RESEARCH: DYER'S 'STAR THEORY'

RESEARCH: DYER’S STAR THEORY

Who is Richard Dyer? What is his Theory?

Richard Dyer is an acclaimed British film critic and a professor who came up with his Star Theory and elements that combine to make a ‘Star’. A star refers to someone who is a mainstream success and makes a lot of profit through their products. They have a mass audience and are generally followed by the media and get a lot of attention. Star Theory differs from Star Image because the notion refers to mainstream artist from the popular culture. Dyer describes the different fundamentals that distinct a star and how these can be constructed through media such as print, film or music industry.

Richard Dyer: Star Theory

Dyer states that the “Star image is ‘incoherent, incomplete and open’ because of the following two paradoxes:

1.       The Star Must Be Simultaneously Ordinary and Extraordinary for the Consumer.

This means that a star should be ‘ordinary’ in order to let people associate and relate to the star and possibly inspire them to become like a star. In contrast ‘extraordinary’ refers to someone who is talented and has breakthrough in the industry with their talent, which is what makes them stand out and allow people to admire. An example would be Ed Sheeran who in interviews dresses as an average young adult and has a relaxed attitude to his fans and profession. However, his talent and amazing musical skills make him extraordinary.

2.       The Star Must Be Simultaneously Present and Absent for the Consumer.

 

This means that a star should be taking an active part in the industry and continue to create music for his/hers fans and attend talk shows, interviews and be generally in the public view in order to stay in the industry. In contrast they can be absent in the industry and have a setback but still be remembered by the fans and audiences, which shows true devotion and audience loyalty. After a mass success of American Idiot in 2004 Green Day found it hard to make an equally popular album. However, their new album Revolutionary Radio hit top charts and Green Day began touring again.

The Difference Between a Pop Star and a Performer

In contrast to a pop star, a performer can be someone who is less known in the industry or doesn’t categories into the mainstream group but still has a smaller fan base.  For example, Imagine Dragons are deemed to be performers due to their niche appeal and various band conventions. They perform on smaller stages, with cheaper tickets and have little merchandise. They don’t glamourize their image but try to supply the public with music, which is their priority. A pop star will have most of mass media attention and will try to appeal to mainstream audience in order to make profit. Their concerts will be performed on large and famous stages with expensive tickets. They may also be recorded and sold later. In their music video they might try to sell products and portray a glamourous and wealthy lifestyle. These are mostly commodities who become a way of money making and part of the campaign. Justin Bieber is a pop star because he fits these characteristics and conventions.

4 Elements:

Dyer has identified key elements that make a star. These are:

1.       Stars as Constructs

Stars are artificial images constructed by the media and the representations that media portrays and feeds to the audience. This includes magazines, films, advertising or shows. Every time, the media can construct particular image of a star and use this to their advantage. Therefore, the audience never really meets the real star, however as a viewer, we want to believe that the representation/ construction is the real person, even if often that is not the case.

Shows like X Factor show how, through elimination, a star can be constructed in order to fit the industry and have a chance in making money. One Direction were a construction because they have been grouped and made into a conventional boy band which was destined to make success due to their high appeal. In addition, they were attractive and therefore attracted young females with their looks.

2.       Industry and Audience

Stars are manufactured to make profit and bring money to their record company. Therefore, pop stars undergo changes in order to fit the needs of their audience and sell effectively. This allows the record label to invest into the make-over and then gain profit as it’s a safe investment.  Due to the high demand of pop artist the industry tries to supply pop artist on regular basis. These stars will have similar traits but slightly varied to attract a lot of audiences. Stars like Beyoncé, Rihanna or Miley Cyrus have similar traits in terms of their image and music videos because they are of similar genre and have been manufactured to make profit.

3.       Ideology and Culture

Stars can also have their own cultural values and ideologies, which they represent through their image. They can promote these and influence people as they are a significant person in the industry. They can also address moral, social or political issues in their products or through sites like social media where people are able to access the artist and share their view or opinion. Stars like Lady Gaga, Miley Cyrus or George Michael have taken an active part in the discussion of the LGBT community and continue to promote equality.

4.       Character and Personality

A star is a concept and a media construction, however must be based off realism and identify characteristics of a real person. Often stars will follow the mainstream ideologies (hegemony) and promote messages like ‘thin=beautiful’ which can upset audiences in different circumstances. However, some stars promote pluralism (Niche ideas/ideologies) and don’t conform to the mass opinions. This therefore gives them the feel of a ‘real person’ and shows that even stars are not perfect and have flaws. Artists like Adele have shown that you don’t have to be then to be beautiful, successful or talented. She also has a cocky personality and lovable nature which is what makes her a great artist.

How much Control do Artists have on their Star Image?

Most of the time artists have little control over their star image because the industry and record labels place pressure on them to conform to their standards or they will be at risk of losing money and eventually vanish from the competitive music field. Especially with young artists who want to breakthrough, they will have to change to make money and become popular. In contrast, niche artists have more freedom when it comes to their star image as their loyal fan base often accepts them as they are. In addition, they are usually open about their views and personality which adds to their star image. This shows that artist can have an effect on their star image, however this often depends on their circumstance.

Conclusion

Overall, it is clear that Dyer has identified elements that construct a star and completed various research to prove his hypothesis. Without stars’ construction the industry would likely to be at chaos and hard to categorise and the audience would be lost. It also shows how much pressure stars have to undertake in order to fit the industry expectations and fit the audience. When creating my music video, I will spend a lot of time planning my artist and their image. I will consider their ideologies and possible culture and personality, appropriate to the genre to create a believable artist. I will also make sure they have a likable personality in order to let the audience relate to them and possibly widen the target audience. I will also try to show my artist as someone who isn’t afraid to follow niche ideas and go against the hegemony. This is because they will stand out from the mass artist and possibly gain industry attention but also show that it’s good to be different, which passes positive morals and values.