2. Rationale
• For my project, I want to make a piece of videography portraying the effects of sexual (emotional) abuse and harassment, as I want to
spread awareness to such an important topic, both to people who want to seek solidarity and help, and those who seek a better
understanding. I want my main medium to be video, as personally I believe video is the best way of portraying such a powerful narrative
and message. Video can convey emotions through audio, such as sound design and music, as well as visual and narrative representations.
I also want to make a video as this is where I have the most experience in, as well as the fact that I can tie in other mediums, such as print
and graphic design, as side pieces, like promotional material for my main project, which will emphasise the message and further spread
the word of my video. In terms of specific genre, I have come to the conclusion that I want to make an artistic film, which portrays a
narrative through both story and symbolic, metaphorical aspects. As the subject matter I am referring to is considered to be very in depth
and also personal to a lot of people, myself included, I feel like symbolism would be the best way to reach out to an audience. This
combined with narrative will help me add my own personal perspective, whilst also including a personal outlook for the audience.
Expanding on this, I would preferably like to include music in my video, making it into an artistry music video as I believe music can be
incredibly emotive, and provoke the feeling that I want my audience to experience, and can also enhance the narrative and themes
within the film. I wouldn’t want the music to be too overwhelming however and it must connect to my theme, as the subject matter is
the most significant aspect for my project, both from a personal and audience view.
• The reasoning behind choosing this subject matter is the fact that I believe women need more of a voice in the media industry to tell our
own stories, and that popular media such as film and TV can be incredibly useful for spreading awareness. Through the male gaze in
modern media and young, influential audiences, a lot of behaviours that shouldn’t be approved have become normalised, and even
romanticised. My main goal of this project and using such an important subject is to combat this normalisation, and to most importantly
give myself a voice to tell my own story, as well as many other peoples. Due to this normalisation, modern outlook on rape culture and
our current justice system, many women, myself included, don’t get true justice for their experiences and never get that closure, which
leads to prolonged trauma and isolation. I want to exhibit the art of recovery and my own story in order to not only provide solidarity for
my audience and help with the recovery, but also to represent my own feelings and emotions in a way that people can understand. This
will give my project a personal perspective that others may not be able to replicate, as well as provide comfort, awareness and education
to my audience which, due to being based of real events, will have that realistic portrayal that many (typically male directed) films miss.
3. Kesha Rose Sebert
• Kesha is a pop singer, mostly known for her viral song ‘TikTok’ in 2009. This song reached 16.5 million sales and she was highly successful,
living a life of perceived luxury. For most of her career Kesha was not taken seriously, and labelled as just another blonde pop singer, as
women, especially teen artists, usually are. Kesha was born in Los Angeles California, and around stardom from the moment she was
born. Her mother, Rosemary Patricia Sebert is a singer song writer, famous for working with Dolly Parton. Kesha had no father growing up
as Rosemary struggled as a single mother, raising both Kesha and her brother on her own. Despite her mothers partial fame, they relied
on food stamps and welfare, and struggled a lot financially. Upon moving to Tennessee in 1991, Kesha’s mother frequently brought her to
recording studios, where she noticed her vocal talent. Kesha struggled a lot in school, as she was often outcast for wearing home made
clothes and not fitting in with the conventional style. She was a gifted and hard working student, but despite going to college for 3
months, she chose to pursue a music career instead.
• Kesha initially signed on to Kemosabe Records in 2005 at age 18. This label features lots of well known artists, such as Zara Larsson and
Becky G. She relocated to Los Angeles, and worked on her music, even doing the background vocals for Paris Hilton in the song ‘Nothing
in This World’. In 2006, Kesha then went on to sign with DAS Communications Inc. with a deal that they’d take 20% of her income. She
was able to cowrite the pop single ‘This Love’ and worked with ltos of song writers and producers to gain knowledge in the industry,
while also working as a waitress. She used the iconic name ‘Ke$ha’ as an ironic statement towards her financial struggle. Despite the
reputation she gained as a typical pop star, she was incredibly hard working and motivated despite all her struggles and a definite
inspiration to many. However due to societal conventions, the majority of this was swept under the rug to give her a particular image,
one that dehumanised her and covered up her inspirational qualities.
• Before her breakthrough in 2011, Kesha featured on Flo Rider’s song ‘Right Round’ but was not credited and did earn any money for the
role. She also refused to be in the music video, as she told men’s magazine ‘Esquire’, as she wanted to make a name for herself and on
her own terms. In 2009 she attempted to sign a record deal with Atlantic Records but failed, alternatively signing with RCA records. Here
she began her rise to fame, and was given a juvenile stage persona that critics labelled as unsophisticated, relating back to the way she
was treated in school. Kesha was also very charitable, holding benefit concerts such as the one on June 10th 2010 for the victims of the
Tennessee floods. She also became an ambassador for animal rights and won the Wyler Award on March 23rd 2013.
4. • The pivotal point in Kesha’s career started in 2014, when she checked into rehab for Bulimia Nervosa. She wrote 14 songs in rehab as she
revealed to Teen Vogue in August 2014, and changed her stage name to her birthname, removing the ‘$’. This marked the moment where
she lost her quirky pop persona, and became the ‘real’ singer we know today. In October 14th, she sued producer Dr Luke for sexual
assault and battery, sexual harassment, gender violence and emotional abuse which occurred over the past 10 years. This was a
monumental moment and started the year and half long struggle.
• This was such an important moment, and the main reason I chose Kesha for my context research. Despite knowing it could threaten or
even ruin her career, she chose the route of justice and knew that even though the chances of him being convicted were unlikely, she still
wanted to make her point and fight against him. For a lot of women out there, this simply isn’t an option due to cost, fear and
uncertainty. Women in media such as journalism, film and music have an incredibly difficult time which often gets overlooked or
discredited, so for such a public figure to do this was truly monumental and inspired a whole generation of women to do the same.
• From October 2014 to April 2016, there were multiple trials between the two, and both lawsuits against him and countersuits against her.
