3. Perspective
• Hollywood and most film making studios are dominated primarily by men, with a director ratio of 68 men to 1 woman. 83% of female
directors from the top 1200 films of 2007-2018 were only credited with one film, whereas men averaged at 54% only credited with one
film. Despite the growing modern society, the percentage of female directors compared to men has not changed in 12 years. Of the top
100 films in 2018, 3% of the directors were women. Furthermore, only 17% of executive positions in film company are held by women.
These statistics really put the film making world into perspective, and this can cause imbalance in the films produced, and the topics they
cover. As said by Ian Kunsey in Representations of Women in Popular Film (2018), “The inadequacies of Critical Mass theory suggest the
need for women in Hollywood goes far beyond simple representation. Diversity in filmmaking also diversifies the type of stories told”.
Typically, women have very different experiences to men, and can portray experiences and imagery on screen that though some male
directors have accomplished, they often miss a mark and don’t represent the feelings in a way women audiences can relate to.
• It’s often very obvious when a show has female directors as feminist themes like empowerment and difficult subjects such as rape, abuse
etc. are presented in an accurate and realistic manner. Though this can sometimes make these media more difficult to consume, factual
representation of such topics are incredibly important, especially for men to understand what they typically and hopefully never will
experience. An example of this is Unbelievable (2019) which was primarily directed by Susannah Grant and Lisa Cholodenko. It’s also
found that these stories of empowerment and/or enlightenment often stem from personal experience, which adds a personal level that a
male director usually couldn’t replicate. This occurs not just in film, but in different types of media like music ‘Praying – Kesha (2017)’, ‘I
Believe You – Fletcher (2018)’ and other forms such as dance or artistry films ‘To a Broken Image (2020)’.
• Through my research I have gathered that a female perspective is important in the film industry as it’s something that’s not yet
commonly explored, and can add a new level of personal detail to any sort of media, which is something I want to use in my music
video/short film. I will use the process of translating feminist views and personal experience exhibited in female directed films as well as
using the opposition of male director films as a guide on how I want to create my short film, as I hope to accomplish a similar to feel to
what well credited female directors did, such as Susannah Grant, and expand upon ideas that male directors could not quite grasp. I
intend to research further into camera work and cinematography styles that incorporate poetic cinema so I can tie in the emotions and
empowerment that come for ma female perspective with a compelling narrative in the form of visual artistry combined with emotive
music, which I will also look into in order to explore all possible angles.
4. The Female vs Male Gaze
• The Male Gaze is the feminist theory of depicting women from a heterosexual man’s perspective in different form of arts, such as
literature, film and photography. It is the act of portraying women as sexual objects in order to appeal to a male audience, providing their
entire character personality/arch to be based on their relation to their male counterpart or appearance and sexual nature. Feminists
adopted this term as an umbrella term for sexualisation and objectification of women in media, and to bring light to the overwhelming
amount of female characters that serve only has sexual objects rather than representation. This can be typically seen in comic book and
sci-fi films that are targeted towards men, as the hero tends to have a female love interest who’s main role is to be smart, sexy and the
ideal woman rather than have a story or flaws of her own. The concept of the male gaze originally appeared in Laura Mulvey in her 1975
essay, Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema.
• Despite film makers and studios bettering their representation of women and diverse characters, the male gaze is still very apparent in
present releases and is often accepted by society due to the fact objectification of women is historical, and overlooked due to this
normalisation. One of the most common examples is the Marvel Cinematic Universe (2008 to present) and Marvel Studios. Female
superheroes are often praised by a male audience for their looks and sex appeal rather than the character itself, and marvel takes this to
the next level by using their only female superhero in Avenges (2011) as a reel to bring in male audiences. Black Widow is portrayed as
being smart, powerful and sexy, with her only plot line in the film being to aid her future love interest, Bruce Banner. She wears a skin
tight latex suit, clearly designed to show off her curves rather than practicality in a battle field. Though that’s not to say women can’t be
in depth and dress in a sexual way at the same time, it becomes an issue when their sexual nature becomes their entire personality.
• In cinema, it’s important to find a balance between portraying women accurately and avoiding a term known as ‘slut shaming’, while also
not making a character who is victim to the male gaze. This is where the female gaze comes in. In Hollywood and across multiple studios
female directors are working hard to reject to societal norms of sexualising their female cast by writing compelling characters and stories
for their female case. An example of this is Moira Beckett’s ‘Anne With An E’ (2017-2019), which though stays historically accurate to the
time period and doesn’t try the ‘forced feminism’ tactic (like the all female scene in Avengers: Endgame (2019) which had no set up or
point), it still successfully empowers women and shows a balance that can be obtained through keeping love in the story while also not
making that love their character’s entire journey. The main character Anne is shown to have a brilliant and complex mind, but she is not
without flaws and she isn’t designed to appeal to men, which makes her that much more immersive and personified.
5. Finding a Balance
• Though it’s important to add a female perspective and especially incorporate feminism into main stream media, ‘forced feminism’ can be
just as damaging as sexism itself. The idea of feminism in media is to portray women accurately, as equals to men who are neither
stronger not better than them, however some pieces of media whether through traditional means or through social media take this too
far, which gives the entire movement a bad name. It also still plays into the idea of objectifying and dehumanising women, as instead of
being objectified sexually, they are objectified through being ‘too perfect’, again repeating the idea of no personality. It can also lead to
internalised misogyny, which can be seen commonly in women and known as the ‘not like other girls’ phase.
• ‘Not Like Other Girls’ is the female equivalent to the ‘Nice Guy’ attitude. The idea that a woman’s special because she don’t follow the
stereotypes, like wearing dresses or liking pink, is sexist in itself towards women that do enjoy these things, and makes them out to be
lesser women because of it. It’s like saying that because a woman doesn’t act like a typical man, for example: eating a lot, wearing
trousers, liking sports, they are to be shamed and mocked. The women that practice this ideology tend to be those that participate in
‘slut shaming’ and victim blaming, which just creates a whole new issue in terms of women represented in media. Arya Stark from ‘Game
of Thrones’ (2011-2019) is praised as a female role model, however she is shown to shame other women in the show: ‘Tywin: Aren't
most girls interested in the pretty maidens from the songs? Jonquil flowers in her hair? Arya: Most girls are idiots.’ There is nothing wrong
with women liking flowers, and by promoting the idea that women have to be masculine in order to be seen as an actual person in media
we are achieving the opposite of what feminism is meant to represent. A feminine women deserves the same rights as any other, and
feminists who play into the ‘not like other girls’ trope are damaging the reputation. This also goes for those who say they hate men, and
trended ‘#killallmen’ on twitter in 2019. The term feminism is meant to incorporate a balance, and it’s important to find a balance
between empowerment and shaming of other women or men, as that will just bring more disagreement rather than representation.
• It’s important for me to bear this all in mind when creating my short film. Though I want it to have feminist themes and a strong sense of
female empowerment, I want to make sure that it doesn’t fall into the shaming category of ‘feminism’ or come across as ‘man hating’
towards the audience. I want to represent the fear of being in an unbalanced power situation and under the hold of male abuse, while
also portraying a realistic representation of a real life situation. To accomplish this I will do the opposite of the tropes above and
represent femininity and strength as one, and I want to incorporate love to convey the message that a woman can have romance and be
empowered. Though my character will use love from another as an aid in her troubles, I want to convey the message that he merely
aided her in healing herself, rather than doing it for her, as to not take away form the overall meaning of the film.
6. • Book – Bloomsbury Publishing - Hilary Neroni (2016) Feminist Film Theory and Cleo form 5 to 7
• TV Show – HBO (2011-2019) Game of Thrones
• Academic Paper – Ian, Kunsey (2018) Representations of Women in Popular Film: A Study of Gender Inequality in 2018 -
https://www.elon.edu/u/academics/communications/journal/wp-content/uploads/sites/153/2019/12/03-Kunsey.pdf
• Film – Marvel Studios/Disney (2009-Present) Marvel Cinematic Universe – Avengers/Avengers: Endgame
• TV Show – Netlfix (2017-2019) Anne With An E
• TV Show – Netflix (2019) Unbelievable
• Video – Sydney Film Festival (2020) The Female Gaze: A Conversation With Three of Australia’s Leading Women Screenwriters -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OECaBbrTYHc
• Website – The Conversation - Andy, Simmons (2016) Explainer: what does the ‘male gaze’ mean, and what about a female gaze? -
https://theconversation.com/explainer-what-does-the-male-gaze-mean-and-what-about-a-female-gaze-52486
• Newspaper – The Guardian - Gwendolyn, Smith (2020) Like a natural woman: how the female gaze is finally bringing real life to the screen -
https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2020/feb/22/the-female-gaze-brings-a-welcome-touch-of-reality-to-art
• Website – Tvtropes (References 2021) Not Like Other Girls - https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/NotLikeOtherGirls
• Magazine – Variety - Randee, Dawn (2020) Filmmakers Work to Reframe the ‘Male Gaze’ - https://variety.com/2020/film/spotlight/nina-menkes-oscar-
1203476456/
• Website – Womenandhollywood.com (2018) Statistics – Women Onscreen - https://womenandhollywood.com/resources/statistics/2018-
statistics/#:~:text=There%20were%20704%20individual%20or,54%25%20of%20their%20male%20peers.
Bibliography
8. The CW (2013-2017) Reign – Acts of War (Season 2, Ep. 9, 2014)
• Reign is a show surrounding the trials and growth of Mary Queen of Scots (portrayed by Adelaide Kane) in 16th century France.
Though the show overall can be seen as very empowering, the show also portrays a darker side to reality of being a woman in the
medieval ages, which is the main focus of Season 2, episode 9: Acts of War. Queen Mary is attacked and raped during a seige on the
castle, which was seen as a controversial story line by many. Due to the fact she is a queen, she must not show any weakness to
uphold her image, and walks out in front of her subjects mere hours later which results in an very powerful scene, showing her
taking back her control. Though the show handles the subject very well and portrays a realistic reaction and healing process, it also
really shows the strength women must have in order to move forward after such devastating trauma. My short film will have similar
themes of healing in terms of harassment and abuse, which is why this scene and episode in whole will be a key part of my research.
