Representation of gender in music videos - Micro Elements

In today's lesson we have been discussing as a group different ways in which gender can be represented through music videos. the five key micro elements we decided on were;
1. Use of the body
2. Facial Expression
3. Mise-en-scene
4. The gaze
5. How the camera frames the body

We watched various videos such as  'Ayo Technology' by 50 Cent ft. Justin Timberlake, 'Cater 2 u' by Destiny's Child and also other A2 student's work.


In the music video 'Ayo Technology' 50 Cent and Justin Timberlake are both portrayed as the business man. They are suited and booted and throughout the video are always in control of what the women are doing. In parts of the video, Timbaland uses a screen and gloves to pick which girls he wants to see and more specifically which part of the girls body he wants to focus on. Another example of this matrix-like scenario is when Justin Timberlake uses his hands on the opposite side of the closed door to the girl, to control her actions e.g. when he moves his arms, she does too, but in a sexual way conforming to the idea behind the video. Their facial expressions suggest they are in control and they know what they want.

In the Destiny's Child song 'Cater 2 U' all three ladies use there bodies to attract the men without contact for the first half of the video. Instead of physical contact, the men are sitting, admiring the women, whilst each woman uses a different kind of way to express the idea of 'the homemaker' but in a much more sexualised way e.g. kelly Rowland moves her body across the car whilst singing how she can look after her man. The camera uses the women's assets to its advantage for the audience, and are forced to focus primarily on different parts of their bodies.

I have analysed my own music video and included these 5 key elements to see if it either uses or challenges these ideas.