Behind the Scenes

Lief, Craig

Undergraduate Honors Thesis

Behind the Scenes Public Deposited

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Citeable URL: https://scholar.colorado.edu/concern/undergraduate_honors_theses/hm50ts18m

Abstract

Abstract Behind the Scenes is a short film which begins with a stylized music video that leads into a meta look behind the scenes of the set of that video. The film will be a reflection of contemporary society as a whole, as well as a reflection of the many problematic aspects of the music video industry specifically, including the negative cultural representations music videos maintain about women, and the cultural appropriation of hip-hop/rap culture by white hip-hop artists. Furthermore, the film will concern the mistreatment of the women in these music videos--be it cast or crew. While many films have examined problematic representations of women in music videos, this film will expand upon these problematic representations by also including a critique of the treatment of music video dancers during casting and production, an analysis of the racial appropriation utilized in music videos, and will question the virtual absence of male homosexuality. The accompanying essay will include descriptions and analyses of films that contribute to the phenomena of hypersexualizing women. It will also consist of historical examples of problematic representations of women by the entertainment industry as a whole, leading up to and including those in contemporary music videos. Finally, the essay will review the technical aspects of the film, and discuss how the music video sequences and the behind-the-scenes sequences depict the problematic tropes present in music videos and their production processes, and how these tropes contribute to patriarchy and rape culture.

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