This document provides an analysis of Ciara's 2007 music video for her song "Like a Boy". The video challenges conventions by reversing traditional gender roles. Ciara dresses and acts like a man, confronting her boyfriend and putting him in her shoes. Throughout the video, Ciara and her dancers perform masculine choreography while dressed in masculine styles. The use of black and white, role switching, and clothing choices effectively convey Ciara's message about gender roles and how women would be viewed differently if they behaved as men often do.

1. RiannaDyer
Ciara-like aboy
(Album)
Genre-rhythm&blues
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3CQEvlil68M&ob=av2e
I have chosento illustrate thisvideoformygenre conventionbecause itshowswomeninadifferent
light.Thisparticularvideochallengesthe wayhow most womeninrnbvideoshave been portrayed
and itlinksintothe musicvideomygroupare goingto be focusingon.
Thisfemale empowermentrecordismainlyaimedatmature women. The meaningof thissongand
videoisbasedongenderroles beingreversed.Itshowshow menthatare in relationshipscantreat
theirwomeninsucha way where if the womendone ittheywouldgetlookeddownupon.For
example;‘pull upyourpants,take outthe trash,gettingyourcash like himfastlike him’ and‘wish
we couldswitchup the roles,andi couldbe that,tell youthat i love youbutwhenyoucall i never
getback’ (lyricsfromthe song),thatis seenasmasculine thingstodoand if a female were todo
that, theywouldn’tbe portrayedas‘ladylike’andunfeminine.
The black and white videobeginswith ahalf asecond close up snippetof Ciara’sforearmsand
hands.The way howtheyhave beenpositioned,ringsandloadsof tattoos(whichhave beenpainted
on) give us the impressionthatshe isimprovisingamasculine type hand.Straightafterthatwe then
see Ciaradressedlike aboysittingina chair (slouchinglike aboytoo). She thenquotes“2007.
Ladies,i thinkit’stime toswitchroles”. Thisisshownas a mediumshot. Thatsentence alone should
reassure the audience onwhatthe videois goingtobe about.

2. RiannaDyer
Next, Ciara confronts her boyfriend (played by Reggie bush) throughout the video. During the first
verse and chorus, Ciara dances with her male alter ego. In these print screens you can notice that
the lighting has been positioned in certain places; especially in the first print screen, The light
angle defines the dominant person between the two (which is the female). Also, the fact that Ciara
is talking to her boyfriend right near his ear shows that it could possibly be a secret. In this case
she knows what he has done and is confronting him and putting her in his shoes so he can
understand how she feels when he does unnecessary things.
Close up medium shot
Long shot
This long shot print screen shows Ciara dancing with her male alter ego. Her alter ego’s pose is
quiet masculine and he is dressed in what it seems like a black suit which is known as a bold,
powerful, dark and deep colour. The white trainers could possibly signify that there is a brighter
side to this alter ego of hers. The feminine side of Ciara stands out more in this black and white
music video. This is mainly because of the outfit type alongside the colour; a white short dress
with black heels and no head wear (the complete opposite to her alter ego). The white signifies
purity and innocence as opposed to the colour black. In this case it shows that the female is the
innocent one however the black heels could mean she is slowly feeding off of her male alter ego
and therefore she is not so innocent after all.(The walking stick prop could also signal she is
feeding off her alter ego)

3. RiannaDyer
The rest of the video, Ciara and female dancers, who are all dressed in more masculine styles,
perform masculine choreography. After the bridge, there is a breakdown and Ciara performs her
famous matrix.
Againthese twoprintscreensshowthatCiara isthe dominantcharacter.We can see thisby use of
lightingandfacial expressions;the male looksasif he isindenial andhe cannot lookCiaradirectly
intohereyes.
Close up-view theirfacial expressions
I believe thatthisisaverygood musicvideowhere youcanchallenge conventions.The use
of blackand white throughoutthe video,switchingroles andclothingall linkincorrectlythe

4. RiannaDyer
message Ciaraistryingto give outto consumers. All of these propsandmise enscence iswhatyou
wouldexpecttosee inan Rnbmusicvideo.