CONEVTIONS OF INDIE FORM AND GENRE

I researched the genres of Pumped Up Kicks as I knew that it would have hybrid genres, I discovered that it consists of these genres:

·         Indie pop

·         Alternative rock

·         Neo-psychadelia

Indie Pop Conventions

• vibrant colours/filters
• vintage filters
• abstract - natural, fictional, unknown settings
• signs and symbols
• sometimes black and white filters
• props
• retro costumes
• depth of field https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3sb7eWqET_Y
• bright lights
• contrast from day to night
• fade to black at the end - ending a story
• rhythmic editing
• artificial lighting

Gotye - Somebody That I Used to Know

The male protagonist starts out clean (naked, vulnerable), the slow 48 second pan from his feet move up his body to reveal his face. His anger and bitterness over his previous break-up grows, the lines start to appear around him and then on him.  The paint fills in to cover him up, and he wears his unhappiness like fitted clothing.  The sharp angles and different colours blend him into the wall so that he himself becomes hard to distinguish from the world around him.  He is losing himself to the break up.

Then the female comes in (Kimbra).  She starts already dissected by the paint, but as she acknowledges her pain, the paint disappears.  For her, she lost herself during the course of the relationship (“Now and then I think of all the times you screwed me over/but had me believing it was always something that I’d done”).  Her resolution to stop living in guilt for things that he had done releases her.  She sheds a single, barely visible tear before the paint begins to go.

Both he and she appear naked in the video.  For him, this nakedness symbolizes his lingering vulnerability to her.  As he progresses through his emotions, he comes to the conclusion that she is just somebody that he used to know, and he becomes closed to her.  In deciding this, he also rejects something that is essentially him.  He lets himself be lost to his anger.  He begins clean and ends broken and covered. Whereas the female begins covered and ends naked.  When the paint starts to disappear from her body, her negative attachment to him also disappears.  The way he treated her (“I told myself that you were right for me/but felt so lonely in your company”) caused her to lose her vulnerability, and without him, she has the chance to start again.

The nicest thing about the Kimbra reveal is how it forms a visual pun. The animation has been filling in the background, and now the camera is moving to fill in more scenic space. This is matched, in a sense, by the way the song's arrangement gradually introduces instruments, both before the first refrain, and then again, during the Kimbra reveal.

Somebody That I Used To Know Music Video Analysis from tashaxgs

Florence and the Machine - Cosmic Love

Cosmic Love Music Video Conventions Analysis from tashaxgs

THE HISTORY OF MEDIUM

I have researched the history of medium to show examples of artists who have changed the industry and to show how technology has advanced. My music video will fit under the 'modern day' category, however it is also a promotional clip as the video is to advertise the artist. Promotional clips began way back in 1960, a lot has changed since then in the way that music videos are produced and consumed. Although, my research shows that music videos have always been about promotion and that is what I intend to do.

LYRIC TIMINGS

Pumped Up Kicks - Lyric Timings from tashaxgs

Above I have taken note of the timings of the lyrics, this will benefit me for when constructing my music video as I will know how many seconds I have to juxtapose my footage within the specific lyric timings. For example if I was going to use a shot of a cigarette when the lyrics play 'he's got a rolled cigarette', I would know that I need a 2 second shot. It also indicates that the instrumental intro of the song plays for 37.5 seconds, therefore I need to shoot enough footage to introduce my video within that time.

LYRIC ANALYSIS

The lyrics to "Pumped Up Kicks" are written from the perspective of a troubled and delusional youth with homicidal thoughts. The lines in the chorus warn potential victims to "outrun my gun" and that they "better run, better run, faster than my bullet".

Foster said in a statement to CNN.com, "I wrote 'Pumped Up Kicks' when I began to read about the growing trend in teenage mental illness. I wanted to understand the psychology behind it because it was foreign to me. It was terrifying how mental illness among youth had skyrocketed in the last decade. I was scared to see where the pattern was headed if we didn't start changing the way we were bringing up the next generation."

