This is my video analysis for weeks four and five. Instead of analysing two videos, I've decided to break this analysis into two parts: one which concentrates on the symbolic structure of the video.
week's video for analysis looks at production design and video transitions driven by sound effects.
Source: Again, I found this video on Vimeo.
Structure: The narrative structure of this video is, ironically, one of anti-structure. The sequence of events is not important and the actions themselves are fundamentally absurd. If it is absurd for a woman to have a moustache, then the narrative must be equally absurd.
Symbolism: However, if we examine the video more closely, we notice that its meaning is best read at a deeper symbolic level. Although there are several philosophical readings that might be applied to the video. I will focus on gender politics.
The Secretary
The woman is dressed in two costumes, one masculine the other feminine. Dressed in women's clothing, she plays the role of the secretary, working on a typewriter - typically a role associated with women.
Note: The whiskey decanter contains flowers, symbolically also associated with the feminine.
The Boss
The masculine costume, the tuxedo, is symbolic not only of a man, but a powerful man, one with wealth and prestige. We see him pouring whiskey from a crystal decanter, smoking a cigar and taking calls on the telephone with his feet up on desk.
The video comments on the absurdity of gendered role differentiations in the workplace. The masculine and feminine characters - differentiated by their costumes - wear the same moustache, sit in the same office, work under the same lamp, with the same telephone, and the same the same trophy deer head mounted on the wall behind them. The natural question then we are led to ask is: if all these things are the same, then why should the roles/actions (drinking whiskey, typing, etc) be differentiated by gender?
