Shot Count Activity

Beyonce – Run the World

Within the whole of this video, over one hundred (122) shots are used in order to comprehend with the music and with the narrative of the track.

The main type of shots that are used are long shots for the most part in order to show the intense dance routine that is present throughout two thirds of the whole video. The dance routine is crucial to the lyrics of the song and visualises the key meaning of the track. The track is mainly about female domination and the power of women presently. This is recognised by a large group of women dancing fiercely toward a crowd of males. Their “frustration” aforementioned in the track is obivious within the dance routine.

Another type of shot which was particularly common within the music video was the close up shot. This helps to create the notion of looking and places emphasis and the physical attractiveness of the artist. In this particular video, the fact that Beyonce is shown in this light actually emphasises the fact she has so much power along with other females instead of being purely for male attraction.

A certain motif of Beyonce’s is key in this music video, as seen in other work she has two backing dancers who are female and imitate the dance that she does. For example, in Single Ladies, the video is made up of herself and two other dancers performing a routine. This was and still is an iconic routine known worldwide which is only associated with Beyonce. However, in this music video, the two backing dancers are male which immediately can be seen as an illustrative representation of the lyrics within Run the World.

With the audience of this track being mainly female, the use of characters within the video is key to attracting that demographic. The running theme of female empowerment is present through the use of a large number of female characters and a smaller number of male characters. Beyonce dominates through the whole sequence, being the leader of the pack and even coming face to face with members of a police force. Male members of a police force are seen to be strong and tough men but act as no threat to the large group of females in front making the females seem more powerful to the men again illustrating the dimensions of the track.

A lot of Beyonce’s songs have strong R&B influences much like this particular one. As well as the actual track having R&B influences we have visual offerings of clothing, scenery and characters which demonstrate a scene where R&B is present. For example, some of the male characters wear bandannas and have sleeveless tops on. The females however represent the other influence of the song by wearing dresses and jewellery, the more pop like side to the track. Beyonce symbolises both sides of the coin by wearing short biker style clothing in some scenes then long flowing dresses in others, bringing both ends of the spectrum together like in the track itself, mixing strong R&B with hip pop.