Convergence - Gaga and Her Filmic Videos.

Ladu Gaga's Paparazzi is a very filmic video. The total length is 6 minutes but only half of that is taken up by the song, the rest is a strange combination of a film and a music video. With it's long diegetic intro, break and outro, the video is a perfect example of how videos are heading towards filmic tendencies.

The video runs into Gaga's telephone video, which is directed by the same director, Jonas Åkerlund, who is known for his filmic videos. The video for telephone is almost 3 times longer than the song is, with the song simply split up between the storyline. With the trilogy yet to end, The final video could be reaching 12 minutes long if the trend continues, completely classing the video as a short film.

I broke down the videos into their various sections. The first video featured is Paparazzi, with the non-music parts first, then the music. Next is Telephone, same order.

Vodcast 1 - Codes and Conventions: General

These are Codes and Conventions for any and all music videos, Carefully chosen from our 24 researched videos, 10 of them are discussed in this video.

Footage used falls under fair use guidelines.

UGC: A Look at AWOLNATION's Sail

While researching for my Video Research Blog, I discovered the video for AWOLNATION's 'Sail'. The video itself is a narrative/performance video (but could be argued as a concept), about a man and his attempts to find the illuminati. You can watch it here:



The original video, however, has been out-done by a fan-made video, done by popular YouTubers Tessa Violet (Meekakitty) and Shawna Howson (Nanalew). Who have a combined subscriber total of 1,567,164 (that is 1,000,022 and 567,142 respectively) However, their creation of a video for sail has 130,000,000+ views, compared to the (roughly) combined total (as it has been on the AWOLNATION official channel, awolnationvevo, and red bull records) 60,000,000 times. While there may be a number of factors at play here, such as the fact that the official video has moved around so much, this is nevertheless a very surprising achievement.

Here is the fan-made video:



Judging the videos, one might think that they would stand fairly equal chance, with Nanalew's having the inane humour to it, but AWOLNATION's featuring references to the illuminati and being backed by their record label, so perhaps appearing higher owing to some feature of google's algorithm. But the popularity of Nanalew's version has even led it to be the very thing that appears when googling the track.

Nanalew's version appears to be favoured even by google...

This is a very unique case, and I, personally cannot think of a time where this has happened. And all top 3 of the most viewed youtube videos being taken up by music videos. In fact, aside from 'Charlie bit my finger -again!', the top 30 most viewed videos are all music videos, and the official ones at that. The true reason as to why this video has succeeded so much is very hard to pin point, Perhaps it has succeeded owning to it's lack of plot, it's complete pointlessness, the 'surprise twist' or the family friendliness. The inability to pinpoint the reason as to the success of this video perhaps encompasses what McDougall was talking about when they suggested the inability to conceive media audience as a stable, identifiable group.

The success of this video could be placed down to web 2.0, The video has been created by consumers, who made a video they enjoy themselves and so think others enjoy too. This video truly demonstrates the power of web 2.0. Comparatively amateur, independent film, video, music and TV makers can stand their ground against major corporations, while this may take time and luck, this video shows that it is in no way impossible.

AP: Applying Stuart Hall's Reading to Beastie Boys Sabotage

Applying Stuart Hall's theory of preferred reading, because of my age I am unable to understand some of the intertextual references of this. Therefore when watching a music video such as Beastie Boys Sabotage (1994, Spike Jonze) I don't understand what is going on, which in turn turns my reading from preferred to oppositional because the preferred reading is misunderstood.


The video is based on 80's cop drama or American 80's cop films. Since I was born in the 90's I don't remember this so I found it hard to link between the 2 making my reading oppositional than preferred.

Papparazzi Idea

I made some notes, mostly for my own benefit, of an idea I had for a video based on Gaga's Papparazzi. However, I have also made a more comprehensive video/anamatic, which details my idea clearer than the notes do.

________________________________

Continuing the development of this idea, I was thinking of adding further performance displays, this could be implemented through, on the 'stalker wall', or on the lens of the camera, a preview of which I will implement onto this blog. Another potential idea, would be to include the performance in the reflection of windows.
Having also looked at C&Cs of other videos, I think that the inclusion of a diegetic intro or outro may work well. I have realised that there could be a slightly filmic way to do this video, which I feel would work well and be interesting to trial.

