Music Videos

 a visual representation of a song

• showcase the song 
• might have a story 
• could be highly creative 
• reflect the genre 
• showcases the artist 
• enjoyment for viewers
• engagement for viewers
• to make money 
• advertises the song - ACTUAL Purpose 

Baby pop -

• not a wide range of locations 
• not a lot going on 
• focus on just the artist singing 
• looks low budget and probably is 

Vanity Angel -

• Bright colours 
• stereotypical 80s video
• blue screen use 
• costume changes
• colourful costumes 
• bouncy energy

types of videos:

• performance 
• abstract 
• narrative

convergence - the coming together of two separate media industries 

synergy - benefits of convergence

Differences between music videos and films:

• exhibition 
• films are longer 
• films normally have a larger budget 
• difference in performance
• sound in music videos is a lot more complicated 
• films are in chronological order (linear narrative)
• you pay to see films 
• less expectation for music videos to make sense 

Diegesis - in the world of narrative

Diegetic sound - sound that exists in the world of narrative 

Non-diegetic sound - sound that exists outside of the world of narrative

Subjective sound - where only one character and the audience can hear the sound 

Internal diegetic sound - a character's thoughts

Extra diegetic sound - a sound effect that exists beyond normal diegetic sound 

celebrity:

• well known 
• often controversial 
• media coverage 
• fan base 
• "the attribution of glamorous or notorious status to an individual in the public sphere"

Lady Gaga:

• revealing costumes
• centre of attention (through use of lighting, centre of shot, focus on her)
• our eyes shoot to her despite there being other people 
• flashing lights symbolising paparazzi

one reason celebrities are important is because they're role models, inspiring, provides escapism

meta narrative - refers to a system of beliefs that helps us to make sense of the world 

• marriage 
• religon 
• science 
• marxism 

Riptide:

• lyrics have a visual representation (left hand, riptide, darkness)
•  the song is very literal (when he talks about singing the words wrong, the subtitles at the bottom of the screen are actually wrong to show this)
• 1 dollar bill with the illuminati depicted on it 

interior vs exterior 

light sky vs dark sky 

bright clothes vs drab backdrop 

fire vs water

summer vs winter

men vs women 

staying vs going 

relaxed vs stressed 

calm vs anxious 

makeup vs no makeup

modern vs past

peace vs violence 

dry vs wet 

the video is highly polysemic with a range of interpretations

• themes of obsession which is reinforced through the lyrics where he asks for a woman to stay 
• dishonest relationships and insecurity. A range of hegemonically attractive women cycled throughout the video 
• themes of stalking and voyeurism i.e her running away, looking into the ocean in a swimming costume, looking up to the woman on the balcony. We are positioned in a voyeuristic mode of address 
• themes of fame and celebrity. The shot of the singer becomes more and more dishevelled. Her makeup is smudged and she avoids eye contact
• Torture? The woman might be forced to perform the song over and over until she dies
• The aloe vera plant is symbolic of healing wounds and removing pain  
• Mid Shot of a woman tied to a tree 
• Close up of dentist shot, dragging shot, knife shot
• psychotic behaviour. Theme of mental illness or drugs? Obsessively neat packed suitcase 
• themes of evil and possession. Ouija board is an intertextual reference to horror movies 
• gun is connotative of violence 
• tarot cards  

objectification - process of turning a person into an object 

male gaze - assumption that every media product is made for male pleasure 

sexualisation - process of making something sexual 

voyeurism - to take pleasure into looking at something 

scopophilia - taking pleasure from looking at someone