8.Initial Ideas.

Using the lyrics to the song is key when planning a narrative based song. In order to create the film like quality, we have to understand the song first! Here we gathered a few ideas after brainstorming what Gaga is about (shown below). In my head, i already had a clear idea of how it was going to look, with lots of old film grain and shoddy cuts and props!

I spilled out a few ideas through brainstorming what "Monster" as a song means and the connotations it has with horror. Also exploring Lady Gaga's music videos helped with the planning!

The WolfMan

Jackson Transformation

Thriller film!

Dracula

Many of our initial ideas were inspired by 1920's/B side horror movies. Because Lady Gaga's album track listing for 'The Fame Monster' follows a story, we thought it be appropriate to much the running theme from her other videos like Bad Romance and Alejandro to make a movie themed music video.

At first, planning the video and the introduction leading up to the music was to reinvent Micheal Jackson's 'Thriller'. The beginning of the story was of a couple watching a film in a cinema on a date. They walk out of the cinema because the girl is scared and like in many horror movies, the boyfriend transforms into a beast, or in this case Dracula. Lady Gaga is notorious for her statements among men and women and the objectification of them. Mulvey's The Male Gaze is apparent in many of her videos focusing on close up and detailed shots of Lady Gaga in a sexualised manner. As do the photographs from Dracula and the Wolfman above!

The two iconic character's were to become the main ones in out video. A Love Triangle idea was inspired through her lyrics 'He's a Wolf' and 'Licking his lips' giving us imagery of wolves and vampires. Furthermore, the objectification of women can be seen through these lyrics as it arguably connotes to Red Riding Hood and the danger she faces as do all 'Little' Girls and Gaga's army of monsters.

All of these ideas created the planning for the video like the chain that goes in Gaga's thoughts. You can tell I'm a die hard Gaga fan!

Being a fan of her work i would definitely say this would be a possible idea if she were to make this music video as it tells the audience whatever the audience wants it to. The idea is open for interpretation much like many of her other works!

But this is just the narrative!

Through browsing on YouTube, we researched many iconic films (found in creative camera use blog!) to help us develop ideas for the cinematography, set and location, editing and sound for the obvious spectacular introduction!

I really want to incorporate the famous Nosferatu silhouette shot across the wall and all the fast edited and paced zooms 1920's cheesy horror movies had!

The love triangle story line follows throughout each verse and bridge of the song, through the wolf being introduced first as Gaga's lover, and Dracula second as she is her partner. The theme follows what love can do and unfortunately, sorry to give the end away Dracula dies! OH no! SHOCKING?not until you hear what Gaga's girlfriend has to say!

Using blurred,shallow and narrow and wide depth of fields, different shots will appear to stand out more to the audience so that they follow along with the story.

I don't now whether using effects rather than black and white and visual/lighting effects will work as it is telling a story and in most of Gaga's videos, evrything is in sight and focusing in on her!

7.Copying an existing video

To get experience with cameras, shooting scripts/schedules and working well as a team, our class copied an existing music video! 'Teenage Dirtbag' is an obvious one as we are all teenagers!

First of all, your storyboards depict all oft he shots that are going to be included in the music video and contain detailed noted ie. the Shot Type

The Camera Movement

Description Of Action

And the Sound!

During the first week of planning, our group analysed the first ten frames of the music video and wrote the shot number and action for example

Shot 1

Action Description: Boy waking up on the stairs

Camera Movement: Slow Zoom

Sound/Audio: Teenage Dirtbag by Wheetus!

We then went to try out some test filming using clapperboards and shooting scripts to help us monitor our filming. A shooting Script is much smaller than a Storyboard and has space for you to note how each take went, so that when it comes to editing, the clapperboard and the shooting script will be able to tell you whether its a good or bad shot, thus speeding editing time up!

Each of us were shown how to direct on shoot and learned the importance of communication with each other so that everything runs smoothly and calmly! In our exercise, the director works alongside the camera man so they can both check to see if the angles good etc after positioning the actors. The director asks if the actors and camera crew are ready and set the camera recording!The clapperboard is the placed in front of the lens so that means the shot has been called out. Now the Director say..ACTION!

Setting up the Camera:

Mounting the Tripod

The tripod gives stability when filming and useful for zooming,panning and tilting the camera. however you need to make sure its level unless purposeful by using the spirit level!that way you get a straight clear shot every time!

