To what extent does the 'Formation' music video adheres to or challenges conventions of music videos

To what extent does the 'Formation' music video adheres to or challenges conventions of music videos

"Formation" was the lead single and opening track in Beyonce's sixth studio album "Lemonade". It was first performed during the annual Superbowl halftime show and eventually released online along with a critically praised music video. Beyonce is a self proclaimed 'social justice warrior' so it was without no doubt the music video tackles various social and cultural issues adhering to her public image. However It is the vast number of issues and messages portrayed that makes the video challenge the general conventions of music videos. 

Vernallis states the narrative for most music videos are not always driven by a constant theme, message or story  but can be driven by something else i.e. the music. However "Formation" is not driven by either but rather the messages. The video boldly opens with a wide shot of Beyonce on top of a half sunken police car. The opening image alone can be implied as a critique of the American police systems racist antics towards the predominantly black New Orleans populace during the flood in 2005. Not only is the message of institutional racism present but also cultural racism. As Goodwin states, the lyrics "I like my baby heir with baby hair and afros" links with the visuals as it is  proceeded with a shot of her child Blue Ivy donning an "afro". Beyonce is telling all African-Americans to be proud of themselves and embrace themselves despite the cultural racism they may face. This particular message is almost postmodern (Jean Baudrillard) as she brings her personal life (Her child Blue Ivy) into the song breaking the boundaries between the fictional narrative (that is based on real events) and reality. In turn challenges conventions of music videos as it serves as a disjointed narrative as well as a medium for Beyonce herself to communicate meanings via her personal life. The video ends how it began with her on top of the sinking police car making the narrative reverse chronological a plot device rarely used in music videos. This possibly implies that racism is a closed loop unless you take down the source as shown with the fully submerged police car. The music video challenges conventions as its message on racism forks into multiple issues relating to it such as black female oppression, institutional racism, cultural racism, to even historical events such as  Hurracaine 'Katrina' and the slave trade era. 

The video adheres to the conventional laws of editing as well as Goodwins theory such as the 30 degree rule and continuity editing. However unlike most of Beyonce's previous work as well as most videos in general "Formations" shot duration last's from 0 - 4 seconds with the occasional 5 - 7. This makes for the video to be very fast paced and choppy however this does fit for the pace of the music creating a visual link with the beat. The music video like many others opens with an establishing shot of New Orleans which is signified by the submersion of water and floating police car. Other shots including various close up shots which adheres to genre characteristics of music videos as Goodwin states by doing this the video is building up the artists iconography and star image. Beyonce chooses to directly stare at the camera to  feel as if she is talking to the audience this makes the audience feel involved in what is being said. Many artists choose to do this when making a music video with a political statement such as "Born this way" by Lady Gaga. Through editing and camera movement Beyonce adheres to the general characteristics of music videos especially those of the same genre.  

The diegesis of the video is being revealed slowly throughout as the video spans further than New Orleans. The actions of certain sequences would be abruptly cut to show a different setting and cast to then cut to the previously mentioned sequence. Shots such as the entourage of black women dressed in old fashioned bodices is shot and framed in way that places great importance on the image, judging by the mise en scene the sequence possibly takes place in new Orleans but rather in an alternative past. The use of world building challenges conventions of diegesis as it is done in a postmodern way. 'The truth' is in discourses, it shows sections of Beyonce's personal life such as with the aforementioned shot of her daughter as well as real life events such as flood 'Katrina' however now we are introduced to an alternate subjunctive historical section with the numerous black women in old fashioned historical bodices typically worn by upper class white women during the slave trade era. The diegesis of the video does not adhere to general music video conventions as the world of the music video is disjointed and frequently is disrupted by various and different sequences.