I will research into and use the features the CW and writers, both female: Laurie McCarthy and Stephanie Sengupta, used to
replicate the emotions this episode produced, as a primary point of my short film is to produce empathy, understanding and power.
• The last 10 minutes of this episode, after the assault has taken place, is the pivotal moment I want to focus on in terms of theme. An
aspect that really stood out to me in this episode is when Queen Mary and Catherine De Medidici (portrayed by Megan Follows) find
consolidation in one another, replicating the ideas that the #MeToo movement stands for, such as finding support in one another
and finding the confidence to begin the healing process. Catherine also experienced assaults when she was younger, so she knows
how to get through to Mary and inspires her to face her court in a powerful scene. During the assault, Mary’s hands clinging for
safety are focused on mostly throughout, and then this motif is carried on but twisted in a more hopeful light throughout the
episode. In a touching moment, Catherine reaches out her hand and Mary holds it, finding the confidence to be touched again. As
shown in the screenshots to the right, the scenes parallel each other, and represent the themes of overcoming and finding yourself
again after such a dehumanising experience. I wish to use a similar parallel in my short film, using the idea of hands to represent my
character’s control. In the start of the short film she could have marks, almost like shackles, but by the end they will have faded,
perhaps with the help of either someone close or another survivor. I wish to portray a narrative subtly through specific focus and
frames of shots, in order to show my character’s experiences and emotions rather than tell.
• Branching out more on the production of these scenes, lighting plays a huge part on setting the mood and emotions for each pivotal
section. During the assault, the setting is very dim. There is only one or two lights, but they are constantly blocked out by her
attackers, foreshadowing the event that’s about to unfold. There are a couple of moments where it looks like she’ll escape, and in
these the light comes back, specifically on her, as if to lure the viewer into a false sense of safety with warm hues and her powerful
presence in the frame. However, once it becomes obvious what’s happening, the camera cuts to Mary’s hands, feet and face with
very low light, as if the represent her struggle without being explicit. Upon meeting with Catherine, the scene is lit with one source
of light, casting a dim glow positioned behind Mary. Her character cowers in the side of the frame, portraying her fear and ‘internal
light’ as being low, artistically portraying the emotions and fears surrounding how we feel in these types of situations to the viewer,
adding to the overall emotion and ambiance to the scene. Then, in contrast to both the previous scene, Mary enters a room of light
after talking to Catherine. She walks with power and purpose, really portraying the idea of beginning to overcome the trauma. She is
centre frame with Catherine just to the side, clearly showing that she has taken back control. For the rest of episode she is
presented in bright lighting, which just gives the scene that feel of strength and empowerment despite the controversial events she
just experienced. The lighting and framing technique is something I definitely want to incorporate into my short film, using it to
convey the idea that throughout my short film my character gains back her confidence and ‘fire in her eyes’ just like Mary did, as the
feeling of empowerment and emotion are overwhelming in ‘Acts of War’, which is a feeling I want to express too.
9. The CW (2013-2017) Reign – Acts of War (Season 2, Ep. 9, 2014)
• Queen Mary is one of the most interesting characters I’ve come across in modern media. She doesn’t fall victim to the male gaze
and is a very complex and thought out female protagonist, and one that will be a big inspiration when creating my main character.
She is seen as having realistic character development instead of being a ‘perfect mary sue’ right from the start. One aspect of her
that I find most interesting is this development, and how as the story progresses she seems to lose her innocent child like demener
and grow into a powerful queen. Though it is sad to the viewer to see the once sweet Mary fall victim to the harsh realities of French
court in the 16th century, it provides a realistic insight into the life of a woman, even a powerful one, in those times which
unfortunately is still very relevant today. Though society has progressed a lot, women are still objectified and not taken seriously
daily. One of the most powerful quotes from Mary comes in one of the final episodes, where she states ‘The only crime that I have
committed is that I am a woman, a woman who wears a crown’ to John Knox (portrayed by Jonathon Goad) who retorts ‘Men will
never bow to the weaker sex’. In a powerful moment, Mary responds with ‘And they will suffer greatly for it’. This is a moment that
stands out to me as the idea of women in power is still incredibly relevant today, and Mary as a character stands for equality in
positions like Government and Business for both men and women. Her overcoming of her assault is also an incredibly moving arc of
her story, as it really shows her change from a sweet, almost pushover to a powerful queen who knows what she wants and gets it,
such as the line from 3x17, ‘I am Mary Queen of Scots and I have come for my throne’. Mary is a perfect balance between
empowerment and realism in media, and I will use similar character formulation techniques such as her change of expressions and
tone of voice (she becomes more assertive as the show progresses) with my protagonist to gain the same effect.
• A major interest point for me is the costumes and settings throughout the episode ‘Acts of War’. Costume design is often criticised
in Reign for being inaccurate to the time period, but in terms of poetry and representation they really aid the narrative. Throughout
the first few seasons before the assault takes place, Mary is often depicted in white. She is dressed in white during all pivotal plot
points, such as her first arrival and engagement to Sebastian ‘Bash’ de Poitiers (portrayed by Torrence Coombs), as well as all
throughout ‘Acts of War’. This associates her with youth and innocence, which she typically portrays before the assault. Even during,
she is dressed in a simple white nightgown whereas the men are in knights uniforms of large armour plates, showing a contrast
between the helpless Mary and foreboding male attackers. This also twists the idea of ‘knight in shining armour’ which is important
representation into the idea that sometimes men that seem the safest or kindest are actually the most dangerous. After, however,
Mary’s style changes dramatically. She appears in court in a large black and gold gown, wearing her crown instead of a flowers as
depicted before. This change in costume signifies her attitude change, and is an important representation of taking her power back.
She looks fierce and assertive instead of innocent like before, and represents the concept of gaining back control from a traumatic
experience that almost all women have experienced at least once in their life, which just adds to the emotive power of the scene.
The setting holds similar connotations. Similar to the lighting and camera work, the setting changes over the course of the episode
which represents the themes of the episode. At the start, she is in a garden with natural light, surrounded by green and a typically
peaceful location. As the assault gets closer, the settings change into darker, more enclosed spaces. The fact that the actual assault
occurred in her bed chambers, a place where we all feel our safest, shows just how inescapable these types of traumas can be, and
again signifies the loss of control. A lot of my short film will focus on my house and bedroom ,which similarly to Mary is my ‘safe
place’, so again portray how inescapable these situations are and the sense of having no escape. However, in the final ‘taking
control’ scene, she is in an open room with lots of light. This reflects the same themes of the outside setting from the start of the
episode but with a different atmosphere, as though she is in the open the light is no longer natural. I would like my short film to
have a similar end with an open space, but this would perhaps be in the dark or around sunset to provide the message that though
the healing process is not over, it has begun, just like the final scene of ‘Acts of War’ did.
10. The CW (2013-2017) Reign – Acts of War (Season 2, Ep. 9, 2014)
• The audio for the last 10 minutes of ‘Acts of War’ is the key aspect to the emotion created by these scene. During the assault, the
audio is muffled and slowed, with a reverb reflect the sense of loss, confusion and lack of control that comes from trauma towards
the viewer. It gives the scene a realistic atmosphere, which is important when it comes to handling such a difficult subject. The
writers did a good job of incorporating a heavy but in important event, as they made it realistic but not overly explicit, and emotive
but not too much of a statement rather than a piece of narrative. Mary’s cries and slow breathing are difficult to hear, but they give
an accurate portrayal of how it feels to be in a similar situation, whether that’s through abuse, harasment or assault. Accuracy is
important to me as my piece will be a narration of personal experience, and the audio use in Acts of War is a perfect example of
how to do this correctly. However, it’s important to balance this portrayal with empowerment, and the CW nails this with audio
effects and speech alongside an emotive backing track. A fanfare is played which lets the viewer know this next scene is important,
before the song ‘Take Control’ (Kodaline 2014) starts playing as Mary makes her entrance. The lyrics read: ‘Take control of who you
are. Stay the same, don't let them change you .Take control of who you are, ‘cause ain't nobody going to save you.’ These lyrics
alongside the slow melody of the song cause a feeling of understanding with Mary, as if you know exactly what she’s feeling. The
song choices plays really well with the idea of strength and finding herself again. Once she sits upon her throne, the song switches to
the instrumental and Mary gives her speech. The narration is incredibly powerful, and the close up of her face portrays perfectly the
conflict inside her of fear and determination, which must be credited to both the directors and actor. Though I will most likely not
use speech in my film, the facial expressions and power it emits is something I will reflect in my piece, as it’s one of the best
examples of the fight between wanting justice and being afraid in modern media that can be related to by most women.
• The audience reaction to this scene was quite mixed, as expected from such a controversial episode. Though casual viewers thought
Reign went ‘too far’, loyal fans describe the it as ‘such a good episode but so heartbreaking’, one viewer commenting that ‘It was
good that they showed the aftermath - Mary dealing with what had just happened to her - the fear, the not wanting to be touched,
the feeling broken. They didn't used to show that part in shows - making it seem like not as big a deal as it was.’ (via Youtube
comments - Vaudree Lavallee 2019). A lot of viewers, though finding it hard to watch, did appreciate how the show runners handled
the topic and the sense of strength they felt from Mary in the final scene, which is something I’ll bare in mind when I create my
short film. One viewer commented that ‘this is the most powerful scene in television history’, which enforces the importance of
balancing healing with trauma in media. Originally my idea was to just portray the pain from similar experiences, however as I’ve
looked into more powerful feminist media I’ve developed my idea into a narrative of a healing process and recovery while still
addressing the trauma, just like Reign did. The episode overall received a rating of 8.3/10 stars on IMDB despite the initial backlash,
securing the fact that such topics can be appealing to an audience if handled well and not made unrealistic or romanticised.
