Wednesday 20 November 2013

Pop Video Conventions.

 This is the first shot in the music video which conveys the convention that they show the audience the setting of the music video. As well as being an establishing shot it is also a rise up shot as the camera moves up over the gate. It shows the setting of an old haunted house, which looks scary and intimidating. This makes the audience think the video is going to be dark due to the lack of lighting and mysterious atmosphere, until the next shot which is brightly coloured and loud. During this shot, a spooky voice accompanying the scene, enhancing the mood of the video. The house is also isolated which highlights this. Another video that opens with an establishing shot is in Taylor Swift's 'You Belong With Me.'




This screenshot is based on Alice in Wonderland at the Mad Hatter's tea party and demonstrates the convention of crazy costumes The scene is surrounded by exotically dressed individuals, which reflect Jessie's unique style. The background is quite dark and this makes the colours stand out. Jessie is positioned at the head of the table, highlighting that she is the 'mad hatter' and the most important person in the shot. In contrast, she is also the smallest person in the shot, but giving a direct mode of address.  This also apparent in the music video 'Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F) by Katy Perry as there are lots of costumes that also happen in this video music video.




 During this shot, Jessie imitates the lyrics 'if I could turn back the hands of time'. This shows the convention of a close up while lip syncing. This relates to the visuals as she is in a room that is full of clocks and watches. Also on her jacket she has watches attached to it which enhances the lyrics. Her facial expression is quite angry which also correlates the lyrics as she is angry with herself for talking about someone behind their back. During the shot she is swinging the clock necklace around her neck which conveys the anger she feels. It follows the conventions of a pop video as it shows a close up of her face, which is apparent in other pop videos, for example, in Wrecking Ball by Miley Cyrus. (picture below)





This shot in the video follows the conventions of a pop music video as it demontrates the male gaze. In this scene, Jessie is wearing a black bra and knickers while being in a pool of black tar. This enhances Laura Mulvey's theory of the male gaze. This is where the camera looks as if it could've been controlled by a male, making Jessie's movements appear sexual and appealing to males. Another pop video that conveys the male gaze is in We Found Love by Rihanna, where she is also in her underwear. (picture below.)



This shows the conventions of bright colours. In this shot, Jessie is shown tied up by wires, with lips that are brightly coloured so they stand out from the dark coloured background. Bright colours are a convention of pop videos. They also compliment Jessie's lips, making Jessie the main attraction in the shot. There is also a correlation between the visuals and the lyrics, as the song is about Jessie talking about somebody behind their back that she shouldn't have, and she feels "tied down" by her words and actions. Bright colours also appear in music videos such a Beyonce's 'Countdown'.



There is also a convention of having different personas in the music video, with lots of different costumes and styles. In this shot Jessie is dressed all in white and representing the Statue of Liberty with her headgear. The scene is very pure and clean and shows a variety of explosions that Jessie sets off. She also has a blonde wig which reinforces the pop video of conventions of having different personas and a lot of different settings and things going on at the same time. This is evident in Lady Gaga's music video for                 'Applause'.



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