representation case study

2. Introduction
• Savages are a London-based post-punk revival
rock band, formed in 2011.

3. Influences
• Savages on their musical influences:
"We listened to a lot of different music [...] our
influences are male and female in equal
measure."
• Their influences include the likes of Joy
Division, Siouxsie and the Banshees and Public
Image

4. Joy Division Influences

5. Reviews
• The Observer has said of Savages:
"It’s not exactly sexy, it's not funny and they're
not going to be rolling around in mud like the
Slits. But it's the closest thing to be that "post-
punk"... has offered in a while".
• Savages challenge the female artist stereotype of
having to look ‘sexy’ in order to perform and
represent their music
• They challenge aspects of femininity whilst
rebranding a new, refreshing and empowering
image of females in the music industry

6. Representation of Gender
• Savages are represented as
a dominant, empowering
female band through the
use of low shot camera
angles in their music video
“Shut Up”
• Their clothing is black and unrevealing, creating a
female image which is not to be objectified. This
challenges the passive/submissive female artist
stereotype of being hyper-sexualised, such as Katy
Perry

7. Challenging Female Stereotypes
• The video uses dark lighting/ fast paced shots to emphasise the
post-punk genre
• Post-punk genre usually associated with male bands such as Joy
Division, Public Image Ltd and The Cure because of the
violent/rebellious and darker connotations
• Savages challenge this stereotype by rebranding the female
image, taking inspiration from previous post-punk bands
and creating an empowering
female representation (such as
The dominant stance seen here,
Reinforced by the use of high heels to
Create an empowering female image)

8. My Music Video ‘An Acquired Taste’
• My music video is aimed at predominantly white British females,
aged between 16-20
‘Ideal’ Audience:
• Media interests: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Soundcloud,
Reverbnation
• Lifestyle: Hobbies include photography, listening to music, going to
gigs
• TV programmes include The Great British Bake Off (links to tea
party, Britishness)
• Films: fantasy fiction such as Alice in Wonderland, Pans Labyrinth
• Inspirational Female characters in Literature

9. Representation of ethnicity
• White British protagonist, reflective of music
and audience appeal
• Quirky British connotations such as the
bunting and tea party scene
• Alice in Wonderland inter-textual references –
novel written by British writer Lewis Carroll

10. Representation of Youth
• The video explores the journey through
adolescence and the way in which the
character uses her fantasies to escape the
troubles of real life
• The protagonist does not challenge
representations of youth, but emphasises the
issues that young people have to deal with