• Reign is a show I discovered this past year, and even upon first watching I knew it would have significant impact on my project,
specifically 2x09. The feminist themes are so powerful throughout the season while also portraying women as vulnerable, which is
difficult to accomplish and rare to see in TV shows, this could be due to the lack of female film makers as discussed earlier, as I
believe one of the reasons Reign is so successful from a female perspective is the fact both the writers are female. Regarding Acts of
War, show runner Laura McCarthy stated ‘And I love her [Mary’s] strength, but I also feel that the heart of this show really lies in
how much power they have and how vulnerable they are.’ which I believe summarises it perfectly. Strong female characters are
important, but representation of the fact women can be both strong and vulnerable is incredibly important. It aids the fight against
victim blaming, and suggests just how important awareness surrounding this topic is as even the most powerful women, even the
queen, can become a survivor of trauma and abuse, and that’s something I wish to reflect in my project, using Reign as inspiration.
11. The CW (2013-2017) Reign – Acts of War (Season 2, Ep. 9) – Bibliography
• Article – EW - Tierney, Bricker (2014) Whoa, Did the CW's Most Disturbing Scene Ever Go Too Far? -
https://www.eonline.com/uk/news/603778/woah-did-the-cw-s-most-disturbing-scene-ever-go-too-
far#:~:text=In%20the%20CW%20hit's%20episode,that%20was%20difficult%20to%20watch
• Website – IMDB (2014) Acts of War - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4151670/
• Streaming Service – Netflix (2014) Reign
• TV Show – The CW (2013-2017) Reign 2x09 ‘Acts of War’
• Website – Tunefind (2014) Season 2 · E9 · Acts of War - https://www.tunefind.com/show/reign/season-2/20381
• Social Media – Twitter (Accessed 2021) Reign 2x09 - https://twitter.com/search?q=reign%202x09&src=typed_query
• Video – Youtube - Anna, M (2018) happiness is the one thing we queens can never have. -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8cvl3S0Aw9g&t=18s
• Comment – Youtube - Lord Phoenix (2016) Mary and Catherine scene [Reign 2x09] – Andy Esoimeme (2020) ‘I'm in tears. This is the most
powerful scene in television history’ - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pq441_D-0uk
• Music – Youtube - ReignMusic (2014) 2x09 - Kodaline - Take Control - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dPX0To-iGdQ
• Video – Youtube - TheTrophyMuncher/Vaudree, Lavallee (2019) Reign Season 2 Episode 9 - 'Acts of War' Reaction -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ejL5t6kaDnU
• Website – Wikipedia (Accessed 2021) Reign (TV series) - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reign_(TV_series)
12. Netflix (2019) Unbelievable – Limited Series
• Unbelievable follows Marie Adler (portrayed by Kaitlyn Dever), a young woman who was assaulted in her apartment complex and
her story with dealing with the justice system, and the subsequent trauma and healing process. Though in the end her attacker is
caught, the pain she went through during the process of finding him is questioned throughout the series of being worth it, reflecting
themes commonly associated with the #MeToo movement rather than feminism. Though empowerment can be represented
through TV by showing a ‘resolution’, like Reign, Unbelievable handles to darker, and typically more realistic, side of the subject.
Marie is doubted, shamed and relentlessly attacked throughout the series which is an unfortunate reflection of medern society and
the justice system views on cases of assault. A quote from the series in episode 7, ‘If the truth is inconvenient, they don’t believe you’
will feel very personal to a lot of women, and ties into themes from my context research to do with being overlooked by a jury or
silenced. Unbelievable is based off of a true story, similar to my short film, which means it provides valuable insight on translating a
real example into a compelling narrative. Though the artist style of my video will be different, the techniques can still be used.
• The main consistent theme in Unbelievable is the conflict between justice and silence. Despite being encouraged by her foster
mother (Elizabeth Marvel) to come forward, the tone shifts from hopeful to devastating as Marie is treated like a suspect herself,
and thrust into public spotlight where she is shamed, disbelieved or written off as she wanted to do something ‘that would get her
the attention she needs’ (Parker 1x01). This is a common misconception in assault and harrasment cases, where a woman is accused
of merely wanting attention or the abuser is sympathised with or excused. Only an estimated average 23% of cases get reported,
and only 1.7% of those get convicted. Women have to go through a lot when reporting any incident of assault or harrasment,
including interegation, rape kits, personal invasion by media, shame, doubt etc. and the odds don’t make it worth it in the eyes of a
lot of women. Typically, a lot of men don’t realise this especially when arguing that most women make it up, when in actual fact an
estimated 1% of reported cases are false. Unbelievable handles heavy themes in an informative way while also carrying a compelling
narrative, which is incredibly important in educating those who are unlikely to experience a survivor’s side of the story. I want to
achieve a similar goal with my short film and help portray the feeling of shame, guilt and loss of control that abuse and harrasment
victims feel, which is why Unbelievable is a helpful piece of media to research.
• From a production perspective, a very obvious tactic is the consistent cold hue throughout the series, primarily episode 1. It gives off
an eerie, desaturated atmosphere and reflects what Marie states in an interview, ‘I used to wake up happy’, when talking about how
the event effected her. The lack of warm colours throughout the majority of the scene reflects the warmth taken from her life, and
how the events that unfold with the show change and manipulate that. During the assault, the lighting is very dark, with the little
colour being tinted in blue. Paralleling this, the scenes of her police interview and at the hospital continue the colour scheme just in
a lighter setting, show casing that though the actual event is over, the reminiscence of it are still there, and continue to remain there
for the majority of her time with the police. Similar to unbelievable, I picture my short film having a similar blue tint throughout the
‘trauma scenes’, which would contrast a warmer tone for positive flashbacks and memories. I have also considered having my film
almost black and white in the start and gradually become more and more saturated as my protagonist heals, which would represent
my character’s emotions in a similar way to Unbelievable’s colouring. In the assault scene, it’s cleverly shot from her perspective
during flashback sequences, which literally put the viewer in her shoes. Though this is an incredibly explicit way of showing the
assault, it accomplishes the showrunner’s goal of telling an emotive narrative and enlightening people to the experience and what
so many women have been through. Furthermore, consistency throughout the series is close up shots of Marie. In the majority of
scenes with her, the camera focuses on her face instead of her body. This not only subverts expectations from the male gaze, it also
conveys the sense of intimidation that she feels to the audience, and is a technique I want to look further into for my short film.
13. Netflix (2019) Unbelievable – Limited Series
• The characters in Unbelievable, though based on a true story, seem to be more representations rather than people. Marie, the
protagonist, represents the idea of belittlement and loss of control throughout the justice system. She is a voice for all the women
who are too afraid to come forward, as well as an example of why they are afraid. She spends the series fighting for her right to
justice, while also battling her inner doubts and shame. She is the perfect personification of how it feels to be in a situation where
you have no control and no hope of justice and closure, and it’s incredibly heart wrenching and moving to watch, especially from
someone who’s had similar experiences. At the end of the series, episode 8, she visits Parker one last time, demanding an apology,
stating in a powerful scene ‘even I know, when you mess up, you apologise. When you mess up so bad, when your one stupid mistake
ruins a person’s entire life, you apologise more’. This particular point in her character arc holds the meaning it does because most
survivors never get an apology. Not from the abuser, not from the justice system, they just have to accept it and move on. Even
when apologies are made, most of the time they are forced. The fact that Marie could get one in the end almost feels like an
apology to women who didn’t get the justice they deserved, which is another reason Marie feels like a representation. This sense of
mass relation and empathy is something I want my protagonist to reflect too, as though my short film will be a narrative based off a
true story, I know that it’s a true story for so many other women out there too. A character in Unbelievable I also take inspiration
from is the men as a collective. The majority of the men portrayed in Unbelievable are cruel towards the female victims, as they are
doubted and shamed by the lead male detectives, though it’s important to note that women are shown to doubt Marie and the
other survivors too. A way the portrayal is done effectively is throughout the series male authoritive figures are always shown to be
looking down on the camera, showing them as being above Marie and the other victims and conveying the fact they have control
over the women. Even though their job roles as police are meant to make them ‘safe’, they are shown as intimidating which
perfectly portrays how it feels to be around older, authoritive men with a clear power unbalance after a traumatic experience.
Similar to my female lead, the male lead in my short film will also be a concept, representing all the toxicity surrounding abuse and
harasment in the world. Though I want to make it clear that I’m not grouping all men under the label of ‘abusive’, as the story is
personal this will be represented by a male figure, similarly to Unbelievable’s representation.
• Location and costume, though not the main focus of the series, also play a vital role in the overall tone of the series. Throughout all
8 episodes, Marie wears very dull and neutral coloured clothes. This not only plays into the desaturated and blue colour scheme
throughout, but represents the idea that she herself wants to blend and not stand out, which a lot of women can relate to after a
similar experience. Women are often victim blamed for certain situations, like being told they ‘led men on’ or were ‘asking for it’ by
how they dress, so it makes sense that Marie would cover up and wear clothes that don’t stand out, especially when sleeping as
that’s when she was assaulted. The men are often portrayed as the opposite, in suit, ties and uniforms, proudly showing off their
status or position. These outfits not only contrast the representation of women blending in, but show that these men have authority
and control in every scene, which reflects the overall tone of the series. Locations are also a significant part of the imagery,
especially when combined with weather. A consistent setting choice throughout is large, white walls. This occurs in the hospital,
police station and apartment, all places in which the protagonist associates with the trauma. These walls make it almost seem like a
prison or an asylum, linking into the theme of her being doubted and not taken seriously, even being reffered to as ‘crazy and
attention seeking’. When the setting does change, it changes quite dramatically. During the scene where she contemplates suicide
at the end of episode one, the lighting is warm, contrasting the majority of cold scenes, which could represent how she sees the
escape as suicide as the ‘best option’. Furthermore the weather is significant in the fact that when she enters the therapist’s office in
episode 7 it is raining, however when she leaves the sun is out for one of the first times in the entire series. I intend to use location
and costume in a similar way, to portray a similar message as Unbelievable, but through using artistic imagery instead of narrative.
