Dreamworlds

Dreamworlds III sends a powerful message about how de-sensitized we have become to the prolific sexual and violent images that we are exposed to in the media on a daily basis. Not only does the media have the power to normalize acts which would be considered violent, it also has the power to shape what we believe about our role in our society as men and women. The movie expresses several aspects of music videos that create a stereotypical dreamworld of male fantasy. It also depicts racial stereotypes. Three specific strategies are utilized to show how and why this dreamworld is created.
The first strategy that is utilized is visual, in which women gaze into the camera and deliberately create an image in which they enjoy the objectification that they are exposed to. Camera angles also reinforce this visual strategy in which only certain aspects of a woman’s body are highlighted. Women are portrayed as pieces of a body, lacking any other attributes other than those which are sexual in nature. The film says that they are fragmented. It suggests that some objectification is fine; but that more of the woman’s other attributes should also be reflected. This strategy is different from the explicit strategy in which what is being said or physically presented on screen is what helps to create the male fantasy, unlike the visual strategy which relies primarily on camera angles.
The explicit strategy is presented in music videos through how women physically act towards men and what is acceptable behavior for men towards women. In music videos, women are acting out a fantasy that is not their own, but someone else’s. For example, the videos depict that women are dominant and sexually needy. This is dangerous because it sends the message that women want to be used by men. This can cause a blurring between reality and fantasy as women become objects that are to be used solely for male pleasure. A strong example of how the normalcy of male fantasy in the media has caused a blurring of what is acceptable is in the portrayal of female teachers acting out sexual fantasies with their students. This creates an atmosphere of acceptance for male students who have this fantasy. It is embedded in our culture that it is a male fantasy to have sex with his female teacher, so when it occurs, it is more accepted, and there is a double standard of how this is seen by the public. A boy is not considered a victim because he wanted it.
Another strategy utilized is to use women’s bodies to sell a product - for example, to sell the artists music. Many artists create videos that are sexually explicit because it will create controversy. This is even prevalent in country music videos as women are depicted as different stereotypical characters within male fantasies.
Overall, Dreamworlds III is shocking, but the method is effective in showing how the world of music videos has helped to create a culture in which women are objectified and the objectification is acceptable.