In writing the song, Foster wanted to "get inside the head of an isolated, psychotic kid" and "bring awareness" to the issue of gun violence amongst youth, which he feels is an epidemic perpetuated by "lack of family, lack of love, and isolation". The song's title refers to shoes that the narrator's peers wear as a status symbol.

Themes:

• Family
• Depression
• Wealth
• Well-being
• Violence
• Youth

"Robert's got a quick hand."
I'm sure Robert is an allusion. Research gives the possibility of Robert Butler Jr. "Robert" is ready to shoot at any point. Cowboy reference (quick draw).

"He'll look around the room, he won't tell you his plan.
He's got a rolled cigarette, hanging out his mouth he's a cowboy kid."
He's probably cocky, feels powerful. Cowboys are loners who do things to feel mighty. They're also quick to resort to gunfights. The cigarette only emphasizes the idea of being a "badass." Cigarette is also another cowboy reference.

"Yeah he found a six shooter gun.
In his dads closet hidden in a box of fun things, and I don't even know what."
The terminology of "six shooter gun" is typically limited to revolvers, a gun popular in Western movies. They were popular because they were small, easily hidden. Glocks are standard for police-officers, so it's viable that it could be found in a father's closet. "Fun things" in so ambiguous no one could ever get direct meaning from it, but I'd assume he found other police-like items (tazer, perhaps?). Although depending on how you hear it, it could be bondage equipment.

"But he's coming for you, yeah he's coming for you."
It's meditated and he's resolute. There's clearly a lot of though going into this. I've read a lot of cockiness into the statement, too.

"All the other kids with the pumped up kicks you'd better run, better run, outrun my gun.
All the other kids with the pumped up kicks you'd better run, better run, faster than my bullet."
"pumped up kicks" would refer to a trendy shoe. Considering it's an item of clothing that kids wear, I assume they're popular. I can't decide on "other's" meaning–it's either "everyone else with the kicks" is going to get shot, or it's making a distinction: only the kids (the popular, perhaps rich childen) will be fired upon. The repetition of run really emphasizes the insanity of Robert. The terminology is devilishly coy, too. He's trying to cause a panic–there's more to it than just shooting the kids, he wants them to flee.

"Daddy works a long day.
He be coming home late, yeah he's coming home late.
And he's bringing me a surprise."
The phrasing doesn't depict "Daddy" well. We don't know if he is working as we have no evidence, but he's probably abusive. I'd argue the "surprise" is a fist, after "coming home late" from maybe a bar.

"'Cause dinner's in the kitchen and it's packed in ice.
I've waited for a long time."
I have two ideas for the first line. Maybe he'll have to eat an icepack after the beating? Or it's a reference to a boy who killed his parents and packed her into the freezer. Though, regardless of the connotation, anything "packed with ice" doesn't sound like a particularly good dinner. At this point there's also a shift, which bothers me. Broadly, I'd argue that someone's been inspired by "Robert." If I were to write a thesis, I'd say that "Robert's" deliberate spectacle in his shooting (attempting to incite fear) is catching on among other deranged teenagers. Cowboy reference.

"Yeah the slight of my hand is now a quick pull trigger,"
He's ready to shoot in an instant. Another cowboy reference.

"I reason with my cigarette,
And say your hair's on fire, you must have lost your wits, yeah."
He is probably chewing on his cigarette, moving it around while he's deciding whether to go through with it. He retorts to his doubts that the head of the cigarette (the unfiltered part you light) is on fire.

FOSTER THE PEOPLE - PUMPED UP KICKS

This is the song that I have chosen to construct my music promo video, together with a CD cover and a magazine advertisement.



The video below explains the meaning of the song from the band's perspective. This will help me understand the song and create a video with a tone that the song requires.

VISUAL ESSAY - NARRATIVE THEORISTS

Bordwell and Thompson - Story and Plot

Bordwell and Thompson (1997) offer two distinctions between story and plot which relate to the diegetic world of the narrative that the audience are positioned to accept and that which the audience actually see. They based this on Russian film theory:
The fabula (story) is all of the events in the narrative that we see and infer. The fabula is defined as the chronological series of events that are represented or implied.
The syuzhet (plot) is everything visible and audibly present before us. Syuzhet is considered to be the order, manner and techniques of their presentation in the narrative.