14. Netflix (2019) Unbelievable – Limited Series
• Audio plays a vital part in creating an eerie sense of unrest throughout the series. Unlike Reign, Unbelievable uses actual music
sparingly and doesn’t use lyrics, instead focusing on sound effects and distortion to create emotion and disturbance. First of all,
when Marie becomes overwhelmed, it’s demonstrated effectively by zooming in on her face, focusing on expression while causing
sound to become muffled, such as the example to the right where Parker is speaking. When using this technique, the background
music also becomes louder which replicates the feeling of panic as sounds get louder but harder to hear due to distortion. It
increases the viewers heartrate and causes them to feel overwhelmed alongside her. The show also occasionally adds sound effects
with an increased volume and reverb to catch the audience of guard. The combination of unsettling, subtle background music with
the occasional reverb and distorted sound effect provides a narration in itself, and the main concept of show (fear, panic,
hopelessness, uncertainty etc.) could all be picked up on through the audio alone. This is an effect I hope to achieve with my sound
too, meaning I will use the idea of reverb and distortion to simulate emotion through audio. I will look into production techniques to
accomplish this later on in my research to get the best possible results.
• Similar to Reign, this show was greeted by mixed audiences. The rating is an 18, contrasting to Reign’s 15, which means it was met
with a lot less backlash over the topic, as it’s only intended for mature audience and does come with a trigger warning to the
themes subjected upon the viewer. I should also include one in my project, in order to make sure I don’t cause anyone harm as
though these topics are important and should be discussed, they can also hurt people by bringing up painful memories or causing
trauma in itself. Some people, primarily men, believed the show to be supporting false accusations (it seems the majority who
believe this didn’t watch the show, merely the trailer), stating that ‘women lie and play victim and innocent [male] lives are ruined’.
Though false allegations are a serious issue, that’s not what the show is about, and it’s important to get that across when producing
a piece of media with themes like rape and abuse. Another viewer praised the show for it’s representation, saying how it ‘isn't just
about rape. It's about abuse in general. Especially if the abuser is someone that people like. And while victims suffer from whatever
happened to them, not believing is almost worse. Abuse hurts you. Not believing breaks you. It's something that should be talked
about more.’ which is incredibly important to me as my short film will not be about rape or assault, but instead about abuse. The
fact that this person believes the emotional side should be talked about more encourages me to make my short film as
representative and accurate as possible like Unbelievable, but focusing on the emotional side to justice and trauma.
• The reason I picked Unbelievable to research into is due to its focus on the justice system, rather than personal empowerment. It is
completely unique in the way it portrays the idea that a woman will be doubted by almost everyone, men and women alike, and
provides a relatable experience to the viewer whether they’ve experienced harassment or assault. One of the most painful
experiences is knowing what someone is like, knowing how they’ve caused so much pain, but not being able to do anything about it
and having to watch them be loved and even sympathised with. Unbelievable captures this almost perfectly, which is something I
also want to accomplish in my short film. I will adopt production tactics I’ve seen throughout this series, such as the use of camera
angles (focusing on her face, positioning the men to be looking down), and lighting combined with colouring to create a narrative
through imagery and poetic cinema in my short film. Unlike Unbelievable, it is unlikely that I will be using any speech in my project,
which is why the cinematography and audio with sound effects will be so important. Furthermore, looking into a show like
Unbelievable helps me with my audience research as I know how perceptive certain people and groups are to the kinds of themes
I’ll be exploring, which could often be seen as controversial. Unbelievable showed that no matter how well you handle this subject,
there’s always going to be people who either can’t watch it or disagree with the sentiments, but by looking into it I’ll be prepared for
these types of audiences, and have the best chance at avoiding them through inclusion and using warnings.
15. • News Article – Independent - Lizzie, Dearden (2019) Only 1.7% of reported rapes prosecuted in England and Wales, new figures show -
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/rape-prosecution-england-wales-victims-court-cps-police-a8885961.html
• Comment – Jayrant DT (2019) ‘women lie and play victim and innocent [male] lives are ruined’.
• TV Show – Netflix (2019) Unbelievable - https://www.netflix.com/title/80153467
• Trailer – Netflix (2019) Unbelievable | Official Trailer | Netflix - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTIkUzkbzQk
• Website – Rainn (2013-2017) The Criminal Justice System: Statistics - https://www.rainn.org/statistics/criminal-justice-system
• Comment – Renata Slak (2019) ‘isn't just about rape. It's about abuse in general. Especially if the abuser is someone that people like. And
while victims suffer from whatever happened to them, not believing is almost worse. Abuse hurts you. Not believing breaks you. It's
something that should be talked about more.’
• Article – The Guardian - Hannah, Davies (2019) Unbelievable review – grimly credible story of trauma, power and injustice -
https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2019/sep/13/unbelievable-review-toni-collete-netflix
• Blog – whijournal.com (2007) Women and The Criminal Justice System - https://www.whijournal.com/article/S1049-3867(07)00079-
5/abstract
• Website – Wikipedia (Accessed 2021) Unbelievable (miniseries) - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unbelievable_(miniseries)
• Video – Youtube - Austin, Burke (2019) Unbelievable - Netlfix Review - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7zEynGvJZs
Netflix (2019) Unbelievable – Limited Series - Bilbiography
16. NBC (2019) Brooklyn 99 – Series 6, Episode 8 – ‘He said, She Said’
• Series 6, Episode 8 of Brooklyn 99 dealt with darker themes not typically addressed in a serious manner in comedies. The Episode
‘He Said, She Said’ revolves around the police detective and Sergeant, Peralta and Santiago, dealing with a sexual harassment and
assault case. A woman is questioned due to her attacking a man at her firm, as in her words he ‘pushed [her] into the desk and tried
to take [her] clothes off’. She is given a large sum of money to sign a non disclosure, but Sergeant Amy Santiago urges her to pursue
pressing charges instead. It’s later revealed that Amy’s determination to solve this case properly is due to her own experience, and
reveals to her husband (Detective Jake Peralta) just how often harassment is, and how oblivious men typically are. This powerful
scene contrast the comedy’s usually light hearted humour, and is incredibly eye opening, especially towards the show’s male
audience. This is incredibly important, as though there’s more and more representation of harassment in media, it’s typically
targeted only towards female audiences which though provides consolidation and solidarity, it doesn’t do a good job at highlighting
these issues towards people that wouldn’t typically experience them. Her husband apologises for not noticing, and Amy states
simply ‘that’s reality’, a statement which all women relate too. I want my project to have the same kind of enlightening focus.
Though my film won’t be a comedy, I can use other ways to draw in a varied audience and this episode shows how important that is.
• Consistent with my other researched media, the overarching theme is assault. However, I chose to research this despite the
similarities as it handles something the other shows do not: harassment. Almost every woman will have experienced some kind of
sexual harassment by the age of 16. This includes creepy comments, touches on the street, cat calls, predatory behaviour,
persistence etc. Though sexual assault and rape are big issues in their own ,that doesn’t take away the severity that harassment can
cause, and unfortunately because it’s so common it’s become normalised in our society. Like the character Amy said, most women
don’t fight it because it’s reality for us. My short film will focus on the effects of emotional abuse/harassment trauma rather than
physicality, like the character Amy opened up to experiencing. The episode handles the theme of harassment in a very informative
way, and does a good job of balancing representation, empowerment and realism. I want to portray this also, like how even if the
woman gets ‘justice’, she’ll never truly win. Brooklyn 99 portrayed this by making the woman at the end be forced to quit due to
judging looks from her co-workers, and I want to get across the same message. I could perhaps do this by implying the man is still in
the background of the shot at the end, as if showing the damage will always be there like this episode represented through her job.
Though the intertwined comedy aspect of this episode won’t be directly applicable to my short film, it’s good to look into how I
could mix widely different genres, and how to carefully handle this subject as ‘He said, She said’ did.
• In terms of cinematography, this episode doesn’t have much to offer as the genres are very different, aside from the few serious
scenes about the sexual assault. In the scene where the two police officers are interrogating the woman who was assaulted, the
lighting is quite dim. However, despite being an interrogation scene, there is no stereotypical harsh lighting or glow that you often
see in film and TV, hence already implying that despite being in there for attacking a man, she is in fact innocent in the whole
scenario. Doing the opposite of usual tropes to imply an unexpected outcome is a clever way of portraying a message through
cinematography, and I could do something similar in my short film. For example, I could switch from my protagonist being in a dark
setting to a sudden warm one, indicating that their has been a change in personality or possibly time frame if I were to include
flashbacks. In terms of camera work and place in frame, Amy is placed slightly to the right during the scene where she opens up, and
the camera is positioned behind her husband’s head as if the audience is viewing and listening to her through his perspective. I could
use a similar technique in my short film but instead of the viewer seeing her tell her story, the camera is positioned behind the man
who hurt my protagonist, so it’s like the audience is seeing the damage he’s done from a first hand perspective. When researching
production techniques in more detail, I will look more into this type of framing.
