This clip comes from a 2004 episode of MTV’s “Making the Video”. It features Britney Spears and director Joseph Kahn taking the audience through the video-making process of her song “Toxic”. The sexual nature of the video and of the production process is clear from the start. “If MTV approves it, which is a big if, I think you’re going to get a nice treat,” the director describes.

discussion

Analyze who the major players are on the set of the video. Who is in control? Who seems to be guiding the process of its production? In what ways do you think this shapes the content of the video?

What is the value of a show like “Making the Video”? Is it useful to see what goes on “behind the scenes”? Do you trust that what you see on this MTV is an accurate depiction of the production process, or are you skeptical that it might be itself a structured television event?