The audience are positioned to accept and that which the audience actually see. This is based on the Russian Film Theory:
In their theory there are 4 different sections they focus on; Graphic, Rhythmic, Spatial & Temporal editing.
Graphic editing is all about the mise-en-scene, what we are shown on the screen, thinking about the pictorial qualities within a video.
- Patterns, light and dark, colour similarities and differences.
- Can be used to create 'smooth continuity' or abrupt contrast.
- Graphic match - shots link together.
- Graphic continuity - Point of interest stay the same throughout cuts.
- Graphic discontinuity - Everything keeps on changing, plays around with juxtaposition.
Bordwell and Thompson never did come up with a complete narrative theory but their ideas were alright.

They believed that a chain of events within a media form causes effects on a relationship occurring in that time and space and the narrative shapes this material in terms of time. This can be portrayed through using effects to show the time by using flash backs, forwards, slow motion and speeding up.

Rhythmic/Spatial editing is:
- Maintaining continuity through thinking about the space where the event takes place.
- Continuity is the key thing.
- Cross cutting (parallel editing) is effective in spatial editing- it displays something taking place at the same time, but in a different location, to something else.
Temporal - The unfolding of time
This is all about continuity and how the video footage manipulates time.
So the order of events can be manipulated = the story/plot can change to interrupt the normal order of time through the use of flashbacks and flash forwards.
The duration of events can be altered through the use of ellipsis.
You also need to consider the frequency of events- If the event is repeated it can become a powerful way of building tension and audience expectation.
Rhythmic editing will show that each shot cuts on length according to the beat and tempo of the music. Different shots will give different effects.

In the Katy Perry ‘California Gurls’ music video the initial structure is based around the length of the song. Through the cinematography we are able to see the intended narrative from the producer of the music video. Through such things as close ups, for example when we get the close up of the board game we immediately realise that the narrative is going to be based around a game. Close ups are a huge success in pop videos due to the popularity of the artist. The costumes of the girls help us to interoperate the theme of the board game, so as the girls are dressed in sweets and the board game suggests through the text ‘Candyfornia’ and ‘Sugar Daddy’ we interpret the sweet message. There could be some intertextual references used in the music video from the likes of ‘Alice in Wonderland’ and ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’ as ‘California Gurls’ also strives to create a strange narrative story, the video has been edited so we are aware of the background story of the song and Katy Perry uses costumes changes to portray how long her journey across the board game is taking her.

Sven Carlson - 3 Areas of Narrative Structure

Sven Carlson suggests that music videos fall into three groups; performance, narrative and conceptual/abstract. If we were putting this particular music video into a category it would fall under narrative as the audience can easily follow the message and ideologies of the video. The narrative is about how Katy Perry is breaking the rules of the game but not conforming to them, the audience see how the girls as a group have authority over Snoop Dogg and in the end become the leader over him, instead of him having power over them. We see this through the lyrics and how the actions of Katy Perry reflect them.

Tim O’sullivan - Culture and Society

Argues that all media texts tell us some kind of story and it is through careful mediation, media texts offer a way of telling stories about ourselves-not usually our own personal stories but ones about us as a culture or set of cultures. The narrative theory shows that what we experience when we ‘read’ a story to understand a particular set of instructions or conventions and it is important to be aware of how these are put together. There is an obvious relationship between the visuals and lyrics of the video, as when Katy Perry is climbing the candy stick, ice cream, clouds and an icing imitation of Hollywood surround her. This demonstrates a sense of surrealism, as the idea of a world made out of candy would be thought as a dream. This connects the lyrics with the visual as it reassures the audience that everyone would love to live in such a perfect illusionary world.

Todorov - Narrative Structure

O'Sullivan's theory relates to Tzvetan Todorov's narrative theory (1997). His theory is split into five stages which represents the narrative in a chronological set of events. Stage 1 is when the equlibrium is stable, in the narrative all is stable as antagonist Snoop Dogg introduces us to the board game whilst saying in the introduction, "Greeting loved ones, let's take a journey". This leads to stage 2 when the equilibrium is disrupted as protagonist Katy Perry is on her quest to free the queens. In stage 3, Snoop Dogg recognises the disruption and Katy discovers what she is capable of. The equilibrium is re-created in Stage 4, when the Candymania Queens reach the destination of where Snoop Dogg is playing the game and they take over. In Stage 5 there is a new equilibrium, of which the girls are in charge and Snoop Dogg is burried under the sand as he has lost the game and has a lower status.



