Media Form

Duration:  4:00

50/50

Theme / subject matter:

The video is set in a theme park, and it talks about how society is being chained to reality and how we are not able to escape the hamster wheel of life. Katy comments on how society is trapped without knowing what is going on, the world has become materialistic.

The petrol station sold water- the middle east has the power and creates oil, we cannot fight against capitalism, without oil we wouldn’t function

Any cultural competence needed to make intertextual references?

It is based off of a 1960’s cartoon called the Jetsons, the jetsons is about the future.

 Pricking her finger on the rose, reference to sleeping beauty, people need to wake up before it’s too late.

Theme park is called Obliva - telling us that we are all oblivious to what is going on around us

American Dream - If you work hard then you will get the dream life, if you get rich then you will get what you want - beautiful family - white picket fence - the ride - perfect life

The likes in the rollercoaster, that social media has impacted us, if we don't get a like or a retweet then we will be upset

Generic Features

The conventional  ingredients

Look of the video/star: Pastel pinks, Candy floss colouring, Easy on the eye, Pop music, High quality production

Sound of the music:  easy on the eye, poppy beat, does not require intense concentration

Narrative Analysis

...illustration

Does it illustrate the song?

...amplification :

Does it add another layer of meaning to the song?

...disjunction

Does it seem to work in juxtaposition to the song?

What does this contribute to your understanding? Amplification:

• It is all about society not noticing how messed up the world is, it is a distraction from our reality
• We live in an unreal world where everything is an image and nothing is real anymore.
• The candy floss is shaped as a nuclear cloud
• You are buying into the american dream

“Stumbling around like a wasted zombie” - walking in a line like robots, we all follow the same routine everyday without realising.

“Rose coloured glasses on” - put on 3D glasses, yet another form of escapism from reality?

What is the relationship between the narrative and star?

What does this suggest?

She is the same as the audience, she says that she is the biggest culprit of producing the same style of music, She realises that she is chained to the rhythm of pop music

We see her as extraordinary as she is gorgeous and an amazing singer

By the end of the video she becomes ordinary and is exactly like us, finally she becomes aware as to what is happening around her

Technical Conventions

Visual Rhythm

Camera Movement and Cutting Speed

Wide establishing shots, tracking shots, panning and aerial shots so the audience can see what the park looks like

Cutting speeds when Katy is on the rollercoaster, this has been done to show the excitement and thrill of being on the ride

The final shot is the longest shot of the video saying that she is responsible as well for being chained to society

Representation of  The Star

What ideas are communicated about the star and how are these communicated through camera, editing and mise-en-scene?

Katy has finally realised that she is as guilty as everyone is for being chained to the rhythm and constant cycle of life - finally stops following the crowd and realises what has happened.

Aesthetics

How is the video designed to look visually appealing?

The video is so pretty, the costuming is gorgeous and very much perfect

Blend of Pop and rap/reggae music compliments the styling of the video

Unreal setting - not a real world - not reality