Setting the White Balance:

Before filming the white balance on the camera has to be set to suit the conditions of the location for example when filming outside stetting it Daytime filming with decrease the blue tint that will appear when editing the shots! In our exercise most of the test filming was shot in the college corridor on a cloudy day so we set it to artificial light to suit the balance.

once the camera knows the right conditions it will then calibrate itself to suit it!

Adjusting the exposure:

When using Canon XM2, manual setting are best to adjust the exposure and to not let the camera run on auto.The manual setting will give you control over how light or dark the footage appears.Using the shutter speed aperture and gain you can adjust these conditions

Composition:

you can change the frame size be like a wide screen film this is called 16:9 ratio. the normal setting is 4:3 however using the rule of thirds you can find the right composition for the shots!

Depth of Field:

In our test filming, shots 5-9 were using a narrow depth of field where the foregrounds in focus and the background is blurred!shifting the focuses is called a pull focus.

6.Video Analysis

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2smz_1L2_0&ob=av2e Lady Gaga's Paparazzi. "Well I'm so glad there are a few different interpretations, that was the idea. The song is about a few different things – it's about my struggles, do I want fame or do I want love? It's also about wooing the paparazzi to fall in love with me. It's about the media whoring, if you will, watching ersatzes make fools of themselves to their station. It's a love song for the cameras, but it's also a love song about fame or love – can you have both, or can you only have one?"- Lady Gaga.

Prolouge. I love everything about this video. The camera work in the beginning is simple but effective with the first shot fading in from a circle, effectively making the video seem like a real movie, with shohts and close ups of the flowers and an establishing shot of her character's house. I say character as in each of her videos she plays a different persona with a different message to tell. This is shown through the narrative of the music video(s) she has made, this song being about the papparazi and linking to her album title 'The Fame', shows Gaga being creative at her best with the other main character being her 'boyfriend'. Both the song and the video represent how she feels about the paparazzi and how it can ruin a 'Star's' life by them always being around. The audience automatically recognise this music video has been made like a film as the time bar is '7:11' minutes long and after the shots of her home, there is a close up shot with the visual effect of credits saying 'A Serial Pictures Production'. These shots set the mood for the video at the start light hearted and Romantic with the roses around and the scenic sounds and shot of the water fountain, dissolving into a shot of the chandelier. The mise-en-scene creates a picturesque mood for the start of the viedo. It also says who it's starring which of course is Lady Gaga and the diagetic sounds sets the scene as being in like a real film and not just a music video. As the camera shots explore the house, there are close ups and pans of the room that Gaga is in, with diamonds and moey scattered around, representing she is rich and a famous celebrity and a stereotypical view upon rich stars having lots of money however this money has her face on it represnting to the audience that she attracts that she is like royalty. Or the new 'Queen of Pop' which could be a sarcastic message towards the media and anti Gaga representatives slating her over the contreversial arguement of Gaga being like Madonna.The font type is like the broadway credits at the end of a big film or theatre production and all the more glamorises Gaga and the character that she plays life. Another part of this video which could go unnoticed is the fact that it isn't shown on a 'normal' camera screen, instead, it is cropped round the edges like a rounded square, looking like the old reels of film the were around when silent movies were made. The two character's on the bed are Lady Gaga herself and her 'boyfriend' and are talking in french, all the more creating a glamorous and romantic setting with the language of love. The subtitles are important with matching the shot as when her boyfriend says 'Come here', there is a close up of Lady Gaga's money which is hers as she has made it herself, the narrative could be seen as him only being with her for the money, and as the story goes on, the audience recognise this is correct s the balcony scene is photographed through the camera and he is looking around, aware that the cameras are there. Arguably, the use of the character's body language and occulesics (being so aware) could be that the story of the boyfriend is that he could have set up the paparazzi to be there to witness this event. This then ultimately makes it seem like the male figure wanted to make some money (patriarchy of dominant roles?) by interviews etc. with the paprazzi, but by pushing his 'Girlfriend' from the balcony. This could create a mening of Gaga's foolishness in the story and a side of her persona the is portrayed as innocent as she trusts the man she was with (Do you love me?)(DO you trust me? - 'Of course') However throughout the video, the audience are only seeing this 'story' from one point of view being Lady Gaga's. So the story of the boyfriend's background and how he leads his life is unknown as we only see parts him in the viedo. Whilst the pictures are being taken, the camera sound effects are sped up and increased in pitch to relflect the intensity of the situation and the danger that she is n which like a film, will reel the audience into the story which is smething that my group plan to do with our music video of her song 'Monster'. There are shots in the video of newspaper articles with Lay Gaga on the front page, 'Gaga at the top Again' reflectng the major influence on the song and the video of the press and the media and shots of her by the paparazzi. This conveys the meaning of stars in the media world in both positive and negative ways. As she is falling from the bacony, there is a shot of the boyfriend standing over her. He then walks away. As Gaga falls, there is a backdrop of a moving spiral downwards, like in Alice in Wonderland as she falls down the Rabbit hole. This could convey a meaning of confusion and the circle of paparazzi and publicity and fame and it gets faster an faster as she falls to the ground (a papaer stated 'Gaga Hit Rock Bottom') and you can hear soundeffects of a heartbeat and heavy breathing, representing the she is hurt. The first few chords of the song are introduced with speech of Paparazzi "BEAUTIFUL" , this then shatters a she falls. The click sound effect of the cameras is a motif used throughout the video and reflecting o her thoughts and the song meaning about pleasing the Paparazzi and making them fall in love with her, which is shown through her on the ground and the cameras crowding over her. In the papaer that says 'Lady no more Gaga', the picture starts moving in sepia the zooms into the picture into full screen and colour (visual effects) almost as if the whole video is described in the newspaper, which is the biggest influence in the media. The costumes used in these different shots and scenes are creative and match the narrative, ie. i nthe beginning she is wearing white, ultimately showing her innocence/naivety and trust in the man she loves, and after she is carried out of the limo, (black costume with a red neckbrace and nurse's cross). Colour/make-up and props are important in this video (like the wheelchair/cameras) for the message she is presenting to her audience, many people beive from the lyrics and the video that 'her boyfriend is using her fame to climb to the top of the social ladder. He destroys her career (see when she is pushed off the balcony, her body lies limp and crushed, because her career is dead) and gets away with it. She then has to rebuild her career (learning to walk again) slowly but surely, and stages a comeback. In the end, she poisons her boyfriend and kills him, getting revenge for ruining her. She becomes a pop icon once more.' http://www.songmeanings.net/songs/view/3530822107858733659/#