Pam Cook - Natrative Development 

According to Pam Cook (1985), the standard Hollywood narrative structure should have a linearity of cause and effect within an overall trajectory of enigma resolution. This applies as each time Katy Perry moves in the game of frees the queens it has an effect, until the enigma resolution at the very end when she has succeeded. It should also have a high degree of narrative closure, and a fictional world that contains verisimilitude especially governed by spatial and temporal coherence. In the video, the location of Candymania isn't very realistic as it is more like a dream world, the gummy bear army also isn't realistic as they don't talk (or swear). Although, the beach and the palm trees are there applying to the lyrics, which creates verisimilitude and the girls wear bikinis, so this mise en scene is a lot more realistic.








The music promotional video of California Gurls by Katy Perry was structured by the song lyrics. Tim O'Sullivan (1998) argues that all media texts tell a story. California Gurls conforms this as there is a strong narrative throughout the conceptual clip (Sven Carlsson, 1999). Within the narrative there is performance as Katy Perry lip syncs. However not every lyric is sung throughout the narrative as the story is told. This creates verisimilitude as Katy Perry would not be singing as she is on her quest to save the 'Candyfornia Queens'. Tim O'Sullivan also suggests that each media text has a common structure. There is an establishment at the beginning of the plot/theme which is the very first shot of the board game which establishes the iconography. There is in a development of a problem/enigma, in this case, Katy Perry rescues the queens creating an increase in tension, this results in a resolution of the plot when the queens are freed and have a higher status than Snoop Dogg.

In the narrative, Claude Levi-Strauss' (1958) theory of binary opposites applies. There is a theme of bad vs. evil throughout, which shows that that Vladimir Propp (1928) was correct in concluding specific characters that are in most media texts. In this case the villain is Snoop Dogg and the hero is Katy Perry, also the other queens are the helpers. Kate Domaille (2001) stated that every story ever told can fit into one of eight narrative types. Each of these narratives has a source, an original story upon which the others are based. I discovered that California Gurls applies to two of these narrative types. The first is Candide, the indomitable hero who cannot be put down, of which is Katy Perry as she is indestructible and fierce. The second narrative is Cinderella, the dream that comes through, in this case Katy dreams of freeing the queens and does so but with her own physical power rather than a wish.

Joseph Campbell (1949) suggests that there is an underlying structure of iconography, themes and concepts in media texts. By watching the video without listening to the lyrics, we simply see the idea of this game that Snoop Dogg is playing and how Katy Perry becomes mischievous to be free. Although when hearing the lyrics, we actually find out that it's about how great California is. I discovered that Katy Perry wrote the song out of jealousy of the attention the East Coast of America was getting after Empire State of Mind by Jay Z and Alicia Keys was released. She was at a party watching people drink 'gin and juice' swaying under the 'palm trees' when she realised that the West Coast deserves more attention, which refers to the lyrics in the song. She said to NME, "I hope when people listen to the song it makes them want to get the next plane to California". Hence the lyrics 'West Coast represent, now put your hands up' and 'I know a place, where the grass is really greener', she is talking positively hoping to persuade everyone how great a place it is. This is the underlying meaning of the narrative, which explains the beach in the video.