Unfortunately, Dr Luke’s team had a lot of evidence, including a video of Kesha swearing under oath that he had never assaulted her in
2011. Kesha stated that these were false, and a result of fear, abuse and rape trauma. This is unfortunately very common in these types if
cases, and something I want to address in my project. Fear plays a huge part in why these women won’t come forward, especially in
celebrity cases where the man is very powerful. You feel like you have no control, and that’s what I want to demonstrate if possible. In
April 2016, the judge dismissed all her abuse claims, as the only evidenced crimes fall out of statute of limits.
• In August 2016 she dropped the claims, as they had been too much of a burden and stating that ‘this lawsuit has been so heavy on my
once free spirit’. This was reflected in her title song ‘Rainbow’ for the album ‘Rainbow’, which released on August 11th 2017. Before the
album, she released the single ‘Praying’ on July 6th 2017. This is considered to be her best song, and perfectly portrays the experiences
and emotions surrounding the lawsuit and Dr Luke. It’s incredibly powerful, and speaks out to so many women across the world. It’s
unfortunate truth that most women will experience some sort of harassment before even the age of 16, and 1 in 3 women will
experience violent sexual crimes and abuse in their lifetime. Upon releasing this single, Kesha memorialised her reputation as being one
of power and justice, not the young unsophisticated public figure she used to be.
• Despite being offered the release of contract from Dr Luke if she retracted her statements of abuse and rape allegations, she refused,
claiming that the truth was more important. This shows just how impactful this moment in her career was, and only solidifies her outlook
on her experiences and knowing her own worth.
5. • BBC - Mark Savage (2020) Kesha suffers setback in Dr Luke
defamation trial - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-
arts-51412420
• Kesha (2017) Kesha – Praying (Official Video) -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sd5dcjXzuGk
• Kesha (2017) Kesha – Rainbow (Official Video) -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sd5dcjXzuGk
• People Jeff Nelson (2016) Kesha Breaks Down in Tears as Judge
Orders She Will Not Be Released from Recording Contract: Dr.
Luke's 'End Game Is to Destroy Her,' Says Lawyer -
https://people.com/crime/kesha-trial-singer-breaks-down-in-tears-
at-dr-luke-hearing/
• Teen Vogue - Andrew Bevan (2014) New Cover Star Kesha Opens
Up About Conquering Her Eating Disorder and Being Stronger Than
Ever - https://www.teenvogue.com/gallery/kesha
• The Telegraph - Alice Vincent (2018) Kesha's comeback: a timeline
of her bitter legal feud with Sony and producer Dr Luke -
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/music/news/comeback-kesha-
timeline-bitter-legal-feud-sony-dr-luke/
• Wikipedia (2005-2020) Kesha - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kesha
• Wikipedia (2014-2017) Kesha vs Dr Luke -
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kesha_v._Dr._Luke
6. Taylor Alison Swift
• Taylor was born in West Riding, Pennsylvania on December 13th 1989. She didn’t come from any musical background, and both her
parents worked normal jobs. However, she was named after the singer song writer James Taylor. She became interested in music at age 9,
performing in Berks Youth Theatre Academy Productions. When travelling to New York City, she took vocal and acting lessons, but later
switched over to country music. She was inspired by Shania twain’s songs, and gave her a free spirit who just wanted to ‘daydream about
everything’. She would perform at festivals and gigs on weekends, before deciding to move to Nashville Tennessee in 2003 when she was
14. Initially she was rejected from Nashville record labels, but was offered a deal at RCA Records after being taught guitar and writing her
first song ‘Lucky You’. Her first album ‘Taylor Swift’ was released on October 24th 2006 after she’d switched over Big machine Records.
‘Taylor Swift’ peaked at number five on Billboard 200 albums chart in the United States, sold 2.75 million copies world wide as of August
2016. Though the industry originally disapproved of signing such a young girl to a record label, they were proved wrong by how Taylor
Swift tapped into a whole new market – teenage girls who were into country music. However, the criticisms wouldn’t end there.
• She released her second studio album ‘Fearless’ in 2003, which featured hit songs such as ‘Love Story’ and ‘You Belong With Me’ (a song
which has since been criticised for its internalised misogynistic views). This was the true start of her rise to fame, and led her to win many
awards, such as winning the Best Female Video at the MTV Music Video Awards in 2009. The well known rapper Kanye West interrupted
her speech which sparked a lot of controversy, and is known by the start of Swift’s battle with misogyny and sexism in the industry. Being
so young, it was a difficult moment as she reflects in her documentary, but it definitely shaped the person she’d become.
• On October 22nd 2012, Swift released the album ‘Red’, which became one of her most iconic albums, featuring ‘All Too Well’, which
became known as one of her best within her fanbase. She went on to win more awards, being named Best Female Country Artist at the
2012 music awards, and the Nashville Songwriters Association's Songwriter/Artist Award for the 6th consecutive year. During this time,
she had a short relationship with One Direction’s Harry Styles. This was unfortunately one of the starting points which lead to Taylor
Swift’s reputation as a ‘bitter ex girlfriend’, as the media claimed all her songs were about breakups. Though this was true, plenty of male
singer song writers did the same thing but weren’t criticised for it, highlighting just how Taylor Swift was targeted for her gender. It goes
along with the saying, ‘Teenage girls can’t be do anything without being mocked’ which is majorly true. Despite this, Taylor Swift went on
to record more albums and break records, and named Billboards ‘Woman of the Year’ in 2014.
7. • In August 2017, when Swift’s reputation for being ‘crazy’ was at it’s worst, she successfully sued David Mueller. He had sexually assaulted
her, groping her at an event 4 years earlier, and was fired from KYGO-FM. Due to being fired, he sued Taylor for lying and loss of
employment. In counter, she counter-sued him for only a dollar, making her point that to her and to many women the damage cannot be
undone by money, and that when it comes to assault cases, it’s near to worthless. She went more in depth about this in her Netflix
documentary, ‘Miss Americana’, stating how it was ‘an incredibly difficult moment in her life’. She won the case, as the jury ruled in favour
of Taylor Swift. After, she released ‘Look What You Made Me Do’. Unfortunately, this was received with more ridicule as a lot of people
didn’t understand the true meaning, but this didn’t stop her. Now, due to the release of the documentary, a lot more people know the
truth. She isn’t a ‘crazy ex’ stereotype, the only ‘crime’ she committed was having multiple relationships. When male celebrities do the
same, but because she was a young woman in public eye she was shamed for it. As society progresses, Swift has gained a lot more
respect but that doesn’t undo the years of shaming and difficulties she faced. Despite everything, she’s still going strong.