The message of Gaga learning to walk again is reflected with the costume she is wearing and th assistance of getting out of the car and on crutches, howeverthere is a still an element of fame and stardown as there is a long purpple rug on the floor (although not being the classic red, still shows she is famous in some way). The dancers are there to assist her and relfects a dependance as they help to change her into another costume ( a gold suit - quite resrticting material, like her black PVC leotard whilst on the sofa- could be a meaning of outer body experience?). As the confetti falls, this could resmeble the death of her old career or the start of her new career.

The dance routines used in the video are flowing which reflect the use of body movement which essentially helps Lady Gaga become mobile again and an emphasis on the body (bare skin/facial expression/hands/Lips) also contribute to this.

In many shots there are models laying on the floor or in different places around the house which appear to be dead as they do not move, could be previous women Gaga's boyfriend had been with. These shots are slow and focused on that person with maybe a staggered shot of close up and long shots, whereas the rest of the camerawork throughout the video is fast paced to reflect the situation Gaga is in. There are also other women on the sofa where Gaga is seen on her own, which could be seen as sattire to the media and the Paparazzi that question her sexuality as she is kissing them.

The dance routine now with Lady Gaga represents a triumph in launcing essentially what is her 'new' career and the costumes here are important as they show two sides of Gaga one side dressed and the other simple which could reflect again the death of her old career and the start of the new one as the skirts and the frills are black and gothic looking.

Gaga is then shown in a room, dressed like a bird (or an animal) to reflect her being in the media again and having publicty as the shots are fast and flashing to represent the camera, which including the costume and the dogs could represent the fat that most stars and celerities are 'trapped' and treated like animals as they can't just be 'normal'.

The ending of the video is essentially Gaga poisining her boyfriend and gaining revenge for what he did to her career and to arguably the other's aswell. I love the part where the audience can hear her owning up to the police 'I just Killed my boyfriend' ultimately making her in the press and becoming a hero again.

This video has many mixed messages and interpretations and I think this could have been one of Lady Gaga's intentions and the purpose of the video and the song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UdcObAQ5OOM

Gwen Stefani's 'What You Waiting For?'

Like Lady Gaga's videos, I love this song an the vidoe for Gwen Stefani. Throughout her solo career, her videos have had a them e of harejuku girls in them, like the theme for Lady Gaga and her many dancer's and their routines.