CLASS VIEWS ON MUSIC VIDEO 'SMACK MY BITCH UP' - THE PRODIGY (1997)

The Prodigy - Smack My Bitch Up

Dominant/Preferred reading:
The dominant or preferred reading from this text is to demonstrate the effects of drugs and alcohol.
Not to stereotype males in the way that we usually would, to show the effect of drug and alcohol abuse.
To demonstrate same sex relationships. so society are more open to them.
To challenge people's stereotypes of gender.
To show that women can act in the same way as men.
To show that we assume men are more violent and more likely to take drugs than women, the fact this is not the case makes us rethink stereotypes.
To make the audience think and challenge them when they watch the audience.
To show the negative effects of drugs and alcohol and that women are not just victims of violence.
Not to judge someone.
To represent society in a realistic manor (in a one night stand)
To make us realise that situations like this happens in our society and we can't just ignore it and look the other way.
The way drugs make you act.
We judge people to quickly.
That we assume its from a males point a view to keep us interested in the product.
To make us not judge people.
To demonstrate different types of relationships.
To stop people from taking drugs and drinking because of the negative actions it leads to.

Negotiated reading:
I understood the dominant message however I am against the overuse of drugs and alcohol.
I understood the message from the music video, but I don't like that the stereotype of women has been challenged.
The video was very extreme and explicit, but relatively true to life.
It was awful to watch and as a female I would not want to be treated like that. It was the drugs that made people (protagonist) act like that.
It shows the impact of drugs but the style was too exaggerated.
I don't think people should do drugs while drinking, the ideo of violence doesn't appeal to me either. However I do condone if members of society want to behave in this way then it is their personal choice.
I agree with the representation of how drugs make you feel however, I don't agree with the way in which women have been treated in this video.
The music video is honest but I don't agree with the type of behaviour it promotes.
The music video wants to be controversial like the band but I don't agree with the extreme behaviour which is presented to the audience.
I understand the message but I think many people will be offended by this.
I found it weird and it made me want to be sick.
I like the point its making but it may offend gay women.
Drugs might be the reason she's acting like that but I don't agree with her behaviour.
Drugs have influenced her actions but I think she wouldn't act that way normally.
I understand that this music video and the actions in it are exaggerated because it makes it more consumable for an audience.

Oppositional reading:
The content is to explicit.
I do not agree with the abusive relationships.
This text promotes an unhealthy lifestyle.
Some religions may take it offensively.
People may be against drugs, drinking, strip clubs and sex.
From a woman's point a view, that they're stereotyped for being sex crazy animals.
Women wouldn't start fights in clubs and behave in that way.
You might not agree with it because of religion, or if the audience is homophobic and if the audience is against extreme alcohol consumption and drug abuse.
They see the product as immoral.
They disregard the text because they think it is a man.
People wouldn't want their children to see it because it sets a bad example.
The audience may reject the media text because they feel uncomfortable and turn the video off.
They can't associate with it because they don't do drugs or drink.
Won't conform because people have't had the experiences of the intended affect.
It may condone taking drugs and alcohol and make people believe it is okay, as if the substances remove the blame from the person.
Audiences may find the product offensive.

VISUAL ESSAY - AUDIENCE THEORIES

Blumer and Katz - Uses and Gratifications

The Uses and Gratifications model represented a change in thinking, as researchers began to describe the effects of the media from the audiences point of view. It looks at how people use the media and why in the way that we do. It shows that the audience is not forced into consumption but they control what they choose to consume, the media only creates the product. The theory argues that the audience need social and psychological experiences and needs that create expectations of what they consume. Although underlying this theory, there is the idea that rather than finding out how the media uses us, the model asks how we as the audience use the media and what we gain from it. The four 'needs' of the model are surveillance, personal identity, personal relationships and diversion.

Surveillance, Personal Identity, Personal Relationships and Diversion
Linking to Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs

As I am applying this theory to Katy Perry's California Gurls, the audience do not gain any awareness throughout the video therefore surveillance doesn't apply. Whereas, personal identity explains how being a subject of the media allows us to confirm the identity and positioning of ourselves within society. Katy Perry has became a big role model inspiring young children everywhere, when consuming her products many feel gratified by sharing identities with her. For example, California Gurls has a lot of breaking stereotypes (Tessa Perkins) by switching the gender roles which is very relatable for strong women and feminists which will make them feel more 'normal' and accepted. The video allows audiences to identify with it if they are from California as the song represents how great California is, people can also identify with it if they have ever had an experience where a man has controlled them. This could result in the audience feeling strength and determination after consuming the song which may make them carry on consuming it. It applies mainly to a younger audience (10-18), however some of the lyrics are quite explicit language metaphorically. It also targets more females than males because of how the male loses in the narrative and is looked down on and more females listen to Katy Perry's music. However it can target males because the females are dressed in bikinis and provocative outfits. Personally I identified with the video as I like to feel strong as a woman and break the stereotypes of females being weak and vulnerable, I also like the genre.

