts off the ground, scenes of Knowles standing atop a ruined vehicle are shown, as she leads a large army of women. This is when the main beat kicks in.

The mise-en-scene and colors used in this particular video are black, browns, reds and creams

this complements the setting of a dusty deserted desert.

Additional scenery includes a large bull in the middle of the battleground and a large banner featuring an African themed drawing of Beyoncé. A lot of the props used are dirty and grimy. There is a contrast with the male and females costumes, the girls seem to be in the reds, oranges and yellows these colours are very bright and strong which links in with the lyrics that girls and strong and ‘run the world’. Beyoncé the lead artist is not dressed to perfection like she is in most of her other video’s. Her hair is messy and her make-up is dark, which complements the hard beats of the song and her surroundings of dirty cars, walls ect. At around 1:56 Beyoncé is presented in the dessert holding chained hyenas suggesting she is a strong female. Beyoncé has many costume changes during the video, all of which present her as a strong female. Although many of her costumes are provocative Laura Mulvey suggests this is the ‘male gaze’ also Andrew Goodwin suggests music videos need to have voyeuristic treatment of the female body.

There are many dance routines featured in this video, which is expected from the audience from a Beyoncé video. Beyoncé hired a dance duo from France. She also hired an Mozambican kwaito dance group who taught Beyoncé their traditional dancers which fits perfectly with the beats of the song and the setting which has a African feel to it. In most of the dancing Beyoncé uses the minimalistic approach. Many of the dances she uses focus on her legs, which Beyoncé is

well known for again this could be used for the male gaze. Beyoncé dances seductively towards the men.

The run the world video has major influences from Tina Turners 1979 film Mad Max and Janet Jacksons music video for ‘Rhythm Nation’.

The narrative of the video is pretty clear due to the name of the song Stuart Hall would suggest it is a Dominant or Preferred meaning. Beyoncé is known as a strong female role model. In many of her songs she follows this and creates songs and videos, which represents strong independent women. Run the world is a good example of this. When Beyoncé takes the males badge and places it on her self suggests she is strong. He movements and lyrics also suggest this. Armies of women are used to show that women should unite and become strong and independent and ‘Run the world’. Young girls can relate to this video and look up to the artist.

There are a lot of close ups on Beyoncé’s face creating her as the star image. This is expected in a Beyoncé video as she is a well-known artist. The close ups on her face reveal her strong facial expressions, which again tie in with the song and lyrics. The increasing number of female army represents what Beyoncé is trying to get across in her video.

The video would be aimed teenage girls. Many girls look up to Beyoncé as strong independent women. Due to these expectations Beyoncé creates videos that will portray her as this icon girls look up to. Although this is the case many males would look and indulge in Beyoncé’s videos as she is a attractive female she reveals a lot of her body in the video this links to Laura Mulveys ‘Male Gaze Theory’.

Beyoncé is representing all girls in this particular video. The males in this particular video look intimidated by the females they look pretty weak, as when Beyoncé jumps on them they fall feebly, due to the title of the song this is what the director would want to portray.