Friday, 10 July 2015

Shake it Off - Taylor Swift Textual analysis

Since we have decided to recreate Taylor Swift's music video - Shake it Off, I am creating a textual analysis of it.
The song falls into the POP genre and the video contains many aspects that you would expect to find in a video of this genre, such as bright colours, many different sets and shots of the artist.


The video shows Taylor, dancing with many different social groups of people, purposely going against the style that they are performing in. This emphasises the message of the song which is that it is important to be yourself and just do your own thing without worrying about fitting in.  Each group is an archetype of a stereotype you find in a predominately American society, however it is still relatable for people of other nationalities.


The wide shots used throughout highlight how accepting each group is of Taylor's individuality, reinforcing the message of accepting who you are, and who others are. In terms of  Hall's Reception theory I would say most viewers would fall into the dominant or hegemonic reader category (as the message is clearly displayed through the bright costumes and sets, suggesting we should be happy with who we are) and fully agree with the moral. However, as the message is so obvious and widely agreeable, it may in fact have the effect of creating passive consumers who simply agree and give no greater thought to the issue of conformity, which is such a pressing matter in society today, (particularly to teens). This idea is supported by the hypodermic needle theory, which suggests that consumers are constantly, subconsciously fed messages by the media in a passive manner.
Image result for shake it off
For this kind of video one would struggle to find an oppositional (non- hegemonic) audience as most people agree with the message, however someone who's social situation puts them in direct opposition to the dominant code may take a non- hegemonic view.  For example a person who has found themselves a social outcast throughout their childhood or school life may feel bitter about Taylor's positive attitude to being non conformist as they feel it is unrealistic.






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