________________________________

Yet more thoughts on this; towards the end, post gf death, have her approach the guy, who is not in focus, then follow around her to the side of her, have him walk by an be followed by gaze, then have her be at the death point, perhaps with out changing her position [see NCIS Gibbs someones dead, kate?], this would then lead to her approaching him and pushing and then turning and falling at win't stop? baby there no other? for kill, or the papa, have fall during the little beat part, then turn and fall for the last papa? then include diegetic outro of waking to para then picture of him for flash end?

KEY POINTS for own sake:
Lens, how do?(die/post)
Spin, how do?(gs/die)

NOTES:

emphasis on happy couple. Jealousy, so green it featured colour on singer, while the guy and gal have pink and blue with yellows, pastel colours rather than otherwise, happiness and him and her. 

Instagram shots with narrow DoF and the like her laughing, holding hands, general couple stuff.

Singer meanwhile watches this, the presence is constant but sly in each shot, she seems to be at the back of shots, out of focus more than she in in shot and focus. Ie, she looks to be window shopping as they look at trinkets she is seen (just) staring at her laughing almost envious, she is seen eating chips with mallice, scoffing with each passing gimmick. The couple never notice her, and the camera should not be drawn to her in a unnatural way, they could get up and go and it could be left with what seems to be an accidentally too long clip with a second of focus on singer. She is only seen lip syncing while the couple aren't there, the idea being that the escalation of her stalking is tied to the escalation of her singing with them. Could be started as shots on similar, but not the same places. Up to same places, diff angles. Then to same places, diff times. Up to same places, same time, non interaction. Finally to interacting.

She is taking pictures of them

Key point at which interacting starts it when she kills her. This is the pivotal moment, her plan is in action and she must act quick. Singing the song in the same woods, he goes ahead as she ties shoelace, he's getting a nice PHOTO, killed as approached and pushed with lyrics sing, blurry and maybe blocked by light. She apporaches, only one on screen, with light from behind. As we find the gf there she blocks the light. This connotes the feeling that she sees herself as the angel  when she is the devil. She pushes her and the shot is less clear, the light unblocked, this is a heavenly act something like Abraham's sacrifice (perhaps see a sheep/lamb?), it's been done under god's wishes, she kills to prove she is worthy to be with him. he's just done the photo and turns, she is there looking desperate, we do not see it but he's worried, let's down his guard and runs infront of her pushing her away. She has venom, and blocks the sun once more. Return to the scene, (no sheep) and he is leaning and is heartbroken. She knows what is to be done, he will not be hers, so she pushes him too. At this point she knows what she has done. We see he is falling, and he lands, as he does, this causes the camera to go off, with a flash, that then embraces the screen with white. She (falls?) in and into this white. She seems to have passed over too, but as the song finishes, and she sees them, we return with a start, it's paramedics, she survived by landing on him. To her his last act was one of love to her, clearly happy, she rolls over, and song goes. (Alt. She is woken by a paramedic, who looks like him, and we are left to belive this begins again.)

Video Research 10 | Lady Gaga - Poker Face

In this video, one of the first major hits for Gaga, we see a large amount of performance, with what could either be a narrative or a concept, the line is somewhat blurred.

While the song, on the face of it (and perhaps even to some tween audience listening), may appear to be about poker, the story behind the metaphors present a different song. The song, after some reading between the lines, seems to be about Gaga exploiting a man for his wealth and hiding behind a poker face.

The video takes on this approach, featuring moments where Gaga is playing in a game of strip poker, and with the end having the implication that she a caught a guy in the trap.

At the start we are presented to Gaga, who seems to be living with luxury.
The editing has slowed down the leaving the pool and also jumps around the frames, creating a quite jarring effect.

Through the 1st half of the 1st verse, we see 4 shots per line, then we see around 6 shots leading to the chorus. The time between 2 different shots seems to have shortened as well.

When we reach the chorus, we see quick changes between shots, I noticed that the shots, while different in order, seemed to cut at the same point in the line both times, something perhaps worth considering, as it seemed to work quite well in this video.

Just after the chorus, when the track isn't as busy, the shots too aren't as busy, they are in slo-mo, and seem calmer than before, even though there are more things on screen.

