Richard Dyers Star Theory

Richard Dyer's star theory looks at the way in which 'stars' (popular celebrities) create an impact on the audience. This theory can be split up into three main topics; the star as a construction, the star as a commodity; the star as an ideology. As well as these he also proposed the idea of 'the paradox of the star'. 

The star as a construction
-This theory suggests that there is no such thing as a star, and it is just a construction created by corporations to try and sell their product, This star is constructed through music videos, magazines, advertising etc. When creating this image they try to make something that can be easily copied by the public. This allows them to create a larger fan base, and in turn sell more products. For example, Justin Biebers image at the beginning of his career was created to try and be copied. People all over the world copied his hair, or his clothing and this in turn made him more known.

The star as a commodity
-This links in with the star as a construction, as this says that stars are used to create a profit. They do this by selling related merchandise such as t-shirts, posters and bags. Record labels will use data collected to create stars which will make the most profit. For example, The Wanted was formed in 2009, and after they blew up, One Direction was formed in 2010. This was why One Direction was formed on the x-factor, thanks to the success of The Wanted.

The star as an ideology
-This is where the star represents a certain group such as a social class, or a race or a gender. As a result of this, the stars are often copied and idolised by the audience. For example, many fans of Beyonce share her view on how woman are treated and how they shouldn't be controlled by men, which may convince them to become feminists.

The paradox of the star
-The star must be both ordinary and extraordinary. The audience must feel like they can relate to the star, but they must also feel like their is something special about them. They don't want them to be too extraordinary, but also don't want them to bee too boring and 'normal'. The star must also be present an absent. This means that the star must be present in their lives through merchandise or social media, but they must also be out of reach so they can sell tickets o visit them on tour, or do meet and greets.