Music Video: Michael Jackson - Billie Jean

1) What was the budget for Billie Jean? How did this compare with later Michael Jackson videos?

Billie jean’s budget was $50,000, this is significantly lower than his later projects beat it and Thriller which had a budget of $300,000 and $2 million respectively

2) Why was the video rejected by MTV?

They believed it didn’t match their audience

3) Applying Goodwin's theory of music video, how does Billie Jean reflect the genre characteristics of pop music video?

Notions of looking and studio demands to advertise MJ by dancing and performing are both present in the music video

4) How do the visuals reflect the lyrics in Billie Jean?

One instance would be when MJ sings “eyes like mine” once said the camera focuses on his eyes with a freeze frame

5) Why does the video feature fewer close-up shots than in most pop videos?

Since MJ was known for his dancing, having the camera film his entire body through a medium-long to long shot in order to see his performance clearly was seen to be an effective advertising technique

6) What intertextual references can be found in the video?

The most obvious form of intertextuality in the music video is the film noir inspiration seen by the main antagonist, the mysterious detective. A less obvious example would be the instance of the two women looking at him through a billboard

7) How does the video use the notion of looking as a recurring motif?

Three instances:

• Cameras attempt to take a picture of MJ
• Women within billboard looking at MJ
• Freeze frame of Michael Jacksons (MJ) eyes looking at the viewer

8) What representations can be found in the video?

One representation would be the misrepresentation of black men within the media, as they will always be portrayed as a bad guy

Close-textual analysis of the music video

1) How is mise-en-scene used to create intertextuality - reference to other media products or genres? E.g. colour/black and white; light/lighting.

The lighting, costumes and acting (movement) all play to the idea of film noir e.g. The costume directly plays into the conventions of how a detective looks like with the trench coat, the same individual is rarely in the light, this plays into the idea that he's a mysterious character and his constant lurking around does the same thing

2) How does the video use narrative theory of equilibrium?

MJ roaming around without getting chased is the equilibrium, when he does begin to get chased is the disequilibrium and his disappearance at the end is the new equilibrium

3) How are characters used to create narrative through binary opposition?

There are instances of good and evil, and rich and poor in the form of Mj being portrayed as the good guy, and the detective being portrayed as the bad guy. The rich and poor being shown in the very beginning with MJ giving money to the homeless man

4) What is the significance of the freeze-frames and split-screen visual effects?

It plays into the idea of MJ being chased by the paparazzi

5) What meanings could the recurring motif of 'pictures-within-pictures' create for the audience?

The pictures within pictures motif helps to show the idea that there are multiple perspectives within one event/situation

6) Does the video reinforce or subvert theories of race and ethnicity - such as Gilroy's diaspora or Hall's black characterisations in American media?

Within the music video, MJ seems to almost be lost within the music, this idea of being lost plays into the idea of Gilroys black diaspora

7) Does this video reflect Steve Neale's genre theory of 'repetition and difference'? Does it reflect other music videos or does it innovate?

Billie Jean was a revolutionary entry into the genre of music video, due to this it would be safe to assume that it created brand new conventions that have been repeated by other artists over the years

8) Analyse the video using postmodern theory (e.g. Baudrillard's hyper-reality; Strinati's five definitions of postmodernism). How does the 'picture-in-picture' recurring motif create a postmodern reading?

Instances of intertextuality and pastiche can be found in Billie jean through the film noir elements and the musical like qualities the music video features throughout the run time