• In 2019, she released her album ‘Lover’, which featured the song ‘You Need To Calm Down’, a very political statement regarding the
current election going on in Tennessee. Swift is a strong believer in feminism and left wing politics. She released this song despite her
company telling her not to, as it would spark controversy and involving herself in politics could ruin her career, like it did with Dixie Chicks
in 2003. However, Swift believed the message was too unimportant to ignore, she she got involved anyway. Due to different societal
norms and a more progressive outlook, she received more support than criticism and began to be more respected as an actual public
figure, leaving her ‘crazy ex girlfriend’ reputation behind her.
• In 2019, she became involved in another controversy with Scooter Braun about the masters of her old songs. She wanted to buy the
masters, especially since a lot of her old songs were so personal to her, such as ‘All Too Well’, but Braun refused unless she agreed to take
back statements regarding how he was ‘manipulative’ and a ‘bully’. This is just another text book case of a man in power using it to get
what he wants, taking control away from women in creative industries. Taylor Swift refused, believing outing his behaviour was more
important, and was for subsequence, not allowed to perform her older songs anymore. This was resolved, but she still decided to
rerecord her old songs in order to have full rights, and for Braun not to be able to profit off her anymore.
• Taylor Swift has faced countless cases of misogyny, sexism and harassment through her career, and shamed for the simplest things that
men wouldn’t even think twice about. Her career shows the harsh reality for women both in celebrity and normal outlooks. However, she
is a success story, and has shown growth and strength that reflects the progressive society we live in. Her ‘redemption’ gives hope to
young women, and provides inspiration that some day misogyny won’t be so widely tolerated. Even Swift herself has grown, reflecting on
her old songs and showing remorse in their messages of internalised misogyny.
8. • Wikipedia (2003-2020) Taylor Swift -
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taylor_Swift
• Netflix (2020) Miss Americana -
https://www.netflix.com/title/81028336
• RollingStone - Brittany Spanos (2019) Taylor Swift vs. Scooter Braun
and Scott Borchetta: What the Hell Happened? -
https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/taylor-swift-
scooter-braun-scott-borchetta-explainer-853424/
• The Guardian - Grady Smith (2015) Is country music ready to
forgive the Dixie Chicks? -
https://www.theguardian.com/music/2015/nov/19/the-dixie-
chicks-tour-is-country-music-ready-to-forgive
• Cavendish Square Publishing - Kelly Spence (2016) Taylor Swift -
https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/Taylor_Swift/PpRmDwAA
QBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=0
• Billboard (2006-2020) Taylor Swift -
https://www.billboard.com/music/taylor-swift
9. The Me Too Movement – History
• The Me Too Movement is big inspiration for what I want my project to represent, as as a woman in the current society I believe it has a
very significant meaning, and has been swept under the rug multiple times. The movement was started in 2006 by Tarana Burke, and
used as a way of consolidation and solidarity among women who have experienced sexual harassment and/or violence. This was
incredibly important and sparked multiple women to speak out on their traumas and shared experiences, bringing to light assault in a
way that hadn’t been done before. The use of social media, specifically MySpace at the time, furthered the reach, and caused
international empowerment and empathy in large numbers.
• However, it wasn’t until the 2017 accusations against Harvey Weinstein (convicted in 2020) that it became as widespread and iconic as it
is today. It became a hashtag, #MeToo, which the actor Alyssa Milano used in the statement ‘If all women who have been sexually
harassed or assaulted wrote ‘Me Too’ as a status, we might give people a sense of the magnitude of the problem.’ on October 15th 2017.
This was received by a large amount of people and women all around the world began telling their stories, including many high profile
celebrities such as Gwenyth Paltrow and Jennifer Lawrence. The immense amount of people using the phrase, even in other languages,
exposed a staggering amount of cases and sickening numbers, especially in Hollywood.
• Unfortunately, the movement was tainted by false reports and doubts against women, which led to the media widely criticising #MeToo
despite it’s important message. Only 2-10% of cases are false, and that’s not taking into account the vast majority of cases that go
unreported. In Japan, an estimated only 4% of women report rape. In France, 40% of people who make a sexual harassment claim are
fired, whereas the accused are not looked into at all. Many women are embarrassed, ashamed and afraid no one will believe them, not to
mention convictions and trials can worsen trauma. The #MeToo movement was initially made to help relieve some of this by providing
belief and solidarity, and though not as popular as it used to me, it’s still incredibly inspiring for women. I want to use the same motive
and ideologies in my FMP, proving consolidation and support, reaching out to women like me and providing something we can all relate
to. My hope is to represent these issues, and bring to light that just because #MeToo isn’t trending anymore, that doesn’t mean the issue
has been solved. Though Harvey Weinstein, the spark in the movement, has been convicted, only 0.5% of perpetrators get punished in
assault cases and the fight for women's rights in work places and the justice system is far from over, hence why I want to use this
opportunity to create a project that encourages empowerment and raises awareness.
10. • As the Me Too movement became more popular and widespread, artists and musicians used their platforms to also help spread
awareness. Though sometimes not intentional, this resulted in some powerful ‘anthems’, and helped further normalise the fight against
sexual assault and harassment. These songs helped provide more consolation for victims, and gave them a voice when they felt like they
didn’t have one. I want to use the imagery created by them as inspiration for the message I want to provide.
