In 2016, the famous Beyoncé released her now recognized music video for her hit single, “Formation.” Over the past several months, this video has gone viral for several reasons but mostly because it recognizes the racial issues occurring in the United States each and every day. Each civilian can interpret and analyze this five-minute video based on their own personal beliefs, but it is not wrong to say that the artist is trying to prove that the acts in this country need to end. Although some panels are rather short, each of them correlates with the one directly after which creates a domino effect. This idea seamlessly ties the entire video together having the first scene, all the middle scenes, and the last scene relating to one another. Through the “Formation” music video, Beyoncé expands the conversation of the prejudice acts occurring in the United States into a brilliant visual text.  

The five-minute music video starts with a quick scene (0:05 to 0:08 seconds) where Beyoncé is standing on top of a police car. But what is very interesting; is what occurs around the police car. The police car is completely submerged in water as well as the row homes under water in the background. Although the homes are not the center of attention, they develop this sense of a metaphor meaning that the cities are in danger and need to be helped. The angle of the shot results in Beyoncé becoming the main attraction. The color of the scene is rather grainy which develops a weary feeling of intensity and hatred. Beyoncé is clothed in a bright red dress which stands out far more than the color of the sky and water. In addition, the red dress complements the light blue letters of “POLICE” on the side of the car, which resembles the flashing lights on the vehicle. The colors and angle of this quick shot, result in a viewer focusing in on certain things such as Beyoncé and the police car. This further allows a viewer to anticipate what is going to come next. 

There are many different shots and angles used during this scene. It is obvious that an establishing shot is used because it shows where the scene is taking place; in the middle of a road near a neighborhood in the city. Also, a long shot is displayed because Beyoncé’s entire length of her body is seen. The position of the camera develops discomfort for the viewer. As a result of the angle, the viewer cannot see what is going on outside of the panel. Directly after this short moment, there are panels of the entire city engulfed in pure chaos. Although, it happens very quickly, this scene is vital in interpreting what the meaning of the video is. The visual motif of a civilian, nonetheless Beyoncé, on top of a police car truly describes the nations standing with the police force in America alike. It shows the power struggle between a citizen and the entire force. I believe that this symbolizes that cities around the country are being submerged in violence (the water) and hate. Within the country, police forces are doing everything they can to protect and control, but now the force needs to see eye to eye in order for the rate of mortality of innocent African Americans to decrease. There is a sort of view that is being held throughout the US about how all police are bad, and all people are afraid. I can imagine that not only are the police afraid to go to work every day, but the people living in these cities are afraid of just living. In order for the country to end this power struggle, something has to be done. This image is truly an example of why our cities need to be saved (from the water) from the violence and crime in order for the next generations to live long, fulfilling lives. 

Beyoncé’s, “Formation” concludes, at 4 minutes and 23 seconds, with a foreground panel of a little kid dressed in black with his hands up. In the mid-ground, there are nine police officers armed with face masks and dressed in black with their hands up. In the background there is a police car with its lights being turned on. After all, it is not a coincidence that Beyoncé ended with a child standing in front of the officers, clothed in black similarly to the officers. There is one child versus nine police officers. Each having their hands up. As stated before, it depicts the power struggle of a civilian against the police force. The sunset in the background illuminates the red and blue police car’s lights that are in the background and the people’s black clothing. Although a viewer cannot see the child’s face, one can infer that there is also a reciprocal attention gaze because both groups are staring at one another. The words, “ladies, get in formation” are stated immediately prior to the child putting his/her hands up. These words reinforce the meaning of the motif, the police force against the civilians in America are at risk. No one knows what each day will bring, and the racial inequality needs to be controlled. It is quite genius that the director put a child in the scene rather than an adult. Children are naïve and innocent but also have a slight sense of knowledge of what is occurring around them. It shows that it is not just a problem with adults, but rather engulfs the entire population. Ending with this scene truly sums up the entire purpose of the brilliant music video. It not only is another key example of the power struggle between the police and civilians but also ties in the movement of “Hands up, don’t shoot.” Whether an eighty-year-old person or a four-year-old person, everyone in this country is on edge about what each day will bring. Innocent people have been murdered and at times, the civilians will have to start to prepare to get in formation.  

The two scenes analyzed above, ties the entire music video together rather seamlessly. These two short scenes relate to the entire text as a whole describing the issue of racial discrimination and hatred in the United States. Although the two scenes are totally different they share this common ground involving the police force. In between the two scenes, Beyoncé is seen to be flipping off the police and the chaos that is happening in the city alike. The complete argument that these two panels of the visual text is making is that unless there is some kind of movement to help stop the violence, the entire country will be engulfed in it. There have been innocent adolescents and adults killed which is why she so eloquently ended this visual product with the police with their hands up. As a country, we have to look at both sides. If you look at the struggle from a police’s perspective, it is scary to wake up each and every day to go to work because they never know what the day will bring. On the contrary, civilians are not to be treated and gunned down for doing nothing. Beyoncé’s famous music video of “Formation,” exemplifies what as a country, we have to do in which each and every civilian and police alike have to step back at get in formation so that we as a country are safe.  