This also links to personal relationships: relationships with the media and using the media within relationships. We can form a relationship with the media, in this case the audience would form a relationship with the protagonist Katy Perry hoping that she succeeds in her quest to save the queens and take control over the male antagonist (Tzvetan Todorov). Because the audience has consumed Katy Perry and watched her they have formed that relationship to think of her as a real person rather than a constructed character (Richard Dyer), sometimes the audience treat characters as if they are their friends when really they are only there to be consumed. Our sociological and psychological needs are what make us depend on characters and form these relationships. Products are made by institutions to appeal to a mass audience, they make them so that audiences are able to relate to the characters and narrative so they are more likely to be consumed (which makes more money). The media is also there to support the audience in ways, as it helps us understand social issues to help us deal with them, just like I have with this video.

The diversion need in this model describes what is more commonly known as escapism, meaning that we consume these products so that we can forget about events and issues in our own lives and think about someone else's. This applies to any product, especially music videos as they do not all have a narrative and can be abstract which can be relaxing to an audience.

Stuart Hall - Reception Theory

This theory suggests that a person's background and past life experience can affect how they react to a media text. Stuart Hall developed the decoding/encoding model which then developed the reception theory.

The decoding/encoding model argues that messages and ideas are encoded by the institutions (ideology), and then decoded by the audience. There can be two differences between two different readings which are the preferred reading and an oppositional reading. There is also a negotiable reading which is a mix of the two. Preferred is how the producers can guide the audience using stars, genre and expectations, and position an audience. An oppositional reading is when the audience challenges the preferred reading.

For the majority of Katy Perry's music videos, she is dressed in very revealing, provocative clothing. This emphasizes the fact that in today’s industry, women are wrongly used as objects and not as people, which the way they should be. As Charlotte Church stresses in her 2013 Independent article, women “only serve to distract from the strong messages being put forward by other artists,” which is exactly what this music video does and why it plays a part in contributing to the current crisis in the music industry as the main point of the music video should have been to get the message across that women can be strong and independent, but instead the music video gets the point across that women are objects, and perhaps, should be treated as such. Another part of Stuart Hall’s theory, which this music video fits into well, is the oppositional Reading part of the theory, which states that the reader’s social position places them in an oppositional relation to the dominant code, which means that audiences aren’t viewing the video in the way that the director intended it to be viewed but instead, to be viewed in a way which, in this case, is demeaning and sends out the wrong image/impression.

Hypodermic Needle Theory/ Effects Theory

This theory suggests that the mass media has a direct, immediate and powerful effect on its audiences. This was formed in the 1920s, and was later expanded into a slightly more complex two-step theory. In the 1940s and 1950s the media developed and became a powerful influence on behavioural charge. After World War 2, the popularity of media platforms such as television and radio had risen, and advertising became more apparent. This is due to Hitler's use of propaganda throughout the media.

The hypodermic needle theory implies that audiences have no willpower and believes everything that media tells them, it states that audiences are passive and easily influenced. An example of where the audience has been passive is Orson Welles' War of the Worlds radio broadcast, which was a fictional reading out of a play which many American's thought was real. This caused a nationwide moral panic.

A passive audience is an a victim of the media as they believe the information they are told by media texts. This is the audience of the hypodermic needle theory, which argues that the media has a direct effect on its audience. Whereas an active audience challenges this theory by stating that there is plenty of choice in society due to people being different and engaging with the texts differently. This theory suggests that instead of the institutions trying to make the audience believe media texts, they create them in order to please us and will try to reflect the values and beliefs of society.