• Fletcher (2018) I Believe You – This song is considered to be one of the most explicit empowerment anthem, it doesn’t hold anything
back and states the truth instead of using censorship or sugar-coating. The lyrics talk about how life is for a woman, specifically in the
work place, using such lyrics as ‘it can help your career but at what cost?’, and providing relatable experiences like ‘it’s the text in the
middle of the night you didn’t ask for’, providing solidarity to women with any experience/trauma. It’s an incredibly emotive song and
represents what I want my FMP to. I want to inspire the same feeling that I Believe You does, as my main aim is to provide empowerment
and tell my own story through whatever medium best fits.
• The Weeknd (2016) In The Night – In The Night is an incredibly clever song written from a male perspective, and provides a different
message to everyone who listens. From one perspective, primarily male, the song can be taken to be about a stripper/prostitute, and
depending on their character they can take this as shaming or a simple narrative. However, from another perspective one may uncover
the deeper meaning. The song is about a girl who has been forced into prostitution/stripping and sexually abused, and doesn’t have
another choice. The lyrics in the second verse ‘She was young and she was forced to be a woman’ are incredibly impactful, and means
that she was barely a child when she was forced into this job against her will. The main lyrics in the chorus are ‘I don’t think you
understand’, which is a call out to people who don’t listen to the song properly, as they take it to mean she's a ‘whore’ or ‘slut’, instead of
a victim. Upon realising the true meaning, the lyrics become incredibly powerful and emotional to those listening, especially women who
have similarly been led to believe that it’s her fault. The fact that this song is from a male singer also helps a lot with solidarity, as it’s one
thing feeling empathy from a woman but empathy from a man gives a deeper feeling of safety and understanding. What I love most
about In The Night is the double meaning, as it represents what I want to do exactly. I want to use my project as a similar tool, and
portray a narrative or ideology with a double meaning that only some may pick up on, as I want to represent the divide in awareness
between primarily men and women, as well as raising awareness and empowerment.
The Me Too Movement – Music
11. • Charlotte Lawrence (2018) Everybody Loves You – Perhaps the most heart wrenching song to come out of the #MeToo movement,
Everybody Loves You captivates the feeling of shame and doubt perfectly, one that unfortunately almost all women can relate to no
matter their specific situation. The lyrics read like a story, and feel like their almost your words. The pre chorus represents the feeling that
the #MeToo movement are trying to diminish, stating ‘Try not to talk about it, I’m too mad, I’m too late, I’m too gentle. It’s too hard to
explain, I’m not helpful.’ These are all things women are commonly told by peers, police and media surrounding assault cases. They are
often described as hysterical or emotional and not taken seriously, but when not angry they are doubted for it as they’re too gentle. It’s
such a difficult situation, and explains perfectly why most cases go unreported. The chorus itself is even more heart wrenching, ‘It’s my
body and it hates you, why does everybody love you?’ which portrays the deflated feeling of seeing your abuser walk free, reputation
and job in tact, as if you meant nothing and there’s nothing you can do about, due to fear or doubt. So many women have reported
relating to this song, stating that it helped them feel brave enough for confrontation knowing others experience what they’ve been
through, while also just providing comfort for women who know they’ll never get justice.
• Kate Vogal (2020) The Truth – Similar to Everybody Loves You, this song portrays the struggle of not being able to get justice from the
one who hurt you, whether that was harassment or assault. ‘What the hell am I supposed to do when no one wants to hear the truth?’
really shows the feeling of being confused and unsure, and acknowledges the doubts women have with reporting the abuser. The justice
system is notorious for not convicting in these cases, so all the money and trauma is for nothing, and there’s no other option that to just
let them walk free. It’s an awful feeling whether it was harassment or worse, and the song relates to a lot of women. The lyric ‘He swears
he’d never do something so cruel’ so frustratingly accurate to real cases, and links themes of the argument ‘it will ruin his life’ if he’s
convicted, as unfortunately most perpetrators are victimised themselves, labelled as ‘sweet’ and ‘kind’, which either excuses or denies
them from facing consequences of their actions. The pain of that situation after what you’ve been through is unimaginable, as no one will
know the truth but you, and he gets to go on as a nice sweet guy. The song captures it perfectly, and like the others provides solidarity to
women facing the same thing, as if to say ‘you’re not alone, I believe you’.
• Dua Lipa (2020) Boys Will be Boys – This song released in 2020 primarily revolved around cat calling culture and street harassment,
which though different from other songs which feel more personal, it’s still very important in the fight for #MeToo. The main lyrics, ‘Boys
will be boys, but girls will be women’ explains the situation perfectly. Men are commonly excused from sexual harassment and assault in
both private and public settings with the excuse ‘boys will be boys’, but the added lyric ‘girls will be women’ shows the unfair standards,
and how normalised it is for young girls to be forced to grow up fast to deal with unwanted touches or comments. The song also includes
the lyric ‘if you’re offended by this song, you’re clearly doing something wrong.’ which calls out the media and anti #MeToo propaganda
on twitter and over social medias.
12. • The song also states how ‘It’s all on TV’, which again reiterates how normalised and excused this behaviour is. It sparks change for this,
which is something I strongly agree with and want to incorporate into my FMP. Normalisation of such behaviours can be detrimental to
both both men and women, as well as further corrupting the justice system.
• As the years go on and society is slowly changing and becoming more equal and accepting, more and more of these songs are being
released and more women are beginning to come forward. Furthermore the movement itself led to a lot of progress in sectors all around
the world, ranging from Hollywood and film to Churches and Medicine. Seeing how the efforts of social media and artists changed the
way we see women in work places and in general was incredibly inspirational to me, and was a key reasoning in why I want to make my
FMP with similar themes and morals.
• Due to the Me Too movement, non disclosure agreements regarding sexual harassment have been banned. This was one of the accused
biggest weapons in trials, such as in the Harvey Weinstein cases. Sourced from the Los Angeles Times, Zelda Perkins (Weinsteins former
secretary) was forced to sign a nondisclosure which meant she couldn’t even tell family that he exposed himself to her multiple times,
and forcing her to take dictation when he bathed. She was silenced for almost 20 years. It’s an awful thought that before 2018 men could
buy and sell women’s silence on misconduct, but with the movement and others joining it pushing forward, this is proof it will improve
the safety of women in work. This story, though frustrating, is powerful, and wants me to make my FMP something that gives others,
particularly women in this situation a voice through compassion and imagery. This also proves that such powerful movements with
ideologies such as me too can provide the world of difference for women all around the world and in different sectors of work.
