Essay: Dyer - Star Theory

To what extent does a pop stars image influence their audience?

Richard Dyer is currently a professor of film studies at Kings College London. Dyer wrote a book called “Stars” in 1979 which discusses the viewer’s perception of film and the idea that it is heavily influenced by the perception of its stars. He believed that it was not the film which attracted the audience but the idea of the famous people that are in it and that they alongside reviews and the publicity determine the way that the audience experience the film. 

This has been proven through a series of posters such as "Mission Impossible". Due to Tom Cruise being such a high profile actor, rather than the title of the movie being the most eye catching thing its actually his name that the attention is being drawn too and in addition to that a large side profile of him in essence is the whole of the poster. This has been done because a film is more likely to get an audience if they have a high profile actor that the majority of people like.

The image of a pop star, according to Dyer is the most important and influential thing about them. This is down to the belief that stars are not real but have rather been constructed and seen as artificial even if they are portrayed as being real people. They have been constructed by their managers in a way so that they move from being simply a pop performer to a pop star as it gets them noticed. Why managers speed this process up is because being a "True Pop star" means they have significance and brand awareness amongst a wider market over a period of time. Dyer says that not many starts have actually had that impact which results in artificial stars.

Since many pop stars wouldn't be successful due to a lack of uniqueness which would inhibit them from standing out and making a name for themselves, mangers create an image for them that gives them a unique selling point that would help them to gain fans and fame. Pop stars such as Justin Bieber who is well known and a popular artist and he has that unique haircut which he is now known. This popularity he has influences his fans as its what his female fans will start to want men their own age to start looking like and many male teenagers will imitate his hairstyle after seeing this because of how popular he has become and how well his female fans in particular have received him. This is similar to in the 90's when women started to copy Jennifer Aniston's who stared in the show "Friends", hairstyle "The Rachel"

The fans doing this enables them to feel as though they are close to the the artist by surrounding themselves with that are associated with them. However the artists are constructed and these things they associate with the artist may be constructed and may just disappear due to the artist changing so that they appeal more to their market. 

The image of a pop star  is very influential as it can literally make them "stars". The image of a star is what makes them attractive to the audience, it gives them that edge that actually gets them noticed, without it they would get nowhere. Its what keeps the audience interested in that artist as its what the fans want and like. It also allows them to relate to that artist for example if an artist is seen to support something that their fans support it brings those fans closer towards them as the fans feel as though they can relate to the artist and that they sympathise and understand them even though this may not be the case the audience still believes it.