It’s Raining Men

Geri Halliwell

Background information about the song

• It's Raining Men is a song written by Paul Jabara and Paul Shaffer in 1979 originally for Dave Balfour's album Stars and originally recorded by The Weather Girls in 1982.

• The song had been offered to Diana Ross, Donna Summer, Cher, and Barbra Streisand before being accepted by Martha Wash and Izora Armstead of The Weather Girls, with their version becoming an international hit, selling over 6 million copies worldwide.

Background information about the artist

• Geraldine Estelle "Geri" Halliwell • Born 6 August 1972 • British pop singer-songwriter,

clothes designer, author and actress.

• Became to international prominence in the late 1990s as Ginger Spice, a member of girl group the Spice Girls.

• Launched her solo career in 1998• First album called Schizophrenic• It also included her cover version

of The Weather Girls 1983 hit, It's Raining Men, used on the Bridget Jones's Diary film soundtrack

Background information about the director

• The music video was directed by Jim Canty and Jake-Sebastian Wynne

• Also directed Scream If You Wanna Go Faster which is another song from Geri Halliwell

• The opening of the music video is inspired by the audition scene in the film Flashdance which was released in 1983.

• The remainder of the music video is inspired by the famous film 'Fame' which was released in 1980.

Camera workIn the opening of the music video, the camera uses close up shots to show different parts of the artist body in which Geri Halliwell is wearing very revealing clothing. The use of close ups help sell her new image/body after leaving the Spice Girls and also apple to the Male Gaze (Laura Mulvey). The use of close up shots not

only reveal Geri Halliwells but also shows the facial expressions of the panel of judges in which she is dancing in front of, this express the shock of her new image. The position of the people suggests that they are judges, reinforcing the dance performance look.

The camera shots and lighting work together when she begins her audition. The light is centred to the middle of the room where Geri Halliewell is positioned. She is centred showing she is the centre of attention within the music video, this helps to pull in the audience.

The genre is very mainstream pop and musical like, similar to Fame. The audience are unable to see the performers face until 30 seconds into the video the lack of recognition builds up tension. Anticipation is created by a series of fragmented body images as she begins her dance.

When Geri falls, a close up is used to connote intimacy with the audience, so they feel sympathetic towards her. The use of camera and lyrics work well, showing literal illustrations. For example “its raining men” she is joined by a mainly male dancers which come into the audition room.

Narrative• The narrative is split into many story but as a

whole is it based on both Fame and Flashdance

• Inspiration from Flashdance is used for the audition which looks like it going wrong as she falls over but then its okay as she preforms well

• The judges are enjoying themself and lots of the students are watching through the door.

• It cuts in life at the school which is similar to scenes from Fame and we cans see her doing ballet classes and doing other school stuff like hanging out by her locker and in hallways.

• At one part she's doing sit ups and boxing, which shows that she is dedicated which can relate to her being a solo artist

• When she's doing the sit ups there is a small dog in the background causing her to be relatable and this liked by the audience.

IntertextualityThis music video references to Fame and Flashdance . The audition room is very much like these films. During the chours, more dancers join in, very much like Flashdance. Lots of colours and dynamic dancing.

The video is mainly a dance routine with extracts from both Fame and Flashdance. The record scene enables her to mess up as the needles on the record slips.

Video style and iconographyParticular music genres have their own music video style and iconography. Iconography is symbolic an example of this is tumbleweed relates to Western themes. Tumbleweed symbolises a western era. The music video for Geri Halliwell ‘sis dance, the iconography of this is the dance school and backing dancers.

Representation• Halliwell is represented as popular and

fun throughout the video as she is always seen with people

• She also represent very voyeuristically through mise-en-scene especially as she wears very revealing clothes but also through the close-ups shots that show the audience her body

• Also portrayed as an exhibitionist (Goodwin) as she seems very happy to show off her body and is inviting a sexual gaze. This is also shown through her being watched through the looking glass.

• The fact that she is having fun with lots of people has connotation o f her having more fun without the Spice Girls.

Mise en scene

• Geri wears very 70’s styled clothing which can related to the film Fame.

• One of the top she wears connotes her high profile career.

• Most of the clothes are revealing showing off her new body image and attract men

Editing

• There are many quick cuts to show the vigorous pace of the video.

• The pace of the song such as the first chorus has lots of quick and short pan shots. This is used for the other dances to emphasise their movement.

Voyeurism• Camera work is general throughout

the whole video is mainly close up of Halliwell and her body, along with plans and tilts to show the dancing

• Close up shorts of her body like her waist and her stomach which could have been done to emphasize her shape causing her to be looked at voyeuristically or even through exhibitionism where she's proud of how she looks and wants to show it off.

• Fragmentation in early part of the video

Analyse using Andrew Goodwin• Directors used a lot of low angle shots to

draw attention to Halliwell, but they also made her apparel powerful. A contrast to her at the beginning.

• For example - Geri wears a blue jumper in a corridor and another Is when she is on a cloudy backdrop which she is swaying along to the music, which suggests that she's comfortable in her own skin.

• The low angle shot makes her look powerful and in control, which is something the music company would want as she was a new single artist, so she would need to look independent and not look like she needs The Spice Girls, thus selling her successfully (Goodwin).

Analyse using Laura Mulvey's Male Gaze Theory

• The shot of her on the cloudy backdrop also creates exhibitionism where she is allowing the audience to look at her and is done to meet the male gaze (Mulvey)