Again, we slow down in this verse, back to around 2-3 shots per line.

back into the chorus, and it seems just as busy as before, we are greated with shots were there are backing dancers to shots where there aren't, almost immedialty next to each other, with the dance happening in both shots concurrently, this adds to the jarring effect felt at the start, making the video seem a little unusual.

We get to the bridge, and the cuts between shots are slowed down once more, in fact, for the opening of the bridge, we see the same scene, just getting more zoomed in to it.

The first half of the bridge is cut to the drum beats. as we continue through the bridge, the cuts become more out of sync, but there are still 1 or 2 happening on time.

As we enter the final chorus, we are presented with a single shot for a line, but with very quick cuts between. This continues through out (1-3 shots a line), but with the quick cuts between the lines, the pace still seems quicker than normal.

Video Research 9 | Fragma - You Are Alive

This video, in amongst the extreme cavorting features multiple elements, such as the constant objectification of the singer, the eisensteinian montage and the intertextual references to Lita Ford's Hungry, Baywatch and perhaps even to Bond.

The video is very much a performance video, with elements of a concept video produced by the running around. The video also features editing that is synced to the track, such as:

• At the start we get relaxed, slower shots as the intro happens.
• The shots used have the focus on singing when it happens, but also cuts to cavortion and also to the apparent breasts we are expected to see in the fruit. 
• as we build to the chorus we get shots of the run beginning
• as the chorus starts we get faster shots of the cavorting in the water, as well as the slo-mo bay watch running
• We repeat a similar style in the second verse, and again the build leads to a wave crashing, interspersed with running shots. Through the running shots we get closer to the singer.
• as the build climaxes we are treated to interspersed shots between the singer getting splashed and the runner's chest.
• as the chorus begins, we get more shots of more waves, and the singer continuing to cavort. 
• We also see shots of a row boat, perhaps to indicate the end/rowing to shore after sailing on a ship?
• As the song starts to fade out, we see sunset shots and children playing in the water, and the video ends with the singer spinning around while coming out of the water.

Video Research 8 | Madonna - Frozen

Notes for now.

After watching some of Chris Cunningham's other work, this video very much stands out. The video is mostly performance, where as previous work by the director featured concept heavy elements, often the other work seemed to reflect a short film as opposed to a music video. In the video for apex twin's windowlicker,

Maddonna frozen:

Start barren land

Mad flying singing to camera while looking down

Silk flys to her

Looks upset

Falls into crows

Fly away

 And she's back with the crows though and also some others of her

Very cold video, fitting the song

Mysterious,

Maddonna herself planned on the mystical side of it, and such

Transforms into dog

Lists of moving round with the cloak, light dark, maddonna the angel of death

Black liquid sucked up

Has Henna tattoos

Multiple mads, all have the smooth flowing movement, suggests Hindu sort of feelings

Video Research 7 | Kylie Minogue - Come Into My World

This video, again directed by Michel Gondry, is an improvement on a previous idea by him. It features a concept of multiple versions of the same person.

Kylie travels around a street, singing to the camera, as she does so, she walks in a circle. As she passes the point she started at, another kylie comes out, and starts to travel around again. The people in the background also duplicate. The video ends as the 5th kylie leaves the store.

The video itself was created by using a large, autonomous crane, which repeated the same cycle of movements, this meant that the shots were easily composited together in a seamless fashion. This did mean that each person couldn't repeat the same actions, but had to progress. Certain parts, like in the 2nd cycle with the car and the crossing before the lamppost, would be impossible to time perfectly, so, at that point, kylie 1 on her second cycle covers kylie 1 on her first cycle, this means that kylie 1 wouldn't morph through the car.

Owing to the extreme complexity of compositing such chaotic actions, editing took a long while, but was clearly worth it.  The end product, thankfully not as psychedelic as previous works by Gondry, results in a trippy and confused feeling from the viewer. They are left in awe as to the complexity of the video. While the depth of different kylies may seem strange at time, the video is very clear and incredibly well done.

