Reception Theory and Our Music Video

We, as producers, according to this model, have encoded our music video with a message for the audience to decode and receive. The audience will either agree fully with that message by receiving it as preferred or dominant, receive it partially by being negotiated or reject the message by being opposed to it.

As the producer, the message of our video is simple. The song and its lyrics speak of a woman, connected to the singer, who also talks to other men, and perhaps the man's misinterpretation of what she is doing, coming off as jealousy. Therefore, with the semi-serious but upbeat song combine with a jolly light-hearted video, the message is basically:

"Being trusting is better than being jealous, so reserve judgement and be light-hearted about matters for a happier time'

I know it doesn't sound too philosophical, but that's the message :)

This, as the theory says, could be taken one of three ways.

The audience could...:

Receive it as Dominant

This means the audience will agree with this message, perhaps even change their current

behaviour to suit it. This makes the video, in my eyes, more successful as it has been received light-heartedly and perhaps had a positive effect on someone.

Receive it as Negotiated

This means that the audience could refine the message to suit their own views. For example,

someone could pay more attention to the lyrics, or pay particular more attention to the video and receive either the upbeat or the aggressive message more strongly.

Receive it as Oppositional

This means that the audience will totally disregard the message due to cultural, political or idealogical reasons. For example, if a Muslim man heard it, they would most likely be disgusted at the thought of a woman talking to more than one man as their culture forbids it. He will most likely then disregard the message of the whole video.