Geoff Dyer- star theory

Richard Dyer's Star Theory

Star Theory- Richard Dyer

Richard Dyer’s Star Theory is the idea that icons and celebrities are constructed by institutions for financial reasons and are built to target a specific audience or group of people. Dyer’s theory can be broken down into 3 sections:

 ■Audience and Institutions

 ■Constructions

 ■Hegemony (Cultural Beliefs)

Audience and Institutions:

Stars are made to make money for that purpose alone. The institution then modifies the stars image around the target audience, for example Rihanna.

Constructions:

The star is built for an audience and is not an actual person (as audiences are made to think). The star is built specifically with something signature to them that differentiates them from other stars, for example Lady Gaga’s outrageous fashion or Katy Perry’s bright hairstyles.

Hegemony:

We relate to the star because they have a feature that we admire, can relate to, or that we share with them. This develops from an admiration into an idolization. Some people may attempt to replicate what they like about the star, but this can be negative as even though stars are seen as role models, some abuse hard drugs and alcohol which can lead to people who worship these stars copying their actions.

Dyer states that ‘stars’ are constructed, artificial images, even if they are represented as being “real people”, experiencing real emotions.  It helps if their image contains a designed audience so that they can be copied to the interests of that audience. Their image may be made over a single item or characteristic e.g. Katy Perry’s hair colour. Pop stars have the advantage over film stars in that their constructed image may be much more consistent over a period of time and is not dependent on characters or the films they choose as star vehicles.

Dyer proposes that “A star is an image, not a real person, that is constructed out of a range of materials”.

Stars provide audiences with a focus for ideas of what people are supposed to be like (e.g for women, thin/beautiful) they may support hegemony by conforming to it (thin/beautiful) or providing difference (plus size/still beautiful).

Stars represent shared cultural values and attitudes, and promote a certain ideology. Audience interest in these values enhances their ‘star quality’ and it is through conveying beliefs ideas and opinions outside music that performers help create their star persona. A star may initiate a fashion trend, with several fans copying their hairstyle and clothing. Ideologies drawn upon include materialism and sexuality.

Example planning paperwork from real movies