Video Research 6 | Oui Oui - La Ville

Another video by Michel Gondry, once more key points below:

• The singer seems to be falling through city then building, repeated patterns/backgrounds.
• Fish eye lenses and also birds/worms eye views used.
• Very psychedelic
• Cars on green giant, perhaps a very deep message on global warming?
• Chasing plane, maybe wants to escape the psychedelic madness?
• Still dancing at end, but to different song.

Person fallin to City and through building

Again very psychadellic.,fish eye and areal views.

Big head

Big legs

Pink sludge?

Lots if singers in person in floor with clones.

Wtf...

Chasing plane.

Walking round with heavy shoes

Cars on Green giant

Still dancing to a different radio song at end.

Strange and very psycadellic.

Video Research 5 | Rolling Stones - Like A Rolling Stone

This video was directed by Michel Gondry. Key points, as usual, are listed below:

• Music video seems to have a lack of narrative, but no storyline.
• The video features a somewhat unique approach, looks like a bunch of images and morphing between them.
• The woman is the main focus
• Rolling Stones are touched upon, almost like cutaway shots, looking at them in a typical manner, CUs where the singer leans into the camera band behind, typical shots from down the guitar and such.
• The woman seems to be on drugs or drunk, perhaps taken as the way she sees the world.
• She seems to be in trouble with some sort of mafia.
• Seems like, while on the subway, she recalls a car ride with a lover?
• Parts of the story seem to be missing, perhaps they are the parts where she had blacked out?
• Then she is at a party to finish

Morph like intro, seems to be various images morphing together/frames deleted but movement kept?

Focus on mc jagger and band, 

Seems to follow woman and some bad luck/lost/confusion/drugs

She seems to be pleading with mob boss then falls/is pushed down stairs. She goes to subway has memories of car ride?

Us woken by woman from train. Runs out and into bar? Abusive person?

V. Psycadellic and weird. 

Then at a party?

Strange video...

Video Research 4 | MC 900ft Jesus - If I Only Had A Brain

Another video by Spike Jones, again with key points below:

• Starting, we see, what I would describe as a 'chav', very stereotype look for a dumb teen.
• He is juxtaposed with what he is doing, reading the newspaper on the porch with a pipe, which is something that you would expect from an old man in a movie.
• The song's story is started with the finding of an advert for a brain in a newspaper.
• Inside the package we see the strip of light moving, along with camera shake and also some acting, it mimics the movement of the package.
• On  the line about being somewhere on a higher mental plane of existence, the box is thrown to a warehouse.
• Navy looking people come out with clipboards, they are very organised, being in the navy, effectively the antithesis of the person in the box.
• The box is thrown from a window and we follow it's continued journey.
• We see the box getting stolen by a kid.
• Interestingly, the shots at this point have the singer further back from the camera, making him seem like he has shrunk in the box.
• the kid sees a quarter and lets the box fall down a hill, something which he ma not have done had he had a brain.
• We see the box roll by the still confused and lost courier.
• Manages to stop outside his house and he gets out, looking no more smarter than when he set off.

Start on porch, young chav like person, but juxtaposed with old man activity. Notices ad in paper and seals self in package, where he sings from. Mail man takes packaged the light in the package and his movement s indicate the movement more so then the camera shake. Thrown out at somewhere on a higher mental plane, navy like men surround the box, it travels a complex looks conveyer, navy sped up around him then throw m round, mizza guy has him, dancing forklifts. Follow the box, into ship then to courier then stolen and dumped at other house, then stolen by kid softer being kicked, he seems to have shrunk in the box. The kid takes him away then sees quarter and drops him down a hill, rolls by the courier and down stairs. And to house. Where he gets out. Still just as stupid looking

Video Research 3 | The Chemical Brothers - Elektrobank

This video, by director Spike Jonze, features a clear narrative to it. I have outlined key points below:

• Narrative, woman doing gymnastics competion.
• There is a feeling of following Todorov's narrative formula, as she injures herself, and is helped by her mum arriving
• Features a different sing before the main song.
• Video is approx. 1:30 mins longer than song due to the opening
• Features Slow Moton, which occurs at the same time in the song (with the line 'Who is this...')
• The performance has clearly been coreagraphed to the song, as it would be in a real competion.
• The narrative also fits with the song, eg: it is tense during the drum part.
• Lots of shot variety. 
• Also see basic layering involved too. 