VISUAL ESSAY - REPRESENTATION THEORIES

Laura Mulvey - Feminism

Laura Mulvey is a British feminist film theorist. She was educated at Oxford and is currently professor of film and media studies in London. Mulvey's theory focuses on visual pleasure and narrative cinema. Her studies are based on how women are represented as sexual objects which is evident in media texts today, such as music videos, television and films. Her research focuses on women as sexual objects and how they are involved in media texts to be enjoyed and objectified my men. Her theory of the male gaze occurs when a scene may focus on the curves of a woman's body or features such as lips or even feet. The cinematography will focus longer than usual on these body parts meaning that we cannot look at anything else if we chose to, this is when the male will look at the woman as a sexual object which is called 'The Male Gaze'.

However this does not always apply to media texts as they contradict Mulvey's theory. I'm going to explain and show how Katy Perry's music video from 'California Gurls' conforms and contradicts.

The first shot from California Gurls is a close up of a board game. This board game is ideology showing that Katy Perry is a Queen of Candifornia who must be freed in order to be the prize. It is also an establishing shot of the location for the rest of the video which is set in Candyfornia (the game); mise en scene such as the candyfloss clouds demonstrate this, also the reference to Snoop Dog as the 'Sugar Daddy'. It also claims that the dice belongs to the Sugar Daddy which means that he has control over Katy Perry (Sugar Daddy along with his 'candy-man' costume is a reference to a pimp which means that he owns her). This conforms to Mulvey's theory because the woman is seen as a prize which is sexualised by her costume.

The gifs below show that the game belongs to Snoop Dog as he places Katy Perry at the start. When he roles the dice she moves which also conforms the theory as the male has dominance over the woman. So Katy Perry is simply an object, and she is not in the video for any purpose but to be looked at. Snoop Dog also has a cane which usually people with a high role have such as royalty or sorcerers, meaning that he is an important role and is the master of the game.

Gummy bears are seen as sweet and delicious but instead use vulgar actions to offend Katy as part of the game. In the video they are represented as males and are owned by Snoop Dog. It suggests how men are rude to women and do not consider them as real people because they are just seen as objects.

Katy Perry contradicts the theory here as she has strength and sets the girls free so that they can become a force and be more powerful than Snoop Dog. They cause mischief to take control of the game which is not what a stereotypical woman would do, therefore she is braking stereotypes of how smart and strong woman are and that they are more than just sexual objects.


Part of their mischief is when the gingerbread man tries initially to ruin the game, although the girls come dressed like girl scouts that sell cookies, they put a heart on him (giving him a heart) which turns him in love with them. He becomes weak and submissive to them and even though they eat him he is smiling because of how beautiful they are, this shows that they have taken over the game and can conquer anything. This contradicts the theory because they are there for a purpose and there wouldn't be a video or narrative without them.


The last two shots show that Snoop Dog is buried under the sand meaning that he now has a lower status than the girls, in comparison to the beginning where he was above them and having total control. This means that he lost all of his power and has lost the game. This shows that they were more than just a prize and are not sexual objects as we see more shots of their facial features at the end rather than focusing on their bodies. Katy Perry's blue wig is also covering her breasts unlike the rest of the video where they were revealing or provocative. This shows that she was using her features as a sexual object to win the game, so now she has won she is restricting herself as she no longer needs to be looked at as a sexual object. This is a re-presentation of women showing that they are not just there to be looked at. Meaning that the overall result of the narrative contradicts Laura Mulvey's theory as Katy was underestimated and uses her body in a clever way, although 'the male gaze' still applies.


Richard Dyer - Star Theory

Richard Dyer's Star Theory is the idea that icons and celebrities are constructed by institutions for financial reasons and are built to target a specific audience or group of people. The theory is broken down into 3 sections: audience and institutions, constructions and hegemony (cultural beliefs). He says that, "Stars are commodities that are produced by institutions." Katy Perry conforms this theory as she is a constructed image made by the institutions and is represented across a range of media and mediums.

Stars are made to make money, so Katy Perry (real name Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson) is constructed in a way which audiences will want to consume her. The institutions want to please the audiences so that the star is successful and makes money. Katy Perry's persona was created for the audience to identify with and so stars can differentiate between different stars. Stars are built with someone's signature to them, in this case, Katy Perry has many bright hairstyles. The reason that she changed her name to 'Katy Perry' was to be easily remembered and to have a new and better constructed version of herself.

