Michael Jackson

Representation - How does the representation of

Michael Jackson vary in two different types of
media?
*Side helpings of Audience, Genre and industry*

Labels
Michael Jackson was from a humble background
in Gary, Indiana, and yet grew to be one of the
most formidable forces in the music industry. He
started his career in The Jackson 5 with Motown
Universal 1998 before joining CBS Records
Sony 1988 and Epic records also owned by Sony
- then gradually moving into a solo career and
creating his own record label MJJ Productions
3T and then posthumously signing for Sony
Records until 2017

 Most of the time, Jackson was represented as a music

legend of not just his time, but of all time. Although
after the child molestation case of 1991, his image
deflated and the press coined the nick name Wacko
Jacko, and would from then on focus not on the music,
but solely the strange, eccentric antics of Jackson. This
was undoubtedly the reason for his inability to reach
the heights he once had.
Jacksons image is unquestionably a large reason why
he became so formidable in the music industry. The
fact that the media represented him as different and
strange was reflected in his music, being different from
the norm, a factor which helped him sell records.

Before Death

The album cover from Michael

Jacksons 1991 album Dangerous.
The typical codes of album covers; most albums
have these on the front artwork.
artworks will represent the artist themselves.
Text and colours to attract the attention of their
specific target audience.
establishes the artist and along with the genre of
music they produce
communicate to the audience the message and
ideology that the artist wants to get across

Thoughts?

Genre
Audience
Representation
Ideologies
Links to industry Epic records

Genre - With Teddy Riley, Jackson recorded under the new

jack swing genre, a genre Riley has been often credited
with inventing. It was also the first album in which
Jackson began rapping. The inclusion of the rap group
Wreckx-n-Effect, Jackson's embrace of hip-hop rhythms
and new jack swing were designed to give Jackson a new
younger urban audience.

central focus point of the image Michael hiding away,

Mask- Reclose? theatrical? Circus? Not the real him?

consumers can only see his eyes, and Iconic
lock of perfected, black hair.
This part of the photo has been airbrushed to make
Michael look perfect.
By this time Michael Jackson the person was worldly famous, and
therefore we didnt need to be able to see him, but the audience didnt
yet know much about his personality - Dangerous gives the consumer a
deep insight of his character;
the colours are very simplistic, gold, black, and white mainly - expensive
and regal (It seems regal because the animals on the left and right are
crowned and the mask around Jacksons eyes looks similar to a crown).
This is echoed by Jacksons nickname The King of Pop.

gold, serif font which fits in with the overall themes of authenticity
and importance. Dangerous connotations?, is much smaller and
less defined - Jackson - the main attraction and that the album
name didnt matter as much.

Deeper meanings?

Dog King: (Michael?) ~ Dog is wearing MJ slippers and white glove

"Umbilical cord" attached to glass ball containing man and woman (Adam and Eve?) religion
Taped fingers : (Michael's hand?) Imprinted map of the world on palm - control
Road into 'Dangerous' Industrialised area: decorated with childlike drawings of guns and rockets;
skull and crossbones...Industrial area (steelworks factories) completely void of children/ animals world
Ride: Boy with letter M on top (riding one of the cars exiting ride) Mac Culkin?
Bubbles, Ben, Louie and Gypsy (Michael's pets) riding boats/cars
a little like a ghost train? Animals going in; children/ skeletons coming out! Images of different era Michaels "Thriller" Michael statuette near old man's head, young Michael in
one of the cars
Letters - Eo ~ Greek for Dawn (also Captain EO - lots of references to the sun/ dawn in that film)
ENTRARE ~ Enter
EXITUS ~ Outlet or death (look above the exit of the ride)
Numbers: 7 on the large hand/wrist and on the little man with top hat (Michael's favourite
number/ 7th Child);
1998 with 3 dots and arrow (Michael regularly added this to his signature) on the lapel of the old
man's jacket
"Upside down" planet in the centre of the picture - discord/ mayhem?
Black and white face - reference to song "Black or White
Peace signs
Old man wearing tuxedo P. T. Barnum (?) This makes sense as Barnum was a celebrated circus
showman - and the whole picture depicts a circus!