• In January 2018, The Times Up Legal Defence Fund was launched, and raised over $24 million to help people in crisis. Brittany Hoyos was
a woman who received help from the fund. She had been a victim of unwanted advances from a co-worker at only 16, and upon rejection
he played the victim which got her fired. The story effected me personally as I have been in a very similar situation, and to hear that this
woman was given the help she need through the effects of such a powerful movement is so inspiring to me, and makes me want to
produce something that will make a difference in a similar way. I want to represent the feeling of helplessness and guilt in that situation
that has been so overlooked by society. Emotional harassment can be just as damaging, and it’s so important to be to provide an
understanding an explanation of what it’s like, to help bring awareness to this issue which is commonly disregarded.
The Me Too Movement – Effects/Justification
13.
14. • Billboard – Patrick Crowley (2018) FLETCHER Shares #MeToo-Inspired Track 'I Believe You' With Poignant Open Letter: 'I'm Listening, We
All Are’ - https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/8236612/fletcher-new-song-i-believe-you-me-too-open-letter
• Charlotte Lawrence (2018) Charlotte Lawrence – Everybody Loves You - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dxwuzioSgJI
• Dua Lipa (2020) Dua Lipa - Boys Will Be Boys (Official Lyrics Video) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0QWX2M7W7M
• Fletcher (2018) I Believe You (AUDIO) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PfXZieB7zEg
• Kate Vogal (2020) The Truth - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ekNXsgG7oc
• New York Times – Melena Ryzik (2019) In a Test of Their Power, #MeToo’s Legal Forces Take On McDonald’s -
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/21/business/mcdonalds-female-employees-sexual-harassment.html
• NME – Tobi Ackingbade (2020) Dua Lipa’s new song ‘Boys Will Be Boys’ tackles sexual harassment and “avoiding confrontation from men”
- https://www.nme.com/news/music/dua-lipas-new-song-boys-will-be-boys-tackles-sexual-harassment-and-avoiding-confrontation-from-
men-2633501
• Ones To Watch – Anna Scholfield (2018) Charlotte Lawrence’s Debut EP ‘Young’ Will Make You Cry in Your Car -
https://www.onestowatch.com/blog/charlotte-lawrences-debut-ep-young-will-make
• SMF (2019) The Weeknd’s “In the Night” Lyrics Meaning - https://www.songmeaningsandfacts.com/the-weeknds-in-the-night-lyrics-
meaning/
• Springer International Publishing – Bianca Fileborn, Rachel Loney-Howes (2019) #MeToo and the Politics of Social Change -
https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/MeToo_and_the_Politics_of_Social_Change/JgywDwAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=0
• The Weeknd (2016) The Weeknd – In The Night (Official Audio) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9CbQl98JEbE
• Vox – Anna North (2019) 7 positive changes that have come from the #MeToo movement -
https://www.vox.com/identities/2019/10/4/20852639/me-too-movement-sexual-harassment-law-2019
• Wikipedia (2017-2020) Me Too - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Me_Too_movement
15. Bombshell (2019) – The Film
• Bombshell, released in 2019, is a film surrounding the story of 3 women who stood up against their boss for sexual harassment and
assault. The film is based on a real life event, and planning begun in 2017 after the man it was based on’s death, Roger Ailes, the former
FOX News CEO. It was released limitedly in the USA on the 13th of December, before being distrusted globally by Lionsgate. Though the
box office sales were seen as disappointing, the film was received well by critics. However, on social media it received a lot of hate for
being ‘too feminist’ as media like this usually is. However, despite this ‘lash back’, the film proved to be inspirational for women in the
same shoes as the characters, and sparked a lot of cases to go to trial. Though the film may not have done the best financially, it set out
what it meant to do – tell a story and inspire – which is why it provides perfect context for how I want my FMP to be.
• After Roger Ailes death, Annapurna Pictures announced on May 18th 2017 that it was making a film about the alleged accusations
against him by multiple female employees, including the main characters Megyn Kelly and Gretchen Carlson. Jay Roach was the director,
and it was written by Charles Randolph. It peaked the medias interest that a film so centred around female empowerment was written
and directed by men, which caused some disgruntlement towards the film despite not even being in production yet. However, due to
budget worries Lionsgate took over the film once Annapura Pictures dropped out. The film had the working title of Fair and Balanced
before becoming Bombshell in August 2019, and Megyn Kelly stated that she had no involvement in the film. Filming began on October
22nd, and it was filmed in Los Angeles California, a well known hub of harassment and assault cases.
• The film grossed $61.4 million worldwide. This was seen as disappointing for the studio, but understandable as it had competition with
other documentaries and films surrounding the topic of Ailes’ accusations. Forbes stated that this could also be due to the fact women
would not want to ‘shell out movie theatre money and time to watch a film about women being treated terribly by powerful men’.
Though I understand this reasoning, I believe quite the opposite. As a woman with experiences with harassment/assault myself, I found
the film incredibly emotive and inspiring, and have watched it a number of times. Though it is a difficult watch, seeing the women stand
up for themselves no matter what is incredibly empowering. Though Roger Ailes didn’t exactly get punished in the end, he did lose his job
and had his name/reputation tainted, and despite knowing this would likely be the outcome, Kelly and Gretchen refused to be silenced.
That’s an incredibly important message, that your voice is worth more than any job or reputation, and it’s one I want to convey with my
project. ‘I will not be silenced’ is the most important ideology to me, and though some may see it as controversial, it’s a significant aspect
to the context behind what I want to eventually create, one way or another.
