Todorov & Levi-Strauss in music videos

Taylor Swift - Bad Blood ft. Kendrick Lamar (2015)

Todorov can be applied easily to the narrative, shown through the use of codes and conventions of an action/sci-fi movie, such as the opening establishing shot of a cityscape, the mise-en-scene of props like weaponry and the intertextual references to the ‘McGuffin’ briefcase. This sets the equilibrium of the music video to the duo Swift and Gomez on a spy mission. The disruption to the equilibrium occurs when Gomez kicks Swift from the window, betraying her comrade and possibly friend as they are the only two women in this ‘scene’. The narrative then builds to a restoration throughout the rest of the music video. It consists of Swift in multiple action genre settings, training and preparing to go up against Gomez, however the audience is prevented from viewing the outcome. For the most part, Bad Blood does fit into Todorov’s narrative theory although it does give an indication if there is a new equilibrium formed. This is typical of music videos from 2015 to present day as it allows for audiences to talk about what they think could happen (much like an actual movie narrative) on social platforms, making it a talking point, therefore advertising the music video.

The narrative is based around the rivalry between Swift and Gomez, therefore Levi-Strauss’ theory of binary opposition is slightly present. The conflict between the two is created when the POV, slow motion, low angle shot shows Gomez watching Swift fall from the window. After that, binary opposition is not represented until the climax to the conflict occurs with a Mexican stand-off between the two characters and their ‘teams’. This is because for the rest of the video the women are not fighting each other, in fact they are helping each other. The video could be considered to be an expression of girl power, shown through the dominance of the female characters and their physicality, therefore there is not much room for people to be opposed to one another.