17. NBC (2019) Brooklyn 99 – Series 6, Episode 8 – ‘He Said, She Said’
• The protagonist of this Episode would be Sergeant Amy Santiago. Throughout the show she is portrayed as a feminist, and very
stubborn when it comes to things she is passionate about. She carries herself in a self assured way and is clearly a powerful woman,
however she isn’t opposed to vulnerability which makes her such a good character, as she doesn’t fall into the ‘perfect female’
trope. The women in the episode are all shown to have quite strong beliefs, as Detective Rosa Diaz has quite a stern attitude
towards the case and thinks the woman should have taken the bribe, as she has a pessimistic (and justified) outlook on the justice
system. The woman herself seems incredibly career driven, and only attacked the man because he took it too far, showing that she
had been putting up with previous harassment for the sake of her job. These three women all have a good balance of good and bad
qualities which make them immersive characters, which is something I want to translate into my short film. It’s important to me that
my protagonist has flaws, as to not make the narrative seem biased or one sided. The men in the show vary, Jake is often standing
to the side of behind the camera as if the showrunners are portraying him taking himself out of the spotlight, knowing that this is
the women’s fight but being there to the side to help. This is consistent with his character throughout the show. I will use this same
technique to portray my protagonist’s love interest/helping hand that I want to incorporate to represent male allies. However, Seth,
the man who assaulted the woman, is portrayed as being almost charming, as he has a relaxed posture and bright smile, though as a
woman it’s quite easy to see through. This rivals the woman’s tense demeaner during her interview, perfectly showing the privilege
men have in this types of situations. It’s incredibly easy for them to manipulative themselves into the victim, which is something I
also want to reflect into my short film. I’ve thought about using choreography to portray the man gaining sympathy from my
protagonist before hurting her again, displaying the same message that this episode does but in a more poetic/artistic style.
• Throughout the episode, Amy is clearly shown through the female gaze, as the episode is directed by Stephanie Beatriz, as she is not
sexualised at all. She wears appropriate non gender conforming uniform, which is rare in media as most female outfits/uniforms are
disguised as being gender neutral, but purposefully tightened to show off curves, or have a lower neck. She is also shown as realistic
upon spending 3 days straight working on the case, with smudged makeup and messy hair as well as wearing messy sweats. A
common trope in media is to portray women ‘lounging’ in short shorts and crop tops, with a perfect face of makeup. The fact that
this portrays the real effects of dealing with such a heavy subject is important, and something I want to replicate with my character.
Though costume can be varied for multiple reasons and women can wear whatever they want, in this situation the showrunners
went with what was logical with Amy’s character, and didn’t overexaggerate her outfits for the sake of sexualisation. The men in this
episode are all shown in uniform except Seth, which could imply that despite being arrogant in the beginning, Seth lost his power
from the start. Due to the show’s sitcom-esq nature, the settings are pretty much consistent with the rest of the show and reused.
However, the last part of the episode provides a unique aspect, and something that a few people could miss if not paying attention.
However, the subtle detail adds to the ambience and overall theme of the episode. In the background when the woman is leaving
her job, the workers are all men. This could represent many things, but to me this shows the fact that these offices are dominantly
represented by men, and they're the reason that she is leaving the job she loves, yet again losing another woman in a STEM job.
Though, the fact she is in the foreground and the men are blurred show that despite that she is still the centre of attention, and the
important character. She also mentions that she doesn’t regret her decision as her attacker does go to jail, which all combined give a
feeling of empowerment to the female audience, and a sense of understanding to a male audience. I could potentially use a similar
technique (providing COVID-19 restrictions allow it) of having blurry male figures in the background of some scenes to portray the
feeling of my character being overwhelmed by the male gaze. Or, I could perhaps use it to show her family/friends in the
background, to show a divide between them due to the trauma she endured, as the idea of feeling trapped and isolated due to the
harassment and emotional abuse is a key message I want to be able to translate throughout my project.
18. NBC (2019) Brooklyn 99 – Series 6, Episode 8 – ‘He Said, She Said’
• In terms of audio, the main scene that stood out for this was when Amy was recounting her experience with assault and
harassment. There is no music in the background, which is rare for this comedy series, and it’s just her voice. She gives a powerful
speech in which she tells Jake about how her first Police captain made a move on her after promoting her to detective, and how ‘he
said he felt he deserved something for [her] career.’ Her voice breaks a lot and she sounds vulnerable and scared, a feeling in which
all women can relate to. In her speech she opens up about feeling guilty, and it’s delivered in such a way by actress Melissa Fumero
that the entire scene feels incredibly real. It’s a situation that many women can relate to, feeling like you’re not enough on your own
to someone you trusted as a friend or colleague, as they soon exhibit that they only see you as a sexual or romantic object, and that
without that, to them, you are worthless. The use of no music or other sound effects aside from her breaking voice in this scene
perfectly exhibits how minimal audio can really enhance a scene, and make it incredibly immersive to the viewer. In terms of my
short film, I wish to use music quite heavily but I may also include a scene where it’s silent, as I believe the contrast would enhance
my project and exaggerate a particular scene into feeling more powerful, just like this one in ‘He Said, She Said’.
• According to LaToya Ferguson from magazine Av Club, there was reasonable suggestion that Brooklyn 99 ‘would lack a balance in
terms of both humour and topicality’. The 6th season of the show had been already under fire for not being as well written as
previous seasons, to it’s understandable that reviewers and the public alike were concerned about this heavy episode, especially
when the teaser image released was of a humorous side plot instead of the focus of the episode, which of course lead audience to
believe it won’t be taken seriously. Though teaser images and posters can be good for promotion, this is a perfect example of why
it’s important to release something that is in good taste and relevant in order to not cause pre-backlash before the actual product is
released, and something that I will bare in mind when researching and creating my teaser images/posters. However, when the
actual episode came out, reviews were changed tremendously. Though some viewers still discredited the show for becoming ‘too
political’, it seemed the majority disagreed. On YouTube, the general public and primary audience received the episode well, stating
that they ‘love when B99 [Brooklyn 99] gets real’, and using quotes from the show such as ‘Two steps forward, one step back, is still
one step forward’ as a mantra to themselves, showing that the episode accomplished what it set out to do. The audience also
claimed to feel ‘represented by this episode’ and even doubtful critics, like Ferguson, were in favour of the episode. This response is
helpful in terms of how I will present my project, as I’ve learned to think carefully about side products and realised that one of the
main reasons this episode did so well was the representation across the board, and how they didn’t play into stereotypes like make
the assaulted woman as hysterical and show her being strong instead, as well as using Jake as a way to appeal to male audiences
and help them understand the situation without causing them to be defensive, a trope in which I’ll adopt for my short film.
• In summary, I chose to research further into this episode because I remember it empowering and inspiring me when I first watched
it, and that’s a feeling I want to recreate with my project, so I decided to look into how I could do that. Despite the difference in
genre, the themes are extremely relevant to the content I want to produce, and the episode handles the side of this topic which is
what my main focus will be, which is something that isn’t too much represented in other forms of media, like the emotional side of
trauma instead of just physical violence. That was the main driving force into my research, though I have learned other techniques
and aspects I could incorporate, such as using the camera angles to portray different perspectives and hence connect with different
audiences. Though I will have to look further into production techniques for more details in camera work and lighting, this provides
a good starting point for that as I know what I want all these production choices to add up to, and I know how the audience will
react to them, both male and female. The show also did a good job of combining empowerment for women and understanding the
male audiences while avoiding the male gaze, which provided good insight into how I will accomplish the same thing.
19. • News Article – Indiewire - Liz, Shannon Miller (2019) ‘Brooklyn Nine-Nine’ Review: ‘He Said, She Said’ Shows Progress For Comedies
Talking #MeToo - https://www.indiewire.com/2019/02/brooklyn-99-review-he-said-she-said-metoo-spoilers-1202048063/
• Website – IMDB (2019) He Said, She Said - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8408788/
• TV Show - NBC (2019) Brooklyn 99 – Series 6, Episode 8 – ‘He Said, She Said’
• Comment – silvsilvsilv (2020) ‘Like Rosa says at the end: Two steps forward, one step back is still one step forward.’
• Comment – Zoe Roversi Giusti (2019) ‘I love when B99 gets real. I needed this’
• Comment – Suripanta (2019) ‘when amy started to tell Jake moments of that week that bothered her just for being a woman...loved it. I
felt so represented by this episode.’
• Magazine Article – AVClub - Latoya Ferguson (2019) “He Said, She Said” is an honest, funny, exemplary episode of Brooklyn Nine-Nine -
https://tv.avclub.com/he-said-she-said-is-an-honest-funny-exemplary-epis-1832976993
• Video – Youtube - CinemaBlend (2019) Why Brooklyn Nine-Nine’s Rosa Tackled the #MeToo Movement
NBC (2019) Brooklyn 99 – Series 6, Episode 8 – ‘He Said, She Said’ - Bilbiography
21. Bea Miller (2016) Yes Girl – Music Video
• The overall theme of ‘Yes Girl’ is about breaking free of toxicity and taking back control, which is represented perfectly in the music
video. The video follows a female protagonist, who is initially in a big woolly jumper. As the video goes on, hands that come out of
the walls tug at the wool in her jumper, slowly exposing her. The chorus lyrics read: ‘I got you figured out, you need to have control.
You think that I don't know you, I know you, I know. Trying to tell you now, I've been doing what you want. But I won't be your yes
girl, no, not anymore. Just let me go, just let me go.’, which are reflected in the video as the protagonist is desperately trying to
break free of the hands that are pulling her around the setting like a puppet. In the end, she is left completely exposed but free of
the hands, showing that she would do anything to be free from the toxicity. During the last chorus, she stands in the centre of the
room as the string breaks all around her, signifying that she’s finally breaking the bonds that ‘held her captive’, and gaining back
control. This theme is very similar to the one I’m going for which is why I chose to look into this video, especially as it also
incorporates artistic symbolism which is something I want to include in my narrative.