The outline narrative to this video is at first Gwen Stefani being pestered by her agent to write a new song 'They're all waiting for your hot track'. She can't concentrate and is putting it off, refelcted in the mood at the beginning where the camera was focused and fixed on just Gwen and not as fast paced when the story unfolds. She has to find 'Inspiration' which arguably, could be what the song is about also. As she tried to wrtie, she attends a writer's block class where she is questioned etc. (as if she was ill) and then finds a toy. As she looks at it, she is put back into the room where she was originally with just her piano, and a ticking watch. Then the first chords are introduced to the video 'Tick Tock', which represents Gwen's pressure into making a song and the title says it all 'What you Waiting for?'. Arguably, this could be reaching out to other song writer's or even journalist's as we all at time don't know what we're waiting for when we're procrasting! I have chose to analyse a Gwen Stefani video as her and Lady Gaga are very similar and it shows through Gwen also being in the band 'No Doubt' that they both came form similar music scenes and then becoming solo.

It sends out a message of being lost and daydreaming or going on a tangent! The clock connotes to the white Rabbit's in Alice in Wonderland, and she got their because of her curiousness! Well Gwen wanted to find 'inspiration' and she found it in a daydream.

Again the Harejuku girls are used straight away (as the nurse also) linking to previous videos she has done before and talking as if directly to Gwen inside her head. The audience recognise straight away that this is meant to be Alice in Wonderland themed as you have all the character's and mise-en-scene and camera editing (her being large) to reflect her daydreaming. As the camera shoots from Gwen in the real world and then straight back to her dressed as Alice with a cloudy effect around her representing a daydream. The chair she was sitting on in the real worl also is shown in 'Alice's' showing that thats how she got there (slow motion of the chair and clock) and how ALice herself from the film landed in Wonderland. We are introduced to the characters, the Harajuku girl being the white rabbit and Gwen as the characer of Alice and we see Tweedle dum and Tweedle dee (recogninsed by the same outfits and talking to eachother) The Queen, (by her hedges) and the caterpillar! These are all culturally agreed and recognised symbols and character's from a well known fictional world and the audience can realte to this as they know the story and what it is like to be in another place whilst trying to stay focus! However the audience still see that she is trying to make a song as it goes back to the room where she is recording and we can still see the microphone and the piano. As she is singing, the song is forming itself and the lyrics appear on the book as a visual effect. Other Visual effects include the Gold cloudy lines around the characers from the sun and the pink rain from the sky. This is relevant to Alice crying and so does Gwen with the again effects of the palace being flooded and Gwen not being able to swim in the swimming pool (sink or swim? could either make her career or break it if she doesn't come up with a song). This links to the ideo fo Alice in Wonderland really well as Alice is being taught by her mother on a classic book, whereas Gwen's agent is pressurising er to create something new and goes to a writer's block session to make this happen.

Gwen playing the character's (apart from the white Rabbit or the caterpillar - which are both Japenese) reflects the pressure she is in and different ego states of Gwen, Alice being the childish one and the Queen beingthe adult one and pushed "alice" into the water.(in Alice's world - she is forced into the tunnel which leads her back to her world). The Queen played by Gwen in her video however is shown subtly topless, which is arguably a sexual undertone to the characters being sexualised, especially the wome (the white rabbit and the provocative dancing). This is also referneced in the song lyrics as Gewn says 'Take A chance you Stupid Ho', calling herself a 'ho' and 'stupid' sould be a genderised sattire against her agent who is typically male. The lyrics asre heavily gender orientated, 'SuperHot Female' and could be a reason why there are only two male character's in the video (the agent and the white rabbit). Gwen's facial expressions are also highly provocative when she is gasping for breath and 'oh'. The people who try to help her are the Herajuku girls, whichin the lyrics, the audience find out that they were her inspiration 'Damn You've Got Some Wicked Style' 'Back To Japan'. AS she is running through the maze trying to find, she finally does in the tea table scene, coming out from a drawer, where she is now in control and asking herself 'What you waiting for?' to finish her inspriartion and starts singing it in the microphone, back in the room and swirled back into the real world by her chair.The use of animals in both Alice in Wonderland (her cat Dina) and in Gwen's video (the pig,flamingos,dog) could interpret a message to the audience that Gwen having apig, is another sattire against the rich and famous producing songs as they have success, and ultimately going back to the reason of the song and being pressured for time to make a new hit record.

I love this song a video and being one of her fans I think it is clever and creative, Like those of Lady Gaga's and I think she must attract alot of Japenese/ Middle Eastern fans as she uses them a lot on tours, in her videos and her songs!

