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.