• In terms of production, the first thing that stood out to me was the lighting. The majority of the music video is shot in a harsh white
lighting, with the warm tone of the wool and her skin contrasting against the white light. There are minimal shadows, portraying the
fact that everything is exposed, and possibly mocking the idea of her on screen as in the end, the camera pulls away to reveal the
white lighting is a box in the middle of darkness. However, occasionally this is contrasted by a shadowy silhouette of the protagonist
and she mouths the lyrics, emphasising the darker meaning of the song. The shadow behind her feeds into the silhouette instead of
a black figure against bright light, signifying that the darkness is feeding into her. This contrast not only makes the video more
visually engaging, it also adds to the symbolism. Though the white light signifies she is exposed, the darkened silhouette can also
portray the darkness inside her caused by this toxicity she’s breaking free from. However, this lighting is only used twice in the
beginning, signifying that near the end, that darkness is no longer there to consume her. This use of shadow is something I want to
replicate in my video, as I love both the aesthetic and symbolic effects from this particular use of lighting. In addition, I will also
make the scenes brighter near the end of my video, to similarly portray the concept of breaking free. There are three main colours
used in ‘Yes Girl’ are white, black and beige. The video uses these three as a base and incorporates different shades to provide
variation throughout. The white in the background really means the protagonist can stand out as well as the strings, and the fact
that her overall tone is quite warm compared to the harshness of the white can symbolise her innocence and victimisation, as well
as the fact she is exposed as her clothes are the colour of her skin tone. The white contrasting the black clearly represents a good vs
evil play, and the fact that her white box is surrounded by black could represent her newly controlled location (once she’s cut all the
string) can be seen as her safe space in the evil. These colours also all work well together from an aesthetic standpoint, and make
the overall video look sophisticated, which leads to an enjoyable experience for the audience even without the symbolism.
• The camera work is, at first glance, quite simplistic in this video, but it works well with the minimalist theme. A lot of the video is
shot from a wide view of the entire box, portraying all the hands and string around her. The strings help add perspective to the shot,
and really capture the feeling that she is trapped in between them. This is intertwined with close up shots that focus on specific
important points, such as the strings becoming unravelled or the protagonist leaning against one of the walls. There are some also
close up shots of her face when she is lip syncing important lyrics, which help emphasise the meaning of the song to the viewer. I
would use these minimal shots incorporated with some more advanced techniques in my video (such as the previously discussed
perspective/behind character angles) to provide a nice contrast and differentiate between scenes. For example, I could have a shot
where my protagonist is alone in the dark, and then it switches to a full shot of her where she is surrounded by people in a warmer
lighting to portray the difference between before and after the trauma.
22. Bea Miller (2016) Yes Girl – Music Video
• A key part in symbolism for this music video is the costume. The protagonist wears an oversized woolly jumper, it is very loose fitting
which shows she is not restrained, and it doesn’t show off any of her curves which makes it quite obvious this video is directed from
the female gaze, despite the end outfit. The music video was directed by a female director, Aya Tanimura, so this makes sense. The
costume is almost like a character in itself, slowly becoming unravelled throughout, as if to not only symbolise the protagonist
becoming exposed by the toxic relationship the singer sings about, but becoming unravelled like her jumper as she deals with the
trauma and aftermath of breaking free of her situation. In the end, the singer is left in her neutral toned grey underwear. The
dullness of her outfit show captures the actual person and her body as the focus, though not in a sexualised view. She’s half naked
to symbolise that she has been stripped and torn down, showing her true self, as if to build herself back up from the foundations
and take back control like ‘this is me, this is who I am and you can’t hurt me’. It’s important to differentiate between the
sexualisation and symbolism of costume and this video does it perfectly. In terms of costume I want to do something similar with my
project. The clothes will not be as revealing, but I want to show that my character has been stripped down to her bare essentials and
she’s not putting in effort to her appearance, as that is not important. I could do this by using dull colours and simple clothes like in
this video. In order to provide a contrast, I could have a more vibrant costume near the end as she is gaining back control, to show
that she is no longer unravelled and that she’s stronger and braver than before. The setting of this video is simple but effective, just
a plain white box with strings going from one side to the other. The string helps add perspective and the sense of entanglement,
whereas the plain room emphasises a similar meaning to her clothes, and makes her stand out, a technique in which I could
incorporate. The box also adds to the idea that she is trapped in her headspace, as she can do nothing but get entangled in the
strings and try break her way out, a similar emotion to how it feels to feel trapped and isolated by trauma but visualised poetically. If
possible, I’d like to include some scenes with a similar feel of loneliness by using the studio, as it would enhance the idea of trauma
in my story and mix both the narrative and artistic sides which I want to incorporate into my project.
• The most important part of any music video is how the visuals connect to the song. ‘Yes Girl’ does an impressive job at capturing the
feelings the lyrics express without being literal in it’s visuals. Furthermore, the editing allows each piece of the video to fit with it’s
respective lyric, which adds more power and emotion to what the singer is singing. For example, the video cuts to her in the black
silhouette lighting when the chorus starts with ‘I got you figured out’ in a powerful tone, as if the darkness no longer represents her
own fears but her power over the person who hurt her. This connects with the title lyric ‘I won’t be your yes girl, no, not anymore’
as the entire theme is about taking back power and standing up against someone who tries to manipulative or control you. In my
video, I’d like for my visuals to tell a story while also relating to the lyrics, as I want to pick a song with emotive lyrics like ‘Yes Girl’
that can be intertwined with artistic visuals to make a moving piece. This idea of control is again emphasised later on when the
protagonist is getting up off the floor and breaking the strings around her. This is a moving moment in the video as it captures the
transition to pain and hopelessness to power and anger against the person who hurt you. The emotion in the protagonist’s voice as
she lip syncs the lyrics are also incredibly powerful as it seems like she’s almost screaming them at the person who trapped her, an
anger in which many people can relate to. Though I don’t intend to use lip syncing in my video, I can use the emotions portrayed by
Bea Miller’s acting in my video. She’s not afraid to look ‘unattractive’ in the video as she’s meant to portray a powerful message
instead of look pretty for the audience, and hence captures the true anger she feels. The song ‘Yes Girl’ was written by her herself,
which leads to the suggestion that this song’s meaning is very personal, and hence why the passion in the music video feels so real
despite being acting. Though my project is focused on a message all women can feel comfort in and promoting the #MeToo
movement, it’s also quite personal to me due to having personal experience with the themes, which means I want to translate my
own feelings into my acting and directing just like Bea did.
23. Ruelle Ft. FLEURIE (2016) Carry You – Music Video
• The main theme of this video seems to be finding solace in someone else or yourself. The video is an artistic narrative surrounding
these ideas, focusing on two main girls that appear to be opposites of each other, following their journey to finding one another
through different locations and settings. The video depicts these girls as almost ethereal beings, dressing them up in long flowy
dresses and presenting them in the camera in angel positions and locations, such as the silhouette of one looking over the
mountains. The editing of blending a side portrait of one of the girls and the sky behind also gives angelic imagery, whilst the other is
dressed in a black, raven esq outfit giving the idea of ying and yang, and each one representing the light and darkness in one person.
The blonde girl travels through warmly tinted forests and fields in a golden dress, giving her entire arc a sense of warmth and light
due to her hair, costume and filming locations. The brunette is given a journey through rocky and more dangerous settings. This
represents the theme the song is trying to portray, that despite they journey they have to go through to reach each other they are
‘not alone’ and this imagery mixed with the lyric ‘I’ve been here the whole time’ suggests more to the theory of them representing
light and dark within one person, and finding that balance between the two. I love that this video can be interpreted many ways due
to the imagery, and that’s something I want to try get across in my video as I want everyone to be able to relate to it in some form,
whether that’s a woman who’s experienced assault or harassment, or just someone who feels isolated and lost.
• The colours are the main driving force in this video in terms of artistic expression, as the directors used colour theory and
connotations to create a narrative in itself while sticking to the poetic/artist film style. As mentioned previously, the video uses a
theme of light and dark in the context of finding balance and comfort with two opposing sides, and the colours used throughout play
a huge role in this. The main colour scheme is blues and darker greys mixed with warm browns and golds. The video portrays these
two colours meeting in the end in the form of the two characters and their costumes, which reflect the colour scheme of the
locations they’ve just travelled through to meet each other. The more golden journey shows beauty and warmth with the first
character, which represents light, and the blue hue in the second characters journey represents a sense of sorrow and darkness.
These two things make up a person, so the balance of these two different colour schemes come together in both a symbolic and
aesthetic way to create an artistic narrative throughout the video. This use of colour to represent dark and light is something I will
incorporate in my video to contrast how my protagonist was before and after starting to heal from the trauma, and I will use a
similar colour scheme of blue and gold to portray this, as they have similar connotations but not as cliché as black and white. The
lighting is also very impressive in this video. Not only does it add to the poetic metaphor that is the overall theme of the video, it
creates an aesthetically beautiful video that will be enjoyable to all audiences whether they care for the meaning or not. During the
gold girl’s journey, the sun is used to create a natural glow in the scene which adds to the overall warm tone created by the colours,
and lights up the character in a beautiful, peaceful way. The light is also often shown as coming from behind her to create a
silhouette style and give the character herself a glow, which again enhances the idea that she is meant to represent light. This is
technique I want to use in my video during the ending scenes where my protagonist has begun healing, as the natural light as
displayed here gives a youthful, innocent type feel to the video and will solidify that the end is the beginning of my character’s
happy ending. For the darker aspect of the video, the brunette is shown in cold lighting like on a cloudy day which creates a more
eerie tone to her parts of her video, though still natural, which links to the idea of balance within the ying and yang. Opposing the
girl who tends to have a glow from the sun surrounding her, the darker girl is often cast in shadow which provides another visible
yet subtle contrast between the two characters and their journeys to meet one another. This is a technique I also want to use in
order to properly establish the contrast between my protagonist when she is feeling more hopeful both when she starts healing and
before the trauma, and when she’s depressed and unhopeful at the start of the video. Though I will use other aspects such as colour
and costume to get this across more clearly, lighting will still play an important part.
24. Ruelle Ft. FLEURIE (2016) Carry You – Music Video
• The camera and editing work in this video tell a story in itself, and are a key part in the angelic symbolism. The editing often shows
the girls in a powerful stance or as previously mentioned, blended with the sky that gives them an ethereal aesthetic. This is
enhanced by the way the camera follows them through their respective journey’s, which incorporates both close up and shots from
a distance to extend the narrative. Furthermore, many different angles are used such as shots from the sky or from behind the girls
which means we only see their face a few times, again adding to the idea that they are representations rather than actual people. In
terms of editing, the video is split up by lots of shots of the settings rather than focusing on the characters, which plays into the idea
of representation and enhances the idea of ying and yang surrounding the two characters. The edits are also either on beat to the
song or on beat to other audio included (like thunder, or the sea’s waves) which make it aesthetic to watch. This is important to
incorporate in any music video, even if the main style is narrative, as enjoyability in terms of aesthetics are a significant aspect to
casual audiences, and something I will bare in mind during production of my project.
• The costumes are the main part of the music video that caught my attention, as they are similar to what I would want to include
during some parts of my video. Both women wear long flowy dresses, which again play into the angelic/ethereal undertone for the
characters. The blonde girl wears a dark cloak during her initial scenes which is then interchanged for a golden dress, representing
the light. The other wears a dark gown throughout the video with raven feathering, furthering the idea that she is meant to
represent darker themes, capturing the ‘angel of death’ aesthetic which though drastically contrasting her gold counterpart, fits
within the overall colour scheme and tone of the video. This contrast is, like mentioned, something I want to achieve. However, I
take more inspiration from the lighter, gold dress as in terms of costume I picture my protagonist in a light colour similar style dress
during her happier scenes to rival the dull, messy clothes she wears during the darker scenes. The location is also a big inspiration to
me. The video focuses on natural, pretty settings such as a forest and an ocean, as well as darker, rocky settings. The lighter, prettier
locations are what I imagine my lighter scenes to look like, as they reflect a natural beauty and innocence, as well as having a
peaceful aesthetic and happier connotations. The ocean is often considered a place of freedom due to it’s size and the fact you can
use it to travel anywhere in the world, so ideally I’d want to film at the coast if possible. If not, I’d like to find a setting with similar
gold tones like the forest or fields portrayed in this video, as I want to achieve the same feeling of safety and peace during the final
few scenes of my narrative that they do in this video.
• In terms of music, the video reflects the song but in a metaphorical way, which is a key reason into why I researched this music
video. The narrative the video has 3 separate sections, each corelating with their respective verse and chorus. The first, portrays the
gold girl’s journey and ethereal nature. The second verse consists of lyrics such as ‘I know you can't remember how to shine’ that
appear as though the two women are talking to each other, which is reflected when they finally meet up at the end of their journeys
in the third chorus. The fact that in terms of lyrics, both women offer support to each other and ask for help, ‘Is anybody out there?
Can you lead me to the light?’ while both making a journey again reflects the balance in a poetic style, which is presented in both
the video and the lyrics. The video also uses audio overlaying the music, such as the sound of waves from the ocean, wind in the
more open spaces of the video, and storm sounds right at the star. This adds to the over ambience of the video, and helps with the
narrative aspect as it emphasises on the story and makes it more immersive. This is a technique I want to include in my video too, as
I believe pausing the song for a moment or using certain sound effects over a quieter part of the song can create a more immersive
atmosphere, and add to the realism of my short film. I also think this would apply nicely to my video as the main focus is the
narrative itself rather than the actual song, as though it is a music video in a sense, the music acts more of a backing track to the
story I’m trying to tell rather than be the main focus of the video.
25. MILCK (2017) Quiet
• Quiet by MILCK had an incredibly emotional impact on me, and I’d like to research into it and possibly use it in my
FMP because of this, as I’d want to replicate that feeling for my audience. First of all, the meaning of the song is
quite clear through the lyrics. The singer first discusses some of the expectations of women ‘know your place, shut
up and smile’ in the first verse. Her tone of voice mixed with lyrics instantly sets up the song’s theme, and causes an
emotional response from the listener. She then goes on to talk about how no one will know her if she doesn’t say
something about what she’s been through or opposing societies expectations, but then goes on to question if she
would be seen as a monster for speaking out. This is a reference to how women can be afraid to talk about their
experiences due to the danger of being disbelieved or shamed, or even further hurt by their attacker. However, the
tone shifts for the rest of the song as the chorus starts with ‘I can’t keep quiet’, referencing the idea that as a woman
she reached a point where the abuse has gone too far, and she feels she has no choice to stand up for herself. She
then goes on to describe herself as ‘a one woman riot’, referencing the fact that a lot of women feel like they have
to fight alone in these situations as there will be a lot of people who cast doubt or make them feel like they were at
fault. Near the end of the song, the singer mentions that ‘there’ll be someone who understands’, suggesting that if
someone speaks out, typically others will also feel encouraged and no matter how difficult it is or how the justice
system fails someone, there will always be other women who understand and will provide solidarity. This song’s
themes are heavily connected with my FMP, especially the idea of women standing together and ‘understanding’,
and would be a good song meaning-wise to use as it would help further my narrative and what my short film means.
The tone and style of the song reminds me of an anthem. It starts off slow, with a sombre tone as she describes the
restrictions she faces, but begins to pick up dramatically as the chorus begins. This style of song reflects the feelings
of empowerment that someone would feel if they experienced the situation the song was describing, and really
captures the idea of no longer staying silent about trauma someone has experienced. The song gets louder and
more emotive as the music goes on, which is a good reflection of a story the singer is trying to get across and would
work well with a narrative piece like my short film.
• There are multiple ways I could apply this song to my FMP. Upon first listening, the idea that came to mind is using it
as a credits song after my actual video (where I could include behind the scenes footage, credits, hotline numbers
etc.) or the background music of a separate behind the scenes vlog I film. It would be a upbeat, empowering song to
finish my project on and would set the tone for my entire video. It would also help add an extra element of ‘success
story’ to my FMP as my actual short film centres around trauma and the start of the healing process, meaning it
could be seen as a bit depressing. Though it is important to show the real effects of going through harassment or
emotional trauma, I also want to provide a message of healing and this song is a good way to do that. Furthermore,
the lyrics are accurate to my short film as the context behind it is ‘no longer staying quiet’ about what someone’s
been through, hence the lyrics of the song matching quite well. Though I could use this song for the actual video, I
believe the tone of the anthem would be too upbeat for the message I’m trying to get across, and would prefer a
more eerie/sombre song. However, I couldn’t bypass it as the song made me so emotional and provides such an
incredible message, hence why I’d use it for the credits.
Put on your face
Know your place
Shut up and smile
Don't spread your legs
I could do that
But no one knows me, no one ever will
If I don't say something, if I just lie still
Would I be that monster, scare them all away
If I let them hear what I have to say
I can't keep quiet, no-oh-oh-oh-oh
I can't keep quiet, no-oh-oh-oh-oh
A one woman riot, no-oh-oh-oh-oh
I can't keep quiet
For anyone
Not anymore
'Cause no one knows me, no one ever will
If I don't say something, take that dry blue pill
They may see that monster, they may run away
But I have to do this
I can't keep quiet, no-oh-oh-oh-oh
I can't keep quiet, no-oh-oh-oh-oh
A one woman riot, no-oh-oh-oh-oh
Oh, I can't keep quiet
(There'll be someone who understands)
There'll be someone who understands
(Must be someone who'll understand)
Let it out, let it out
Let it out now
There'll be someone who understands
Let it out, let it out
Let it out now
I can't keep quiet, no-oh-oh-oh-oh
No, I can't keep quiet, no-oh-oh-oh-oh
I can't keep quiet, oh-no
No, I won't keep quiet
26. SYML (2016) Where’s My Love (Alternate Version)
Cold bones. Yeah, that's my love
She hides away, like a ghost
Does she know that we bleed the same?
Don't wanna cry but I break that way
Cold sheets. Oh, where's my love?
I am searching high, I'm searching low in the night
Does she know that we bleed the same?
Don't wanna cry but I break that way
Did she run away?
Did she run away? I don't know
If she ran away
If she ran away, come back home
Just come home
I got a fear, oh, in my blood
She was carried up into the clouds, high above
If you bled, I'll bleed the same
If you're scared, I'm on my way
Did you run away?
Did you run away? I don't need to know
If you ran away
If you ran away, come back home
Just come home
• Where’s My Love is a hidden gem in terms of songs I could use. At first look at the lyrics, it seems to be a love song
directed towards someone who got away or died. However, the alternate version’s eerie acoustic change that
meaning entirely for me. I see the song from two perspectives. The first, is from someone desperately trying to cling
onto someone who doesn’t want to stay, ‘Did she run away I don’t know’ which could be the mindset of the abuser
in the story I want to tell, as it’s a common trait in abusive situations where one person will do anything to make the
other stay, including suicide threats and other emotional blackmail which I want to exhibit my protagonist be
subjected to, to stay true to realism. As this song could be twisted into the perspective of someone like that, I think
it would work well for my FMP as it portrays the themes of fear and feeling trapped by someone, which is a message
I’m trying to get across. However, I also see a double meaning to this song as mentioned. The other perspective
could be my protagonist talking to herself/her past self: ‘If you bled, I’ll bleed the same’, and her desperately trying
to find the person she used to be before the trauma, ‘if you ran away, come back home, just come home’, ‘I am
searching high, I’m searching low’. Furthermore, it can also be seen as a conversation, as her past self responds ‘if
you’re scared, I’m on my way’ as if to say that she’s begun the healing process, and she’ll find her ‘true self’ again
soon. It’s a common statement from survivors of trauma that they lost themselves, and that’s something I want to
show in my FMP. As mentioned, I want my narrative to be about the beginning of healing from trauma, so the theme
of my protagonist find herself would fit well with that, and hence this song. The tone of this song is exactly what I
am looking for in terms of music for the actual narrative piece. The piano is slow and haunting, and the voice sounds
desperate and sombre, while also being quite subtle which would mean the entire song works well as a backing
track. The track has an overall quiet but distraught vibe, which gives off the feeling of suffering in silence and loss,
whether that’s of someone else or yourself. The track has been received as ‘so beautiful’ and audiences have
reported that it ‘gives [them] chills and they feel that pain’ , which works perfectly with what I’m trying to do with
my FMP, as I want to provide understanding and empowerment which relies on relatability.
