Beyoncé’s “Formation” music video is a potent work that fosters a profound empowerment for Black culture through visual design, innovative editing techniques, and other aspects that were remarkably avant-garde in their cultural impact and articulation seven years ago.

Beyonce’s black outfit and wide-brimmed hat in the opening sequence convey authority and tradition while acknowledging the deep history of black culture in the American South. Formation’s choreography is incisive, precise, and politically charged. For instance, a black young child is arrested by many strong FBI officers while dancing nonstop. The child’s joyous and self-assured performances reinforce the notion of activism, while the contrast between the large and the small shows a mismatch between society and the rights of the Black community.

By using a montage approach to blend compelling images and situations, Formation creates a political message rather than adhering to a conventional storytelling style with a distinct beginning, middle, and end. In particular, pictures of flooded New Orleans cars and police cruisers hint at the systematic brutality and neglect that the black population has to deal with.

The Formation edit incorporates jump cuts, fast scene transitions, and slow motion. There is a sense of urgency conveyed by the jump cuts and rapid changes, as Beyoncé is keen to expose the disdain and injustice directed against Black people. The slow motion highlights the strength of certain scenes like Beyoncé standing in front of a FEMA truck or surrounded by dancers, which draws attention to the defiance in her posture or eyes.
As Railton and Watson point out, Beyoncé’s art combines appropriation, nostalgia, and original black female subjectivity in a complicated and sometimes contradictory way (Railton and Watson, 2011). The intimate connection between sound and picture in Formation heightens the piece’s emotional and political impact.

Reference:

Railton, D. and Watson, P. (2011). Music video and the politics of representation. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press.

By Xinran Liu 33732297