16. Bombshell (2019) – The Background
• In July 2016, Gretchen Carlson sued Roger Ailes as she had been demoted and let go from her work placement after reported a case of
sexual harassment. This is unfortunately incredibly common all over the world, as from a company’s point of view, firing a single person is
easier than looking into the alleged harasser, especially if they are in a high up position like Ailes. Carlson settled for $20 million and an
apology. In that particular business it’s understandable why she took the money instead of ‘justice’, as women win only 2% of cases, and
that’s out of only the ones that are actually sent to trial, the majority get dismissed beforehand.
• Due to this lawsuit, many more women spoke out about Ailes, whether publicly or anonymously. According to the New York Times, a
dozen women stated that very experienced some form of sexual harassment or intimidation at Fox News, and even more women
reported to have witnessing it. It’s no secret that Journalism is a very tricky business for women, especially on TV as they are purposefully
sexualised for the male audience, resulting in women being more at risk to harassment or unwanted comments in a work place. The film
itself touches on this, showing how the men in the company would openly talk about their female co workers bodies without hesitation,
or how women are expected to go through a cruel and very intrusive ‘examination’ to move up the ranks. The film perfectly
demonstrated the sad reality of what women will experience in the work place, especially in media, and what myself will undoubtedly
someday deal with too. Most women in high up positions will have to deal with constant remarks on their body, appearance, how they
‘slept their way up’, and sometimes sexual assault and violence from their bosses. Men in power use that position and power over
vulnerable young woman in a disgusting way, stating that they can only have the job if they do certain things. Men in work are given jobs
because of their skills, 54% of women report feeling like they were given a job because of how they look or what they are forced to do,
and experience constant harassment at work.
• In the film bombshell, a character is offered her dream job. The man interviewing her makes a lot of unwanted advances but shuts them
down, even feeling the need to apologise as she ‘lead him on’ by being nice. When the man is rejected, she loses the job opportunity, just
proving that not only are women, and rightfully so, afraid to reject men, but that these men take advantage of their situation for sex or
relationships. Even more worrying, men often think that women are lucky because of this. ‘They can get whatever they want so easily’. A
woman should never have to give herself up in anyway for a job, and it’s certainly not easy or lucky that this is an almost guaranteed
aspect of our life and future career. This is why films like bombshell and my FMP will be so important, to represent our perspective to
those who could never truly understand it.
17. • The second leading woman in the Roger Ailes case was Megyn
Kelly. She was a fox news host from 2004-2017, working many
different notable cases and making a name for herself. She hosted
her own section named ‘Kelly’s Court’, and focused mostly on legal
and political happenings when reporting.
• In November 2016, Kelly opened up in her book ‘Settle For More’
about how Fox news’ Roger Ailes had made unwanted advances on
her multiple times over her career, and ‘inappropriate sexually
charged comments’. She also stated that he eventually tried to
physically assault her by trying to ‘grab [her] repeatedly’ and ‘kiss
[her] on the lips’. Though at the time she didn’t speak to the press,
these comments in her memoir were enough to fuel the
allegations, though Roger denied them.
• Roger was given a deal to resign from Fox News in July 2016 and
died a year later, which meant he never was and never truly will be
punished for his crimes despite Kelly and all the other women’s
best efforts. Both Kelly and Gretchen lost their jobs due to the case,
but Megyn was able to get another job at NBC news. As of now, she
is is launching her own media company.
• Kelly is an inspiration to all women who have experienced both
emotional and sexual harassment, and I want to embody her
ideologies and what she represents in my FMP. Similar to
Bombshell, I want to tell a hard to watch but important story,
portraying in a narrative what it’s like to be a woman in today’s
society, where harassment and sexism is so normalised.
18. • Wikipedia (2019) Bombshell - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bombshell_(2019_film)
• Independent – Clemence Michallon (2020) Bombshell: The Real Story Behind Oscar-nominated film starring Charlize Theron -
https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/news/bombshell-true-story-roger-ailes-fox-news-charlize-theron-
megyn-kelly-a9287661.html
• The Guardian – Molly Redden (2016) Roger Ailes accused of harrasment by at least 20 women, attornys say -
https://www.theguardian.com/media/2016/jul/21/roger-ailes-sexual-harassment-accusations-fox-news
• Vox – Emily Crockett (2016) Here are the women who have publicly accused Roger Ailes of sexual harassment -
https://www.vox.com/2016/8/15/12416662/roger-ailes-fox-sexual-harassment-women-list
• VanityFair – Alisyn Camerota (2019) “FIRST, YOU HAVE TO DO THESE THINGS I SAY”: INSIDE ROGER AILES’S TWISTED GAME OF
MIND CONTROL - https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2019/12/inside-roger-ailes-twisted-game-of-mind-control-fox-news-
bombshell-movie
• NPR – Yuki Noguchi (2017) Sexual Harassment Cases Often Rejected By Courts -
https://www.npr.org/2017/11/28/565743374/sexual-harassment-cases-often-rejected-by-courts
• Harper Collins – Megyn Kelly (2016) Settle For More -
https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/Settle_for_More/rlHpDAEACAAJ?hl=en
19. How the Demonisation of Rejection in Media Translates to Reality
• One of the main issues with common media like films, TV, social media posts etc. is how they’re made to appeal towards the male gaze,
especially surrounding more male orientated genres like comic books or science fiction. Even though these genres have tried to become
more appealing to a female audience in recent years, this just creates an entire new problem of how to incorporate strong female
characters without giving them a companion complex or making them fit just the ‘love interest’ type. A lot of studios believe all they
need to do is include a woman who is ‘perfect’ in terms of intelligence and strength to appeal to a feminist view, but this is completely
unbalanced and gives no room for character development. It also makes the character come across as almost a token rather than an
immersive person, and completely ruins the point women are trying to make.
• Another issue that comes along with incorporating female characters is the fact that they are often cast aside as the love interest, given
no actual development other than appealing to a male lead, and often compromise their own choices and centre their entire life around
him. Unfortunately this isn’t specific to only male targeted genres and happens across widespread common media, even those directed
towards women. This causes dangerous expectations for reality, as people who grow up on these films can fall victim or further these
harmful stereotypes and expectations for women themselves. A common example of this is social media.