First min and half preparing for the recital of some sort, looking worried, coming out and talking to coach, nervous about opponent, performs routine to the music.

Injured then sees mom come in and gets ready to continue, which she does 

Getting ready

Preparing faint classical in back ground, not all too clear as to what she prepares does she enters the ha

L and the music is louder, cynnastics,m watching opponent. She enters and sees someone wave, dad? Getting ready amidst cheers for over getting epl from coach. 

She goes on ready to perform and the track starts. Talky bit seems to walk around and do light tricks, then as it gets going she does the flip, which fins as the crash goes. She does more twils seeing ppponenet looking like whaaaat and coch like come on.moppo is laughing.

 Seeing judges reactions

Supportive father

Who is this sowing this alpha beta, is slow mo, then she starts with the ribbon as it sfin,m tail during the squirrel spin at the woah. Slow mo again at the who is this. Oppo is looks worried and more slow mo, ends and she goes back having fin a section. Oppo shrugging off nerves,

Supportive words

Triply bit is large jump, she lands a hurts herself.

Drum part she looks round at coach and stuff.

Mum enters and drum slows then music picks up again. 

taking to the stage

Preparing for a flip

80s Montage

And she begins again, new found strength, doing leaps very 80s montage such part, fade in and out of her, her, coach, and her. Lands and people cheer as the performance ends. A picture is taken as it ends and we zoom out from it immemorialised in trophy cabinet.

Ribbon dancing

The picture

AP: VidEG 13 Madonna - Ray Of Light

ACT: Madonna

TRACK: Ray Of Light

YEAR: 1998

DIRECTOR: Unknown 

GENRE:Pop, Electro - Pop

MAIN AUDIENCE:??

LYRICS

• The video is a day in a life filmed in four minutes. It was filmed in Sweden, New York and Las Vegas using time-lapse photography. The shoot took 14 days. Madonna had the idea for doing the closing nightclub scene. It won the 1998 Grammy for Best Music Video Short Form and the MTV Video Music Award for Video of the Year.
• The lyrics reflect Madonna's interest in spirituality and her faith
• Microsoft used this in a 2001 advertising campaign to promote its Windows XP operating system.
• Some of the video is filmed using a green screen.
• The lyrics link to the visual in some aspects but not in others and not as strongly as it does in her other visuals which is one reason why I picked it. 
• The genres are reflected strongly with the night club scenes reflecting the electronic and electro - pop well. 
• there is a lot of star treatment used in this video which is to be expected. 

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN VISUALS + LYRICS:

There is no link between the visuals and the lyrics, meaning it to be a concept video. It is also shot in a range of locations, with some use of a green screen for extra effect. Madonna although older is still represented in a sexualised way wearing slightly revealing clothing for her age.

GENRE CHARACTERISTICS: 

Genre has become an even more diverse, however this follows some of the characteristics that we would expect such as the sexualised dancing as well as upbeat music and cutting to the beat.

INTERTEXTUALITY?

 

Non that I am aware of.

PERFORMANCE, NARRATIVE AND/OR CONCEPT?:

The video is a concept video as it doesn't really follow a narrative and is quite random and has no apparent relation to the lyrics. 
 

PERFORMANCE STYLE: 

The performance style is singing and dancing with madonna being the main focus with many of the shots taken are with the events in the background, this is done by a series of layers or use of a green screen. some of the dancing that has been shown has had some of the frames deleted in order for it to look 'alien' like but because of the nature of it it could be described as cavorting. 





STAR TREATMENT:

Star treatment has been featured heavily in this video with the concentration solely on madonna, This is stereotypically done in order to sell the track but to also establish and promote the artist and the album. This is also an example of Laura Mulvey's theory as the woman has blonde hair and is wearing revealing clothing - Mulvey's theory being that they are being objectified for the gratification of men. This can also be added with the view of madonna being a symbolic character and is known as the queen of pop.

PACE + ANY VARIATION OF PACE: 

The pace is varied throughout with scenes of slow motion, the cuts are fairly quick which reflects the tempo of the song at times. There are a range of inter-cutting shots with quick transitions and shots last no more than a few seconds. Some of the shots are very creative and use different camera angles with extreme close ups and use layering and green screen techniques.