• For my FMP, I would use this piece as a backing track for my actual narrative piece of the short film instead of credits
like mentioned previously for ‘Quiet – MILCK’. The instrumental itself is quite subtle but powerful, meaning it would
work well at progressing my narrative without taking away from the visuals and the artistry it provides. The slow
beat would also allow me to cut my video on time to the music without it looking to upbeat or jumpy, and still
reflecting the depressing tone that I want to accomplish at the start of the video, and then transition into the more
hopeful feel near the end once my protagonist starts to heal from what happened. Furthermore, due to the lyrics
being quite metaphorical, I could use them to link together the poetry I want to portray and the actual narrative of
my story, meaning it’s more clear to the viewer what’s happening without having to lose that metaphorical aspect I
want to incorporate. I could also include some scenes that match what the lyrics are talking about (e.g. ‘don’t wanna
cry but I break that way’ could play when my protagonist has a tear in her eye, or ‘carried up into the clouds, high
above’ could play while she reaches and looks up, as I want to include a transition where she looks up and in a
brighter setting and then looks down into a darker scene. Overall, this song would work very well with the narrative
aspect of my short film in terms of both theme, lyrics and tone of the track.
27. FLETCHER (2018) I Believe You It's the sick to your stomach feeling with a smile on your face
It's the memory you ignore, but you can't erase
It's the text in the middle of the night you didn't ask for
It can help your career, but at what cost?
Are you holding back something that you're dying to say?
Me, too
Girl, I believe you
Are you losing your mind thinking what will it take
To make somebody listen to you?
Me, too
It's the room full of rumors and everybody starin'
Did they tell you you were asking for it by what you were wearin'?
It's the stains from your makeup and tears on your pillow
It's a piece of yourself that you let go
Do you wanna scream but just can't find the air?
Me, too
Girl, I believe you
Are you losing your mind thinking what will it take
To make somebody listen to you?
Me, too
They say step up and sit down
Shut up and back down
So what's up, yeah, what's up with that?
So we dress up, get felt up
Get shot down, don't speak up
Yeah, what's up, yeah, what's up with that?
Are you holding back something
That you've just been dying to say?
Me, too
Girl, I believe you
Do you know every battle that you've had to face
Is making you bulletproof?
Me, too
Me, too
Girl, I believe you
Do you know every battle that you've had to face
Is making you bulletproof?
Me, too
Girl, I believe you
• ‘I Believe You’ was written during sexual harassment awareness month in May 2018. The song is very clearly about
sexual assault and the #MeToo movement, which ties in to the themes that my FMP will represent about having the
courage to speak up and healing from such events. The song addresses typical experiences and concerns that
women face both in the justice system and throughout the harassment in general, such as ‘it’s the memory you
ignore, but you can’t erase.’ and ‘did they tell you you were asking for it by what you were wearing?’. It’s meaning is
very explicit and something that unfortunately a lot of women can relate to, which is something I could use in my
FMP as relatability and understanding is to themes I want to cover in my video. The song works as a solidarity
towards women who have been in that situation, and has lyrics that speak to women as a whole and inspires them,
stating that they’re not alone, hence the title lyric, ‘Are you losing your mind thinking what will it take to make
somebody listen to you? Girl, I believe you.’. As a listener of this song, it makes me feel understood and heard for all
the situations I’ve been in that this song describes, whether physical or emotional, and I want to replicate that
feeling of hope that someone out there understands, and that they’re on your side. The tone of the song, similar to
Quiet – MILCK, is a hopeful, consolidating anthem for all women. The song is very ‘feel good’ despite the heavy
subject it covers, with the chorus being loud and emotive which gives a feeling of inspiration and courage. It gives a
sense of empowerment that makes you want to seek justice or tell your story, and the audience impact reflects that.
One listener stated that ‘the song inspired me to get help and I’m in therapy now. from the bottom of my heart,
thank you’, showing just how much of an impact this song has had. Another listener mentioned that ‘This song
made a knot on my throat’, showing the emotive side to this song and how hard hitting it can be. The song was also
well received on youtube, with 15 thousand likes and only 153 dislikes, showing just how powerful the impact was.
• In terms of applying this to my FMP, I could use it similarly to how I could use ‘Quiet – MILCK’. The song would work
perfectly for the credits after my video, as it would provide a contrast between the general depressing tone of the
majority of my film, and provide an emphasis on the ending where my protagonist begins seeking help and aid for
what she’s been through. The beat would work well with adding in a title and credits, as well as the theme making
sense with the hotlines I want to include at the end. It would work as a good backing track to perhaps a voice over
of why this project is important and why I decided to make it, such as a mini directors commentary at the end, as
well as potentially over any behind the scenes clips in which I would want to use in the credits or in a separate vlog
to portray the production in an interesting and meaningful manner. Again, like ‘Quiet – MILCK’, this song probably
wouldn’t work too well with the actual video, as though it’s good the song is powerful and empowering, the
anthem-like style could overpower my narrative and take away from the artistry and tone of my short film. The
song’s theme of hope and getting help also wouldn’t work with the start of my video, as I want to portray my
character’s pain at first, and the up beat style of the song wouldn’t match the mood I’d want to create. Additionally,
though audience reactions are good for the song, the explicit meaning could be too overwhelming for some viewers
throughout the actual video if not overplayed by voice over or behind the scenes video, which could cause a
reaction that I wouldn’t intent for my video. When it comes to planning, I will have to chose between this song and
‘Quiet – MILCK’ for the credit/bts video, but for now they both would work extremely well.
28. 5 Seconds of Summer (2020) Lover of Mine
• The lyrics of this song could be interpreted in many different ways. For some, it could be taken as a romantic love
song, and that the singer prioritises their partner over everything else, hence ‘take all of me’, and ‘you’re the only
thing that I think I got right’. However, I’m more interested in a more twisted perspective this song could create. The
singe mentions ‘all of [his] crimes’ and the fact he’ll ‘never give you away, which could be shown that he is perhaps
dangerous and possessive over his lover, which could suggest an abusive relationship or worse, like a stalker or
kidnapping situation. The lyrics ‘I’ve seen the red, I’ve seen the blue’ also hint at this theme of crime and
possessiveness, which is what drew me to perhaps use this song for my FMP. As mentioned in contextual and
previous research, I love pieces of media that have a double meaning that perhaps people wouldn’t pick up on
during the first viewing/listen, like ‘In The Night’ by The Weeknd. From this crime perspective, the way that the
singer talks about the lover is incredibly creepy and almost sadistic, talking as if the lover belongs to him and all that
matters. The lyrics ‘All of my regrets, and things you can’t forget, light them all up, kiss them goodbye’ are very eerie
from this perspective and show his control, as if the lover is falling back into his trap of hurt and/or abuse through
physical touch rather than genuine, healthy love. The style of this song could also be seen as quite eerie, as the
chorus melody sounds almost like a circus track, which makes me think of the singer keeping the lover on strings
and under control, like a puppeteer. Another thing worth mentioning is that throughout the song, the singer never
asks the lover, everything he says is a command, for example, ‘Swallow every single lie’, ‘dance around the living
room’ (which could connect more to the puppeteer connotations) and ‘take all of me, lead me to where your
secrets are’. All these lyrics have very forceful themes surrounding them, which links to my FMP’s overall tone of
feeling controlled by someone who claims to love you, like abuse victims tend to feel. Audiences, as I expected,
seem to take this song as a love song, stating its like a ‘love letter to each other’, though some people may have
picked up on the undertones as they state ‘the song took a whole different turn’. It seems to be it’s all about
personal experience and perspective on how you view the meaning of this song, and to me it’s more creepy than
romantic, which is why I want to use it in my FMP. I want people to pay attention, and have a moment where they
realise what the song could suggest and the fact they never considered these themes when listening before.
• In terms of my FMP, despite the fact it doesn’t have the sombre tone I initially wanted, it would work really well for
my actual narrative, especially if I go down a more choreographed route for my cinematography and poetic
perspective as the beat of the song would work well for that, especially if the routine was like a puppet master and
his puppet, as not only would that look aesthetically pleasing with this song, it would fit the overall tone of my
project and progress the narrative through an artistic standpoint, which is exactly what I’m going for. I could also use
the lyrics to progress the narrative as again they can be perceived as someone being in control, and I can connect
my scenes to them. For example, during ‘dance around the living room, lose me in the site of you’, I can include a
scene with the puppeteer choreograph during the dance around the living room, and then the man/abuser will
disappear in lose me in the sight of you, which represents the fact that though he may not be physically there
anymore, my character is still facing the trauma he left, and represents the control he still has at the start.
Lover of mine
Maybe we'll take some time
Kaleidoscope mind
Gets in the way
Hope and I pray
Darling, that you will stay
Butterfly lies
Chase them away
Hmm
Dance around the living room
Lose me in the sight of you
I've seen the red, I've seen the blue
Take all of me
Lead to where your secrets are
Where we've been a thousand times
Swallow every single lie
Take all of me
I'll never give you away
'Cause I've already made that mistake
If my name never fell off your lips again
I know it'd be such a shame
When I take a look at my life
And all of my crimes
You're the only thing that I think I got I right
I'll never give you away
'Cause I've already made
Already made that mistake
Lover of mine
I know you're colorblind
I watched the world fall from your eyes
Ooh
All my regrets
And things you can't forget
Light them all up
Kiss them goodbye
Dance around the living room
Lose me in the sight of you
I've seen the red, I've seen the blue
Take all of me
Lead to where your secrets are
Where we've been a thousand
times
Swallow every single lie
Take all of me
I'll never give you away
'Cause I've already made that
mistake
If my name never fell off your
lips again
I know it'd be such a shame
When I take a look at my life
And all of my crimes
You're the only thing that I think
I got I right
I'll never give you away
'Cause I've already made
Already made that mistake
