Taylor Swift's "Blank Space" music video challenges media representations of her as unstable and overly romantic. Through exaggerated fairy tale scenery and costumes, she portrays relationships as unrealistic and insincere. Various shots depict a lack of affection between Swift and her partners, implying that relationships are not like fairy tales. Close-ups of Swift depict her as powerful and in control, contrasting media portrayals of her being dominated by men. The video challenges the idea that women are merely sexual objects by focusing the camera on Swift and blurring her male partners.

1. How are mediarepresentationsof TaylorSwiftchallengedinthe video‘BlankSpace’?
TaylorSwift’s‘BlankSpace’wassetoutto challenge the media’srepresentationof the femalepop
star, oftenreferredtoasa ‘feminist’snightmare’,she shockedbillionswiththe lengthsshe wentto
withthisnewmusicvideo.ProducedbyBigMachine Recordsthismusicvideowasalwaysdestined
to be a statementbyTaylorSwift,afterreceivinghuge amountsof criticformaking‘boybashing’
songs.TaylorSwiftaddressesthisrepresentationof herthroughthe lyrics;forexampleshe says‘You
looklike my nextmistake’,thisisparticularlyinreferencetothe portrayal the mediagive herof
havinga lotof boyfriends. The clearmessage of the songisinprotestto the representationthe
mediagive her,asif to say ‘You wantboycrazy, I’ll give youboycrazy’,thismessage isclearly
portrayedthroughthe fairytale dystopiannature of the video. Tooanalyse thismusicvideoandits
representationsIshall explore fourscreenshots. TaylorSwift’ssongperfectlycoincideswiththe
theoriespresentedbyAndrewGoodwin,for
instance Goodwin’stheory thatthe lyrics
have a directcorrelationtothe musicvideo.
For example,the grandandunrealistic
scenerymatchthe lyrics,‘Magic, Madness,
heaven,sin’,theseare all fantasyorfairy
tale ideas.
In thisscreenshot,we see TaylorSwiftpresentedinanestablishingshot,the significanceof thisisthatwe instantly
see herbackground.The grand, ostentatiousandlavishsceneryare vital inthisshot,theypresentthisimage of a
fairytale,as if she isa princess.Thisisa huge representationexploredwithinthismusicvideo;intermsof colours,
we see mainlywhites,reinforcingthisideaof aprincessandof purity.However,the singeriswearingall black,this
contraststhe whitespossiblysuggestingshe doesn’tbelonginthe pure fairytale story.Alsothe contrastof blackto
white issignificantasblackconnotesdarknessandsincerity.
The cinematographyinthismusicvideoisexquisite;the factthatshe islocatedcentre shotamplifiesthisidea of
importance andpower.Inthisshot,Tayloris evidentlyinpower,she isincontrol of the situation;whichcanbe
viewedasa representationof herchallenge tothe mediapresentingherasunstable anduncommitted.Thisideaof
a fairytale is alsopresentedthroughthe perfectsymmetryof the shot,aswell asthisthe expensive andunrealistic
mise enscene contributestothisfairytale feel.
Throughthisscreenshot,thisrepresentationof unrealismandfairytale isonce againreviewed. Firstly,the use of
the overheadshotcouldbe a metaphorforhow the mediaare alwayslookinginonherlife andherrelationships.
In thisshot,the blockingtellsusalot,for example the factthatthe man ison hisphone lookingawayandnot
interactingwith TaylorSwift.Inadditiontothis,TaylorSwiftislyingonhisknee,thislackof affectionand
interactionchallengesthe representationof fairytaleswithinrelationships.Thisactsalmostasa message from
TaylorSwiftsayingrelationshipsaren’tlike fairytalesandare cruel.The use of mise enscene inthisshotis
particularinterestingaswe see sweetsandChampagne,veryluxuryitems,once againplayingintothisunrealistic
fairytale representation.The factthatthe sweetsare love hearts,andare black,couldsuggestherheartis
darkenedbyjealousy,anotherrepresentationTaylorSwiftexploresisthatrelationshipsare bitterandjealousy
ridden.Tofurtherthis,the cleveruse of the unopenedbottleof the Champagne couldsuggestshe’sexpectingthe
relationshiptobe quick.Thiscan alsobe interpretedasTaylor’sresponse tothe mediarepresentingherof having
a lot of quickand shortrelationships.

2. In thisscreenshot we see Taylorswiftinaclose up,the cinematographyof thisshotisexquisite,the waythe
man isblurredgivesthe ideathathe isirrelevantandjusta body;almostas if he is sexualised.Thisisanother
representationthatTaylorSwiftchallengesin ‘BlankSpace’,the ideathatwomenare sexualisedisacommon
mediarepresentation,howeverinthismusicvideothisideaisflipped.Constantlydemonstratedthroughthe
lack of shotsthat aren’tclose ups,as if all that mattersabout himishislooks.In addition,thisuse of a switch
infocus couldsuggestTaylorSwiftbelievesthe manisreplaceable,depictingherasnaive.The musicvideo
itself isaclear retaliationtothe mediarepresentationof her,aslivinginafairytale anddramatic. Thismusic
videochallengesGoodwin’stheoryof voyeuristictreatmentof the female bodyinmusicvideo’sasthe manis
sexualisedincontrast.The locationisaclear demonstrationof thisrepresentationof afairytale,asit is
extremelyflamboyantandunrealistic.Ipersonallybelieve thatTaylorSwifthaschosenthe locationvery
carefullyinordertoportray thisideaof an unrealisticfairytale relationship. The use of leadinglinesinthis
shotare particularlysignificant,theydrawthe audienceseye onto her,once againputtingheratthe centre of
attention.
In thiscertainscreenshotwe see Taylorswiftinanextreme closeup,thisshotisverypowerful asitclearly
assertsthe dominance andcontrol TaylorSwifthas.In thisshot,Tayloris wearingredlipstickwhichsuggestsshe
islustful andseductive,thisisaclearreference tothe media’sportrayal of herasa heart breakerand‘men
grabber’.Here,Goodwin’stheoryof voyeurismisdisplayed,TaylorSwiftisshowninapower,seductive and
sexual role Intermsof the apple,thisisa clear reference tothe storytale of Snow White,once againrevisiting
the fairytale concept.The significance of the extremeclose upcreatesthisdirectmode of address,we are eye
level hercreatingamore personal relationship. Inadditiontothis,the eye level shotanddirectaddresscreates
a sense of intimidationandpowerthatacts almostas a response tothe mediaandtheirrepresentationof her.
The red apple,areference toSnowWhite withthe poisonedapple,perfectlycorrelatestothe redlipstick,
almostsignifyingherlipsare like poison. Herredlipstickisamotif thatis presentedthroughoutthe musicvideo,
connotinglustandseduction.Perfectlycomposedthroughthe use of the rule of thirds thisshotcreatesa strong
image of Taylor Swiftwhichchallengesthe media’srepresentationof her.