1983 The Female Address Video

1) What struck you as most interesting about what you read/watched and why? 

What struck me as most interesting was definitely the contrast between the two videos. I think that even though they are both supposed to be about girls breaking free from what they are "supposed" to be; like a housewife, Benatar's video is more serious and Lauper's video is more happy-go-lucky. I think that the setting of Love is a Battlefield is more serious and shows how girls can stand up and fight for themselves. Girls just want to have fun is more about how girls want to do the same things as guys can do. They want to go out in the street and not be confined to staying at home. So in a way they have the same message, but in completely different ways. What also struck me the most were the costumes. The costumes were far more expressive than clothing used to be before this time period. Everything is very over the top and it is showing that it was time for women to start standing out and expressing themselves. 

2) Which video did you think had the strongest message?

I think that the Love is a Battlefield video has the strongest message because it shows more the strength of girls, rather than just the fact that they want freedom. In this video, Benatar is kicked out by her parents and fends for herself out in the world. This shows the possible strength of women of the future. I think that also in this video if kind of shows men almost as predators and that creates a stronger message. Most of the settings are places where men would usually hang out like a bar or the street, and since there are women there they can all band together and be strong together. 

3) Make at least 2 claims about your own video.  Did thinking about the videos from the article help you think about your own video in any way? If so, how?

My video is Chicken Fried by the Zac Brown Band. One of my claims is that this video is trying to say that everyone should be thankful for what they have in life, because everything is a blessing. Another claim is that it is saying that the most important things in life are not the material things, but the things that you cannot place a price on. Being together with the ones you love is what really makes you happy. Watching these videos made me think about the settings more and the characters and costumes. The settings are important because they mean more than just being a pretty backdrop. They set the mood really and in Chicken Fried, the setting is a home and they are outdoors and it shows the genuine happiness of everyone when they are together.