Consumers relate to the star by having features that they admire or share with them. This develops from an admiration into an idolization which can control the consumers beliefs and they can attempt to replicate what the star does. This happens with Katy Perry as thousands of fans will have dyed their hair after admiring the look on Katy.

Richard Dyer says that stars are 'personas', not real people. Katy Perry conforms this theory as she is a character constructed by the industry to be consumed. She shares only what she wants to in the media so consumers only see this character that is being portrayed, not the real life Katy Perry (or Kathryn Elizabeth Hudson). This identity is created to appeal to a mass audience, which can make the star known and become icons. Stars are made and groomed to meet the expectations of an audience, which links to Laura Mulvey's theory of the male gaze as the star is expected to be desirable.

In California Gurls, Katy Perry is yet another constructed character within the narrative. She is now a 'Queen of Candyfornia', which does relate to herself as she is one of the most famous stars from California. Although she has the colourful wig, she is another construct by herself and the institutions to be appealing in this video. In the narrative she is also a character playing the game, so rather than a video representing her real life Katy Perry has made a promotional video sharing her cultural beliefs and ideologies rather than showing her true identity.

Tessa Perkins - Stereotypes

Stereotypes are assumptions we make based on groups of people. Tessa Perkins identifies 5 assumptions: stereotypes are not always negative, they are not always about minority groups or less powerful people, they can be held about one's own groups, they are not rigid or unchanging, they are not always false.

Her first assumption applies to Katy Perry as she is stereotyped positively. Her stereotype is a pop star, which is made from many different positive traits stereo-typically such as beautiful, desirable, kind, talented. In her music videos she is seen as a positive role model, especially in California Gurls as she is the protagonist that saves the girls which shows 'girl power'. She's also a role model for young people, in this article (http://aleteia.org/2013/11/08/katy-perry-the-best-role-model-for-young-women/) Katy is praised by a mother because of her empowerment and how she represents women in comparison to other female pop stars.

Katy also conforms Perkins' third assumption of stereotypes being held about one's own groups. Pop stars have a stereotype although different pop stars have different individual stereotypes. For example, Beyonce is seen as a more fierce (her alter-ego 'Sasha Fierce') and powerful pop star who is a loving mother and wife. Pop stars are all different individually so that they are recognised and have their own personality and look, especially if they are a brand.

Katy Perry's stereotype hasn't changed incredibly over her career, other than more recently she has calmed down on the bright hair colours and crazy outfits which is currently less consumable.

Perkins' fifth assumption is that stereotypes are not always false. In this case the stereotype is correct of Katy Perry as she is desirable, kind and beautiful. Although, as we only see of Katy what she chooses, we cannot truly judge her as we do not know her like a friend or a family member. From what we can see she is a stereotypical pop star. Looking at her social media however, such as Instagram, shows us more about her.

katyperry: Before accepting the offer to be on the cover of Forbes, I was told that a lot of women have previously shied away from doing it. I wondered if it was because they thought socially it would look like they were flaunting or bragging or it wasn't a humble decision. Ladies, there is a difference between being humble and working hard to see the fruits of your labor blossom, and your dreams realized. Hopefully this cover can be an inspiration to women out there that it's okay to be proud of hard earned success and that there is no shame in being a boss. Also... don't think that I didn't celebrate this moment by going straight to Taco Bell and getting my crunch wrap supreme #ontourbreak

Her Instagram post of her being the cover on an issue of Forbes Magazine shows her ideologies of the female representations. As the magazine discusses rich and successful people, as a female she explained how she wanted to show that she is proud of her hard work and success and that other women should be too. This makes her a positive role model and that her stereotype of just being a pop star isn't the full story, Katy Perry says how she has worked hard for what she has achieved which is something that we do not see or consume from the media.

CHOSEN BRIEF

1. A promotion package for the release of an album, to include a music promo video, together with two of the following three options:

• a website homepage for the band;
• a cover for its release as part of a digipak (CD/DVD package);
• a magazine advertisement for the digipak (CD/DVD package);