A picture is worth a thousand words. It is no secret that a single image can have thousands, even millions, of different interpretations, but what exactly is it that enables one picture to have endless meanings? Of all of the factors that influence a viewer’s perspective, the camera angle can play one of strongest roles in creating such diverse interpretations, allowing viewers to perceive images as complex and symbolic messages for interpretation. In her music video, “Formation,” Beyoncé uses a variety of camera angles to capture the hidden content and meanings found within the film. Through the use of camera angles as a visual motif, Beyoncé is able to promote empowerment and justice for all African Americans in the United States. The different angles, long shot, over the shoulder shot, and close-up shot, are shown in order to express her feelings on the major issue of racial prejudice, that plagues our country today.

By definition, a long shot camera angle is a view in which the entire character’s body is far enough in the frame that it fits entirely within the panel, in order to show the vastness of a given location. The first time Beyoncé uses this angle is the scene in which she sits alone on the police car, found at the 0:30 mark in her video. In this scene, Beyoncé, dressed in an old fashioned, red striped dress, is seen sitting in isolation on a dismantled New Orleans police car. The car is slowly sinking in the dirty floodwaters remaining from the aftermath of the devastating Hurricane Katrina. In the background, the water is seen drowning the ravaged homes, as debris floats along on the gloomy and depressing day. The long shot camera angle of this scene helps to portray the segregation and solitude that Beyoncé feels faces the African American society of America today. She is seen by herself, representing the African American community, as the floodwaters trap her from the disaster she cannot escape. In the background, as many homes of those in Louisiana are decimated, no one is there to help. The camera angle captures both her personal isolation and the neglect faced by the rest of the community at the same time. Together, these two aspects of the scene exhibit how African Americans are often left alone to face adversity by themselves, as they face a multitude of issues. She is calling upon society to recognize and change this unfair treatment that the black society of America faces on a daily basis. Instead of isolation and neglect, Beyoncé requests that African Americans be accepted by all people in society. By encompassing the main character within a larger, vast area, the viewers are able to decipher the call for justice that Beyoncé includes in her music video. 

As Beyoncé’s music video progresses on, the camera angle switches to the incorporation of the over the shoulder shot. In visual texts, an over the shoulder shot shows a character in the immediate foreground with another farther away, while the panel is framed by the head and shoulders of the character in the foreground. This shot is commonly used in dialogue and allows the viewer to share the perception of the character in the foreground. During this specific perspective, the video focuses on a little boy as he dances in front of a force of armed policemen, which can be found at the time of 4:23. Dressed in an all-black hooded sweatshirt and pants, the young child dances in front of the policemen, as the sun paints the sky orange and purple. Each officer is armed with riot gear and weaponry, as they stand perfectly in line. In the background, a police car with flashing lights can be seen parked within the streets of an urban neighborhood. The camera angle captures this action from behind the young boy, while he raises his hands, in reference to the “Hands Up, Don’t Shoot” movement. In response to the young boy, the officers communicate back through their own actions, in which they too put their hands in the air. By mutually surrendering and raising their hands to the air, the officers communicate back to the young boy, expressing their respect through peaceful confrontation. In the scene, the boy is seen in the foreground and the police in the background. As a result, the boy’s perspective can easily be seen and understood, and thus the viewer can determine what the main character is showing from the situation. Beyoncé uses this scene to show that there can exist a respectful and peaceful confrontation between African Americans and the police force of America. By showing images of nonviolent interactions between the two groups of people, with this given camera shot, she asks society to show more mutual respect that currently is lacking in the streets of America today. Through the use of an over the shoulder shot, Beyoncé is able to show the communication and interactions between two groups, which then helps to expose her views on a strong issue currently ravaging the United States. 

As the music video progresses, the camera angle starts to incorporate the use of a close-up shot. A close-up shot in a visual text utilizes a view from a close proximity that shows a clear depiction of the emotions and intentions of a character. Most notably, this camera angle has the ability to reveal which details from the frame are of the greatest importance. As the viewer gathers every detail from a visual text, they are able to make connections and understand the deeper meaning buried within the film. At the 0:59 mark of the music video to the song, “Formation”, a close-up of Beyoncé shows her sitting alone on a brown stool. In a fashioned white dress and tan corset, she sits holding a white umbrella with a determined look on her face. Within the blurred background, an antique lamp illuminates the wall, revealing various gray pictures of African Americans. All aspects of this scene resemble those of the slave era in the United States. As the camera intensely zooms in on Beyoncé, the frame captures her prowess and strong emotion. While mainly focusing on the face of the main character of the scene, the close-up camera shot also makes sure to reveal the important details of the direct background. Despite being an African American woman, she ironically wears the exact clothes that were common amongst the white women of slave holding families. The camera shows the intense emotion on Beyoncé’s face that discloses her passion for conquering black slave oppression. As described before, Beyoncé stands for the entire African American community in her music video. Therefore, her facial expressions not only represent her own seriousness and emotion, but also the emotion of the entire African American community. Ultimately, Beyoncé stands for her entire race. By switching roles and having an African American in the position of what would be an affluent, white person, Beyoncé shows that blacks have overcome great amounts of oppression. She exhibits her belief that African Americas have earned the rights to power and respect in modern society. Beyoncé is able to illustrate the power that African Americans deserve through the small details found within the camera shot. When pieced together, these minor details capture and present the emotion and intensity within the close-up shot, to push Beyoncé’s viewpoint on African Americans in society. 

Beyoncé’s music video, “Formation”, highlights the use of camera angles to push the idea of equality for blacks on today’s society. The utilization of camera angles, as a motif, allows her to encourage the African America community to stand up for empowerment and justice for her race. Each of the different camera angles, long shot, over the shoulder shot, and close-up shot, help to communicate how she feels on the current issues that trouble the United States today. From each of the different camera angles, Beyoncé calls upon her people to gather in formation, hence the song title, against social inequalities. Together, all of the camera angles work to help promote the main idea of African America equality in America. In the music video for her song, “Formation”, Beyoncé effectively incorporates different camera angles to control and guide the viewer’s perception. 