The 'Male Gaze' in a Music Video

Akon - Don't matter  (click on image above to view)

At the begining of the video we get an image of the woman walking out from the house towards the camera. She's not looking at the camera, so we get the idea that she's looking at the man in the video. She produces a 'chocolate box' smile to draw the audience's attention towards her. After seeing her, the male audience have their attention focused on her, and therefore will want to see her again. The rest of the video is focused on her, and she uses many of the other classic looks that Marjorie Ferguson and Trevor Millum suggested.

When she originally walks out from the house, as we talked about before, the female character produces the 'chocolate box' smile, which is described as warmth, where their features are perfect and smooth. This is what is shown here at the begining of the video to introduce us to the character.

She then gets into a car with the male character, and they drive off towards the beach. During their drive, the female character produces the 'super-smiler' look, in which her chin is thrown back, hair wind swept, as if implying that she wants the men to look at her.

Later on in the video, around 1 minute and 45 seconds, the female character is looking back towards the camera with her head titled to one side. Her mouth is shut, almost like it's about to turn into a smile. This is the iconic 'invitational' look, as she is almost suggesting something mischievous may occur.

Throughout the video, the two character's feature in the same image. They're are looking towards each other in a way that suggests that they are in love. This look is known as the 'Romantic or Sexual' look as this shows the love between the two characters in the video. Although it may be romantic, I don't think that it is included to attract a male audience.

The Male Gaze Notes

Marjorie Ferguson vocabulary:

1. Chocolate Box: half or full-smile, lips together or slightly parted, teeth barely visible, full or three-quarter face to camera. Projected mood: blandly pleasing, warm bath warmth, where uniformity of features in their smooth perfection is devoid of uniqueness or of individuality.
2. Invitational: emphasis on the eyes, mouth shut or with only a hint of a smile, head to one side or looking back to camera. Projected mood: suggestive of mischief or mystery, the hint of contact potential rather than sexual promise, the cover equivalent of advertising’s soft sell.
3. Super-smiler: full face, wide open toothy smile, head thrust forward or chin thrown back, hair often wind-blown. Projected mood: aggressive, ‘look-at-me’ demanding, the hard sell, ‘big come-on’ approach.
4. Romantic or Sexual: a fourth and more general classification devised to include male and female ‘two-somes’; or the dreamy, heavy-lidded, unsmiling big-heads, or the overtly sensual or sexual. Projected moods: possible ‘available’ and definitely ‘available’.

Trevor Millum vocabulary:

1. Seductive: similar to the cool/level look in many respects - the eyes are less wide, perhaps shaded, the expression is less reserved but still self-sufficient and confident; milder versions may include a slight smile.
2. Carefree: nymphlike, active, healthy, gay, vibrant, outdoor girl; long unrestrained outward-flowing hair, more outward-going than the above, often smiling or grinning.
3. Practical: concentrating, engaged on the business in hand, mouth closed, eyes object-directed, sometimes a slight frown; hair often short or tied back
4. Comic: deliberately ridiculous, exaggerated, acting the fool, pulling faces for the benefit of a real or imaginary audience, sometimes close to a sort of archness.
5. Catalogue: a neutral look as of a dummy, artificial, waxlike; features may be in any position, but most likely to be with eyes open wide and a smile, but the look remains vacant and empty; personality has been removed. (Millum 1975, 97-8)

Notes on Female Model



Look: not into camera, distracted/disinterested, dosen't care who is watching

Hair: messy, wet, feminine, sexual, swimming, shower

Legs: open- sexual element

Stance: hands on hips, tip toes, toned legs, dominant, confidence

Arms: stressed, tired, knows she looks good

Lingerie: sexual, feminine, attention drawn to what is being advertised

Body: toned, perfect, too thin?, confident

Shoes/Feet: tip toes, heels- longer legs, skinnier, heels make it more sexual

Notes on the Male Model

Hair: short, masculine, clean

Bicep: muscular

Bar: he has a good grip on it, suggests he has been to the gym

Background Colour: red- poison, sexual, romantic, heat, danger

Necklace: feminine, fashion, personal, religious, shows sensitivity

Tattoo: in a sexual place, wild animal, rebellious

Underwear: tight, advertising product and brand

Hand: in a fist - could show aggression, suggestive

Pubic Area: shaven, clean, appealing, tan lines

Abs: toned, attention drawn here

Body: tanned, sweaty, wet, sexual look

Stubble: manly, masculine, rugged look

Lips: pouting, full, shiny, not manly

Face: strong jaw line, chiseled, high cheek bones

Look: determined, engaging, confident, inviting, suggestive

The Gaze Lesson Notes

• 'The Gaze' is used in film theory to refer to the ways the viewers look at images of people in a visual medium.
• 'The male gaze' refers to the way in which men look at women in a visual medium.
• The fourth wall is a metaphor for the audience and when an actor talks down to the camera as if they are addressing the audience.
• Laura Mulvey came up with the theory of the male gaze.
• She thought that men were more often shown as active and women passive.
• Also, she put forward the idea that the woman is the 'image' and the man is the 'bearer of the look'.

Male Gaze Powerpoint

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