SHOT VARIETY + NO. OF SETUPS: 

various shot variety shown with range of creative shots.

LOCATION/S + MISE-EN-SCENE: 

In the video there are a series of locations used but all seem to be taken in the vicinity of one another. that being the city but also the use of the green screen. 
 

NOTABLE SHOTS/FRAMING: 

close up shots of body

AP: VidEG 12 Madonna - Papa Don't Preach

• In this video there is a strong link between visuals and the lyrics used. The song has a very strong controversial message of teenage pregnancy. Anti-abortion groups praised her whilst abortion rights groups criticised her.
• The line "I've made up my mind, I'm keeping my baby," caused anti-abortion groups to praise Madonna and abortion-rights groups to criticize her. Madonna refused to take a stance on the issue.
• Madonna called this "a message song that everyone is going to take the wrong way."
• This was one of the most controversial Madonna songs. Many articles were written about it in the context of abortion. The media attention helped make it a hit and keep it on the charts.
• The song is set in various locations, one which is her dancing solo and singing in a studio, her with her father at a young age which shows them washing up together - she is drying and he is washing, but as the video progresses and she ages the roles switch. The video also shows her with her boyfriend and her friends, and shows her on a journey going from one place to another.
• There is a lot of star treatment in this video but then surely it is to be expected when it is 'the queen of pop'.
• The links between the narrative and the visuals are especially strong and represent what is going on, which allows us to sympathise with the artist. 
• The song is stereo typical of the genre with the use of revealing clothing.

AP: VidEG 11 Daniel Pearson - Waves In The Sea

The song is all in black and white
There is also no star treatment involved and we never see his face, however we see his feet - a lot, which we presume is him.
The lyrics reflect the narrative in the video and features a young girl
the genre is a difficult one as it is indie and has a low budget which reflects the video extremely well due to the shaky camera work, very few locations, one actress and no studio with dancers performing a difficult routine. However on the website it is also classed as classic guitar pop which is something I'd never heard of but coming from the word pop it is polar opposite to anything relating to pop due to the low budget.
The video also features a lot of scenery to break up the different scenes, with a variety of different shots.


RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN VISUALS + LYRICS:

GENRE CHARACTERISTICS: 


INTERTEXTUALITY?

Non that I am aware of.

PERFORMANCE, NARRATIVE AND/OR CONCEPT?:

The video is a concept and narrative video as it does follow the narrative to some extent but not in others.
 

PERFORMANCE STYLE: 



STAR TREATMENT:

Star treatment has not been used, the artist wants to remain anonymous.

PACE + ANY VARIATION OF PACE: 

There is no variation of pace but continuity editing is used. 

 
SHOT VARIETY + NO. OF SETUPS: 

various shot variety shown with range of creative shots.

LOCATION/S + MISE-EN-SCENE: 

In the video there is limited locations which also reflect the budget on which the video has been created. 

NOTABLE SHOTS/FRAMING: 

range of medium, medium close up and extreme long shots.

AP: VidEG 10 Iggy Azalea - Fancy

• The video pays homage to the classic 1995 film Clueless with Iggy playing Cher and Charli portraying Tai and was filmed at some of the same locations used in the movie.
• The link between the narrative and the visuals doesn't match as much as it does in other pop videos, the narrative is describing how she is 'superior' to the other rappers out there and how she is the 'realest' - directing this at Nicki Minaj?
• The video is set in a school as well as a house for a party and also a motorway.
• Rap is known for its exploitation of women, but as it is a woman singing it, except for some revealing clothing and a couple of shots, exploitation is kept almost minimal.
• star treatment is very big in pop videos and is very prevalent in this video too, with Charli or Iggy being in every scene.

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN VISUALS + LYRICS: 

There are some links between 

GENRE CHARACTERISTICS: 



INTERTEXTUALITY?

PERFORMANCE, NARRATIVE AND/OR CONCEPT?:

PERFORMANCE STYLE: 

STAR TREATMENT

PACE + ANY VARIATION OF PACE: 

SHOT VARIETY + NO. OF SETUPS: 

LOCATION/S + MISE-EN-SCENE: 

NOTABLE SHOTS/FRAMING: 



DIRECTOR STYLE: