Visual Texts are found within every aspect of media and work to bring relatable experiences and background knowledge to life. Visual texts are composed of various elements that work together to convey specific messages within either written work or visual displays such as a video or film. These filmic elements are used to attract an audience while promoting, educating or persuading this audience. The “hypodermic needle theory” supports the idea that visual texts are influencing susceptible audiences and nonlinear story line. This theory is used to establish depth to the narrative and develops the back story in relation to the present and future of the narrative. Beyoncé’s music video “Pretty Hurts” is composed of three parts that build the narrative of a woman who is coming to terms with the challenges of the standards of beauty. 

  The opening scene shows the seemingly happy and beautiful Beyoncé who appears to be involved in the Beauty Pageant world and is conveyed being happy with herself and appearance. The contrasting music sets a somber tone that is not typically associated with the backstage of a pageant which allows the smooth second main transition that reveals to the audience what is going on behind closed doors and the reality of pageant. The harsh realities of beauty standards are depicted through the scenes of Beyoncé struggling with an eating disorder and a drug addiction. The interesting use of a bird eye shot showing Beyoncé purging herself over a toilet shows the full scene and calls attention to the realities of eating disorders and is almost giving the sense of looking down upon her. The cross cut from this scene to the scene of Beyoncé exercise and seemingly living a healthy lifestyle. The dark lighting creates the somber mood that is juxtaposed by the bight colors seen through Beyoncé and the various characters wardrobe. By the end of this short film, Beyoncé becomes free from the conforms of beauty standards and is seen smashing her trophies in an empowering scene that closes the narrative on a positive note. 

Beyoncé is a notorious female who is appealing mostly to the young audience of girls dealing with the challenges associated with beauty standards. The eye catching use of images in this video creates a relatable scene for the majority of Beyoncé’s audience to connect to and understand what her character is going through and potentially how to get out of the negative situation. The dominant visual feature is Beyoncé’s use of Beauty pageants and the standards of beauty to challenge the representations of women within the pageant world. The beginning of the song creates the setting of the video, a pageant backstage with Beyoncé as the main character being represented and narrated. The song goes on to Beyoncé singing about how her mother always told her that beauty is all that matters in this world: “Mama said, "You're a pretty girl, what's in your head, it doesn't matter.” The chorus of the song contradicts what her mother tells her because the chorus sings about how women struggle to be perfect to fit society’s standard of beauty. 

Beyoncé’s character is portrayed slightly different to her typical star image and being associated as a strong feminist woman that does not conform to beauty standards. Although she is playing the character of a beauty pageant contestant I think that she has a part of her true self shown through the character and her celebrity identity that has affected who she is as a person. Beyoncé’s past experiences helped develop the images depicted in the video and she is representative as a woman who is struggling with her body image and the pressure she is under to look a certain way. Although Beyoncé is not a beauty pageant contestant in real life she still spends her life on camera and on stage dealing with the pressures of the media and norms of society. Most women feel the pressure of what society expect from us, even Beyoncé and other celebrities. A majority of close up shots are used to emphasize how Beyoncé is feeling and capturing her facial expression and emotions regarding her anger and depression she goes through while fighting these social constraints. Long shots are also used to help the audience get a feel of how the whole setting and other characters play into Beyoncé’s characterization and how the setting affects what the typical norms are found within that space. Long Takes are used when Beyoncé is singing at the beginning on the stage and the audience is able to effective because it helps the audience begin to see all the different struggles the character that Beyoncé is playing is going through. Long shots allow the audience to relate to Beyoncé and other women in the pageant industry and beyond.  The audience and myself are able to begin to understand the powerful message is conveying and to begin to question the standards we have impressed upon women.

The direct and powerful the message was conveyed in a realistic way that allowed Beyoncé to form a connection with her audience while accepting that beauty is pain and the standards can be rejected. Beyoncé’s video targeted the audience in such a direct way that portrayed a very strong issue that is not often spoken about we are more inclined to change our opinions regarding beauty standards. Self empowerment and the message of loving yourself is conveyed in an artistic manner through visual texts that allows Beyoncé to portray the reality behind the standards of beauty and the challenges women face regarding body image. 