 Mark Ryden: There has been an interview

with Mark where he said he wanted to convey
the supposed circus that Michaels life was
portrayed to be by the media, but show that
behind that circus was a mind at work.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x
S8nUdQ1OAI
In contrast This Is It advert Michael is no longer
shying away, he takes the main role and shows off
his legendary talent. This is because Michael was
attempting to reinvent his career in a new way.
These concerts would open Michaels music up to
a whole new generation of consumers.
This is the longest TV advertising ever bought by
an artist. Aired on ITV1 Sunday 8th March 2009
Marketing tool! Strictly Come Dancing

establishing shot; it is used to set the scene, in this instance it

represents Jackson as powerful because he has thousands of
soldiers following his every move. They chose to represent
him in this way, in an advert, so that the audience thinks of
him as a legendary idol and therefore they will be more
inclined to see his concerts.

This is the first shot of Jackson performing; it is a medium long

shot so that the whole of Jacksons body can be seen in a religious
pose. This pose is similar to Jesus on the cross; they have chosen
to represent him like this because they want his fans to see him
like an idol. This creates an atmosphere and ambiance at a
Jackson concert, unlike any over (blue hue). This therefore aids
sales of tickets.

This is a medium close-up, low angle shot; it is

used to make Jackson look bigger. He wanted
to be the biggest star in the world so he could
gain more accolades and ultimately sell more
tickets and albums, to make more money. This
type of representation helped cement his
place at number 1; the camera is looking up at
him like he is more important than the viewer.

In this shot the camera moves parallel

with Jackson whilst he moonwalks
tracking ; this is used because it makes
this dance look and lot more impressive
and polished. Jackson wanted to be
represented as impressive so that people
would want to go and see him more.

Editing -Almost the entire advert uses

the cut transition, from one shot of Jackson dancing to another
(represent his ability to dance/ link to dance styles audience)
The speed of the transitions are determined by the different
songs Jackson is dancing to (codes and conventions MV), the
shot changes are consistent to the beats of the music.
In the final few second of the advert the shot changes several
times per second (fast past editing), this makes the advert very
exciting and acts like a countdown to the actual shows.
(Marketing)

There is one other transition an Iris Wipe (Audience POV)

between a shot of Jackson with an upbeat song, to a shot of
Jackson with a slow song.

This Is It advert Michaels name isnt even mentionedREP of Star until the last shot of the scene and even
then only in small writing as part of a website address
(technology).

In the advert he is referred to as The King of Pop letting his music talk for itself; there are very few
interruptions of the music clips. And even fewer by text.
The text in the clip is in a silver, serif, shadowed font,
the shadows point to the centre of the screen, which
has a picture of the O2 in it. This is putting emphasis on
the fact that these amazing concerts and going to be
held at such an amazing venue = MJ amazing too!

Why are they both positive representations unlike magazines?

mainly because they are made by Michael Jackson, or institutions that
make money from his success.
The album cover represents Michael as? Appeal? (Link to hyberbaric
chamber!)
reclusive, but Jackson liked people to think this or he would not have
chosen to represent himself in this way. It shows that he has success
because he can afford this carnivalistic life style, but it shows that there
is a dark, hard working, almost mechanical part deep inside of him
which isnt visible to the whole world.
The advert represents Michael as?
the one of the greatest artists the world has ever known; it cleverly
plays the most catch parts of the most famous Michael Jackson songs
even, Billie Jean, Thriller etc. It paints This Is It as a once in a lifetime
amazing experience that cant be missed, in addition to this it
emphasises that there is only 10 show so that the consumer is forced
to buy their tickets quickly as to not miss out.

The advert uses mise-en-scene so that the consumer feels?

how exciting these concerts are going to be, everything is
exaggerated, for example it shows shots of women fainting just at
the sight on Michael Jackson!
The way the album cover uses mise-en-scene lets the reader?

get a taste for the music without listening to it. They know it is going
to be extravagant, and different, but elegant and sophisticated as
well. The album cover plays into the stereotypes of Michael Jackson.
It reiterates what people thought on him, profligate, special, maybe
even slightly excessive. Additionally it plays into his Peter Pan
dream of never having to get old, as the album cover is very fantasy
and make-believe based. Michael Jackson fans like this cover
because they get to learn more about his personality than they have
ever known before. A reclusive character, Michael is letting the
smarter demographics of his fans read into his personality through
one of his many interests, art.

For Michael Jackson (3 different

examples from various forms)
HW How are people represented in your 3
main texts?
And
Most texts mix genres How true is this for
your 3 main texts?
And
How do your chosen texts attract their
audiences?