• Through ‘memes’ and jokes on the internet, the idea of ‘the friendzone’ has been a common tool used to hurt both men and women. All
these jokes just further the idea that all men want from woman is a relationship rather than friendship, which in some cases happens to
be true. This leads to women feeling afraid and vulnerable to form platonic relationships with men in-case they demand more, and can
cause them to feel like they’re not enough as their friendship isn’t seen as desirable, only their love and/or body is. There is also a great
sense of self love spread using social media, which though is a positive movement, it can be used in a negative light. An example of this is
someone complaining about getting rejected in a post or comment under a sad song, and people offering consolation by saying ‘they
were too good for you anyway’, despite knowing nothing of the situation. This enables possessive and predatory behaviour, leading the
one rejected to believe that they in fact were too good for them and because of that their love interest owes them something in return,
even though no one owes you a relationship or justification behind their rejection. No means no in any context, but social media implies
that being told no makes you a victim. In some cases this can hurt the love interest even more, especially by people on social media
tracking them down and harassing them, asking questions they have no right asking and making the person in question feel awful just for
practising their right of choice. I myself have experienced this extreme behaviour, which is why this topic is so important to me.
20. • CBS (2007-2019) The Big Bang Theory - The Big Bang Theory has caused a lot of controversy throughout its 12 year run time. The show
originally aired on CBS in 2007, featuring the 5 main cast members, Leonard (Johnny Galecki), Sheldon (Jim Parsons), Raj (Kunal Nayaar),
Howard (Simon Helberg) and Penny (Kaley Cuoco. Penny was the only girl in the original cast, and her entire story arcs revolved around
Leonard, her designated love interest. The show is very heavily directed towards a male audience and plays into a lot of both racist and
sexist stereotypes, leading critics to react harshly to the show. However, despite this, by the 2019 the four main cast members were being
paid over $1m per episode. Though the show can definitely be praised for some of it’s comedic values, a lot of its jokes and plot lines
come from misogyny, and the female characters are very obviously there to act as props for the 4 main male cast.
• The first major red flag in The Big Bang Theory is often considered to be Penny and Leonard’s relationship. Throughout the first few
seasons they are very on and off, and their dynamic is portrayed to be very one sided. Leonard is extremely insecure in the relationship
due to Penny being conventionally attractive and him not so, and takes it out on her almost every other episode. It’s exhausting to watch
and paints an bad image of what a relationship should look like. He is constantly berating her for who she talks to, how she dresses and
often gets jealous despite the fact he’s the one that ends up cheating on her (which is completely overlooked). It’s due to the fact that
he’s ‘geeky’ and ‘non-threatening’ that he gets away with this behaviour, which most would describe as abusive. It’s also an ongoing joke
throughout the TV show that Leonard had to ‘wear her down’ in order to get her to be with him, which is an awful message to be sending
out to impressionable viewers. Everyone has the right to rejection and he shouldn’t have persisted and made her uncomfortable
numerous times just because he felt owed to more than a friendship with her, and he definitely shouldn’t have interfered with her other
relationships to make himself the only option. It’s selfish and manipulative behaviour but The Big Bang Theory presents it in a positive
light, as it shows ‘how much he loves her’. The people that think this clearly never stopped to think about whether she loved him.
• Similarly to this, another critical point is the entire character of Howard Wallowitz. Similarly to Leonard, he is portrayed as dorky and
lovable, like he could do no wrong. However, he is extremely creepy towards women, both friends and strangers, constantly making
unwanted advances and sexual remarks. The one time he is called out for it by Penny, the other characters berate her for being ‘mean
and cruel’ as Howard is ‘sensitive and doesn’t know any better’. She is made to feel bad for feeling uncomfortable around him and forced
to apologise. When she does this, he takes the apology to mean something more and attempts to kiss him ,pretty much summing up his
entire character. He also encourages another character Amy to agree to go out with her co-worker in order to not hurt her feelings,
despite the fact she claims the male friend makes her uncomfortable multiple times, and has a boyfriend at the time. In the end, the co-
worker only agrees to back off because she’s with someone, not because she said no, showing how people tend to respect the partner
they’ve never met over a woman they consider a friend. Pop Culture detective on YouTube puts it perfectly, ‘On television men’s feelings
and bruised egos are nearly always depicted as more important than women’s comfort or women’s safety’.
21. • One Direction – 2011-2013 Discography - Though One Direction is one of the most popular boyband’s in the world, a lot of fans are in
agreement that a lot of their older songs are problematic lyrically. The group were pushed into the archetype of, like The Big Bang Theory,
lonely, unpopular ‘nerds’ almost, playing the nice guy who would treat girls well instead of their ‘jock boyfriends’. At the time this trope
was commonly accepted, but in hindsight not only is this trend demeaning of women’s right to a choice, it’s also sexist towards men who
happen to be more conventionally attractive, claiming that all men who are like that don’t respect women or are bad people all round,
when usually it’s the opposite. This was also when the term ‘r/niceguy’ became a thing, which refers to men who belittle women because
they won’t date them, but pose themselves as innocent and lonely for attention and/or sympathy. Though some recognise now that
misogynistic lyrics like these are not okay, there’s still a lot of sexism in the music industry and the ideas surrounding these songs still very
much exist. Though they’re ‘just songs’, they can easily influence real situations, which can cause a variety of harm.
• One Direction (2012) I Would – I Would is one of their most popular older songs due to its quick beat and good melody, but upon looking
at the lyrics it’s obvious that the song is out dated. In the chorus, the singer’s perspective claims that his love interest’s boyfriend doesn’t
treat her well, despite knowing nothing about their relationship, and says that he’d treat her better; ‘Would he say he’s in the L-O-V-E?
