
Thomas Jefferson once said, “"Every generation needs a new revolution." This statement has proved timeless as decades later, we are experiencing a time of much needed change and social reformation in our nation. The video Formation by Beyoncé is filled with elements to create a moving and powerful visual text, illustrating the continuing struggle for equality. One way to analyze and understand the meaning of the visual text is through the element of the gaze. The gaze is a very diverse element. It is composed of many categories and sub-categories. These categories include attention, diegesis, scopophilia, and intensity. In the video Formation, the theme of empowerment and equality for African Americans is illustrated through the usage of the gaze. The video uses the gazes to illustrate popular characteristics that are often associated with the African American culture and expresses these in a liberating, prideful, and revolutionary nature. 

The extra-diegetic view is used abundantly in this video. This view is used in visual texts when the character looks “outside the text” as if it were looking at or addressing the reader or viewer. Many times throughout the video you see scenes of Beyoncé standing on top of a flooding law enforcement vehicle (0:26). There are many things you notice in the shot such as the rushing waters, the houses in the background, the colors of her clothing, and much more. Despite these features, the key component of the scene is the gaze being used. The extra-diegetic gaze here is allowing Beyoncé to look outside of the “panel” and towards the viewer. The first few times this scene is shown, the extra-diegetic gaze is the main focus of the scene as this particular gaze is used in the video to speak directly towards the audience and adds a more personable tone as if Beyoncé is sparking a movement and not producing simply a music video. From her eyes, you can sense her aggression and passion for rebellion and justice. In many scenes it looks as if she is directly addressing the viewer with her fierce expressions and making them feel her emotions and empathize with her cause. Through these shots, you can see her longing for equality as she knows her people are constantly facing injustice through law enforcement interaction. 

As the video progresses, the usage of gaze does as well, as scopophilia is introduced to assert positive body image and cultural pride. The particular gaze is incorporated towards the middle of the video to introduce a new view and outlet of expression. In the scenes, Beyoncé and other women are shown dancing in what appears to be a historical southern home hallway (2:11). In this particular frame, Beyoncé is shown from the back, exposing her curvy figure which suggests the element of scopophilia is coming into play. The shot is from above and from a concealed angle. This sense of concealed admiring shows the usage of what would seem to be the fetishistic angle but not in the conventional way. Instead of being sexualized by the hetero sexual male, Beyoncé is being admired in a concealed fashion but from the eye of the viewer.  This angle supports the theme of cultural pride because Beyoncé is embracing her natural curves that are often associated with the African American culture and expressing her cultural beauty. She is allowing the viewer to use this angle, not a degrading way like usual, but in an empowering way. She is exhibiting her body to show that she is not ashamed of her voluptuous figure, but instead liberated by it and compelled to feel that she is beautiful and strong in every way, just as any other person should feel. This showing of strength and security in one’s self correlates with the theme of African American empowerment. 

In addition to these two sub categories, the visual text also uses intensity as a key component of expressing the theme. In many scenes such as the one occurring in the wig shop, it is using the peripheral intensity to show the setting. This gaze does not focus on a single character but simply has all of the characters in the general field of vision. In this particular frame mentioned, the video uses this gaze to show 3 African American women standing in the middle of what appears to be a small town beauty shop (1:20). Wigs and hair extensions have been popularized by and often linked with the African American culture. As her theme of pride in her culture, this scene in an important one as she is using a concept that normally has negative connotations and she is accepting it and illustrating it with positive connotations. It is another prime example of the video utilizing the gaze to express a characteristic in a positive and empowering way. As the video progresses, more elements are introduced to enhance the visual text with meaning.

Towards the end of the video, a scene occurs that is a powerful example of how the attention of the gaze can have a drastic impact on a frame and convey the theme of equality and empowerment. In the scene, a young boy is shown having an encounter with law enforcement officers (4:23). The reciprocal gaze is being used to show the interaction between the boy and the law enforcement officers. The attention between the two sides is equal, as they are focused on the actions of each other. The demonstration of attention in the shot supports the theme of empowerment and equality for African Americans because you see the reversal of power roles between the characters. Instead of the young boy becoming a victim of brutality, he is the authoritative figure in the shot. He is demanding that the law enforcement officers put their hands up and surrender, referencing the popular “hands up don’t shoot” movement. By showing this interaction through the attention gaze usage, the video is using a visual element to support the overall theme of equality and empowerment for African Americans.

In conclusion, the video Formation is a prime example of how you can utilize elements to support an intended meaning in a visual text. In the video, the director does a brilliant job of using the gaze to illustrate and support the theme of empowerment and equality for African Americans. The gaze is used not only for introducing the setting for the theme but also expressing key factors that play an everyday part in the fight for equality in the African American community. The diegesis and intensity help represent the living communities of many African Americans and show the “streets” in which the fight for equality occurs every single day. The video uses the many different components to illustrate pride in the African American culture by emphasizing characteristics such as hair or a particular type of clothing that is often linked with the race. The use of scopophilia empowers the voluptuous body type often linked with African American women, while the attention aspect of the video illustrates vital interactions and power role situations between African American civilians and law enforcement officers. With that being said, the Formation video is a powerful visual text that exemplifies the reality of the movement for equality of the African American communities across the nation. 
