Similar Text Analysis - Lady Gaga

Lady Gaga - Just Dance

This music video plays on the conventions of a female pop video. The artist 'Lady Gaga' is clearly showing a rebellious side representing females today. This video is not following the female stereotypes, it is challenging them. The narrative of the song also reflects this idea that a woman is going out, drinking alcohol and not doing what is expected of her although this is not the main focus in the video.

The first shot is of a young woman, who looks as if she does not care, she is holding a stereo putting it on the side, there are empty cups and bottles of alcohol and records around which makes you think that a party has happened or is happening. The girl presses play on the stereo and the song begins, a close up of the play button on the stereo is used to show this. The establishing shot sets the party scene. The limo appears (a medium shot of this) and 'Lady Gaga' the artist, gets out, this scene is very glamorised and creates the opportunity for young teenage girls and fans to idolise this image. A tracking shot of her walking, just showing her feet follows as she enters the party. A long shot of 'Lady Gaga' is shown, she is wearing black leggings and a black top, she was wearing a pink jacket but in this shot we see her take it off. Her clothing shows her age and could make teenage girls want to look like her, It is also appropriate for the scene that she is in. A high angled shot is used showing the room with people laying everywhere, including the floor, the room is a mess, people are beginning to get up and start the party again. The shot is used to set the scene and show the audience what is happening. Throughout the video there are close ups of 'Lady Gaga', reminding the audience that she is the artist and the main focus in the video.

The lyrics reflect what is happening in the video, this can be done because there is a strong narrative, and a good story to be told. The lyrics ;where are my keys? I lost my phone give us, the audience the idea that she has probably had too much to drink and therefore has misplaced these items. It also shows her carelessness of doing what is expected. In the video there is a medium shot looking through her bag and tipping everything out, we then see her with her phone and a long shot of her keys follows.

Throughout the video there are many performance shots in between the story. In these shots they are mainly close ups, to add effect and keeping to the fast pace of the music and editing. She is standing in the corner of a room with a microphone, singing. She's leaning against a white wall, which has flower patterns on it, the room is very light. This is shown in the photo on the left. These shots are to show she is the one that is singing the song as well as being at the party scene. The way the room that she is in is represented makes the video seem more positive with use of colours and lighting.A medium shot is then used showing the party scene. There are girls with big bottles of alcohol; this is not following the stereotypes of women when it comes to this situation as you would expect it to be a man with the alcohol. the video is an example of post-feminism, women having the opportunity to express themselves more and behave how they want to. This shows the rebellious side of females. This does not follow the generic conventions as you would expect to see this behaviour coming from a man, although this behaviour is being seen more and more so it is becoming more normal and acceptable for women to behave in this way. Gender roles have been challenged and changed in this video to show equality between males and females.

'Lady Gaga' also appears in the video to be dancing with a disco ball in her hand, this is shown in a medium shot. The disco ball is drawing attention to her as she is in the main focus in the scene. She also takes her top off which is a sign of rebellious behaviour, people would not see this as acceptable for a woman to do, but she does it anyway. There is a short scene where a long shot of the artist and two other girls beside her are dancing in the room, this is keeping to the idea of the song but also drawing attention to the artist yet again as she is in the middle of the two girls. A positive message is being put across in this video even though alcohol and being drunk is shown, it is not the main theme in the video. The title 'Just Dance' gives a hint to what the main theme of the video is but there are also aspects which show this too, for example when there is a medium shot of the girl writing 'Dance' on the mirror with lipstick and then kissing the mirror, the random close ups of the stereo, and the amount of dancing that is focused on shows the purpose of the song and the video.

In part of the song there is a male singer, in the video he is sat on the sofa singing, he has many girls around him. This is a very stereotypical image because it shows a common boy fantasy, to be surrounded by a lot of conventionally attractive women. A long shot is used to show this. This view is also challenged at the end of the video when the artist 'Lady Gaga' is in the little pool with two men, this time she has the men around her, not her and other girls around the man. The role has changed here and again a long shot is used to show this.

Editing is used throughout the video but specifically at the end when lots of shots are put together and the pace of the editing is sped up; this creates a great effect to the video and matches the tempo of the song. The last shot is a close up of 'Lady Gaga', she has a blue zig zag on her face and she is covering her left eye, the zig zag on her face shows her individuality. The revealing clothes worn are also showing the idea that women are rebelling. It's portraying the idea that women can now where what they want to whether it is acceptable to everyone else or not. This video is representing young independent women who will do what they want, by challenging what is seen as acceptable and what is expected of them.