Well if it was me then I would.’ This not only shows his self entitlement, it’s possessive and creepy towards this woman who’s clearly not
interested. The second pre-chorus is just as bad, stating ‘Feels like I'm constantly playing a game that I'm destined to lose, cause I can't
compete with your boyfriend, he's got 27 tattoos’. This plays into the idea that women are a prize to win or compete with other men for
as if they don’t get their own say, and the 27 tattoos remark also again plays into that harmful male stereotype of conventionally
attractive or physically ‘scary’ men can’t treat women right. Overall though the tune makes this a good song, the lyrics make it almost
impossible to listen to and really aided the normalisation of the nice guy and ‘friendzone trope’, which I want to undo with my project.
• One Direction (2012) Still The One – This song associates less with the idea of the ‘nice guy’ trope, but still romanticises persistence,
toxicity and force over women. The song revolves around a man coming back to a woman the song suggests her left broken hearted, and
demanding that she gives him a second chance despite the fact she doesn’t want him, ‘you say to everybody that you hate me’, and that
he will never give up even though she’s moved on. The singer’s perspective becomes even more persistent, the lyrics reading ‘girl just tell
me what I want to hear’. Though it’s just a lyric, it projects the idea that she owes him a relationship and that he wants control over her
again. It’s desperate and sending an awful message, but because the song also talks about how torn up he is, that’s overlooked and again
like The Big Bang Theory, he’s seen as the victim. It’s like when a woman says no during public proposals, everyone immediately sees her
as a bad guy despite the fact she has every right to say no, and he shouldn’t have done a grand public gesture unless he was certain as it
puts her in a position where she’s forced to say yes. I want my project to highlight the behind the scenes of this, and how these
controlling situations can effect someone and ways people don’t even think about.
22. • The main reason I chose to centre my project around the theme of Feminism, misogyny and the #MeToo movement is because of this
idea surrounding the friendzone, and that a lot of men believe women owe them a relationship. Though the roles can obviously be
reversed, my experience revolves around a man. It’s something that deeply effected me, providing in trauma in a way that’s difficult to
describe. This behaviour is so normalised that most people don’t see the issue, which leads to a feeling of guilt and imposter syndrome,
making the experience even worse. Due to what I’ve experienced this past year and my enlightenment to the issues surrounding themes
like persistence and rejection, I want to create something that will tell a narrative and bring light to it in a way I haven’t seen before. I
want to portray a message that emotional abuse and harassment are an issue too and shouldn’t be overlooked or even glorified by shows
such as The Big Bang Theory for the sake of a man’s ego. Rejection doesn’t equal a victim, but harassment and emotional blackmail do.
• In terms of context, personal experience as a young woman in today’s society is definitely the biggest impact. I am very passionate about
this subject, and feel a strong sense of importance to make something with such an overlooked context, using existing media both for and
against my beliefs as inspiration to create a project. The influences we’re raised around and situations we deal with almost daily purely
because of our gender is something I’ve always struggled to accept, and by watching films such as Bombshell or looking into the #MeToo
movement I feel a sense of empowerment in my self and solidarity, whereas media and situations like The Big Bang Theory make me
want speak out against it, and I want to translate that into a piece of media for my FMP.
• Byre (2020) Lemons – This song, though released recently, has become a major anthem for women all around the world, make famous
through a demo released on tiktok and then produced into a full song on the 23rd of April 2020 and I believe it promotes extremely
similar themes as to what I want my project to also promote. The first verse addresses the idea that persistence shouldn’t be rewarded
with a sarcastic remark, ‘ I wish I could give you the attention that you ordered but I just don’t have the energy’, which completely goes
against other pop songs which centre around the theme of someone being ‘the one’ and ‘never letting them go’. It also addresses the
idea that some men can’t take no for an answer using the lyrics ‘You saw me as your toy, now that I’m not you throw a tantrum’, which
can be used by women as solidarity for similar situations. In the second verse, considered the most powerful, Byre addresses the control
abusers try to have over their victims, and how we should stand up against that; ‘You tried to knock me over by acting like you're above
me, and pretending that I don't have a voice. And I don't wanna encourage your abusive behaviour, but I just can't let you win I'm
legitimately tired of being walked all over by these insecure babies who think that they're men. It perfectly captures the feeling and
conflict of wanting to let go of the situation and move on, but also wanting that closure and justice for what they did to you. It’s a song
that I relate strongly with, and it’s one of the biggest inspirations as to why I want to create my project with these themes. Like the singer,
I don’t want to let them win, and this project could help with closure in a sense as well as portraying an important message.
23.
24. • Byre (2020) Brye - LEMONS [Official Lyric Video] - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iO2Bh6AJ7dM
• CBS/Netflix (2007-2009) The Big Bang Theory - https://www.netflix.com/title/70143830
• Flare – Meghan Collie (2017) Unpopular Opinion: The Big Bang Theory Seriously Sucks - https://www.flare.com/tv-movies/big-bang-
theory-sexist/
• Instagram (2018) niceguysig - https://www.instagram.com/niceguysig/?hl=en
• Jonah Green (2017) The "Friend Zone" Doesn't Exist, You Just Suck - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJOvr-b6PoM
• Lindy (2019) The “Friendzone” Doesn’t Exist - https://pricelindy.medium.com/the-friendzone-doesnt-exist-33ce35d4f0cb
• Looper – Lea Van Der Merwe (2020) The creepiest thing Howard ever did on The Big Bang Theory - https://www.looper.com/188734/the-
creepiest-thing-howard-ever-did-on-the-big-bang-theory/
• Lulu – Vernon Wildy Jr ( 2011) Nice Guys Finish Last -
https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/Nice_Guys_Finish_Last/lxViAwAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=0
• One Direction (2012) One Direction - I Would (Audio) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hvtG1_SKe_s
• One Direction (2012) One Direction - Still The One (Audio) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NU8IC5RJcM
• Pop Culture Detective (2017) The Adorkable Misogyny of The Big Bang Theory - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X3-hOigoxHs
• Screenrant – Ben Sherlock (2019) The Big Bang Theory: 20 Things About Howard Wolowitz We All Choose To Ignore -
https://screenrant.com/big-bang-theory-howard-wolowitz-biggest-problems/
• Twitter (2020) JMZunigaAuthor - https://twitter.com/JMZunigaAuthor/status/1271164750211084289