5.Target Audience of Artist/Band

Lady Gaga has no specific target audience as she is seen as an icon for her outstanding fashion sense/make-up and hair. She is applauded be her imaginative and creative Live tours, Albums and tracks and er music videos. However there are those that oppose her 'New' image and trendsetting stage as people believe that this has been done before by most strikingly, Pop Queen Madonna. Both Lady Gaga abd Madonna have ad the same film director for a few of their videos, which is open to arguements such like 'Lady Gaga May not be that original after all.'

http://www.celebritysmackblog.com/2010/07/11/madonna-vs-lady-gaga-shes-not-me/ebritysmackblog.com/2010/07/11/madonna-vs-lady-gaga-shes-not-me/madonna-vs-lady-gaga-shes-not-me/

This video is made by a Madonna superfan who slates Lady Gaga as not being original and that Madonna still reigns in terms of originality and a pop icon.

Thus, I would say that Lady Gaga reaches a target audience that enjoys Lady Gaga's music and her fahion which could be more temporary in terms of creativty and technolofgy building from when Madonna was around, but there will always be a comparison and counter arguement for each. Personally, I love both Lady Gaga and Madonna, coming from a teen's perspective and I would say she is a Madonna for the younger generation rather than the older.

She has appeared on many different Magazine articles including iconic music magazines, 'lad's mags' and women's 'Glossy' mags and high fashion magazines. This shows that she has a wide variety of looks to be on the cover and also an interesting character in the public eye of hot gossip magazines form grazia, more and cosmopolitan. When Lady Gaga ( Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta) first appeared mainstream, differenting from her underground rock and understated gigs involving justher and her instruments, there was huge specualtion about her gender, whether she was a man or a woman. This has effectively boosted her audience for adrogynous looking men and women to aid support for their problems and boosting their self esteem. That is why many of her fanbase believe her to be a 'Role Model' for people affected by this contreversial issue. Her isnpirational quotes shuch as, "I want women -- and men -- to feel empowered by a deeper and more psychotic part of themselves. The part they're always trying desperately to hide. I want that to become something that they cherish." encourages people to embrace their inner secrets and to be proud of who they are. not nessecarily condoning any of her latest scandals of cocaine addiction but as she says ,"I'm a free bitch BABY!".

The lad's mags show a different side of her, as she has also been specualted as being bisexual so to be on a Playboy cover shows she may also be attractive to men also, but the pshycographics of this particualr man is unknown as Playboy attract a wide range of men with particualr interests. However, sterotypically the pshycographics of a lad's mags reader are ones of those with intersets in, sports, Cars, Women (nude or clothed) and disgusting accidents.

The High fahion magazines shows Lady Gaga fits into the niche of trend setting and she also wore late Designer Alexander Mcqueen's dresses. This is showing that she is marketed towards aspiring designers in terms of socio economics as she has beome a pop icon in fashion (much like Madonna.)

She is also on the covers of iconic music magazines like Q and Rolling Stone which shows she also targetted towards music lovers and to find out more about Lady Gaga's music.

By Lady Gaga having a facebook page, it then broadens her audience as we can see on the list of people that 'Like her' on facebook. Just by the pictures that come up I can identify that there are people from all different nationalities, sexualities, whether they are boy/girl, man/woman. In this respect, advertising herself on Facebook is going to give her a broader fanbase as many people use Facebook.

She also has a myspace page which again deos the same as a facebook except it is more personal as it is an 'Official' page including tour dates and information about her. However, this isn't aiming a wide audience as less people use myspace nowadays but she still ahs a massive amount of 'Friends' on her page!

As a lady Gaga fan myself, I don't think that every Lady Gaga fan is like myself as sheattracts all sorts of people as i found on a youtube video dedicated to Lady Gaga for her birthday, which showed people of all different demographic classifications of different races and ages, gender and sexes. In terms of their pshycographics, they all look induvidual with some with their own unique style and some wearing the iconic lightning bolt across your eyes like Lady Gaga's. The ages on this video saying happy birthday go from young to older generations and from all sorts of nationalities and etnicities. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Q7CKmeaOuM

This is a 'Superfan' of Lady Gaga's who last year made facebook and twitter pages to convince gaga to play at his nineteenth birthday party. In terms of demographics he is a white male and in his late teens. From these sorts of aspirations, connotes to the spolit brats of Americxa and Britain of the programme 'My Super Sweet 16' where young teens get their favourtie bands/artists to play at their birthday party, which usually theire parent's pay for so stereotypically he seems like one of those to hold those sorts of 'Divaish' pshycogrpahics which Lady Gaga can be seen as also. However I think that this person may earn an income but from looking at just his picture, he seems abit lady gaga obsessed! His Twitter background is Gaga and may of his tweets are about her and her songs, fashion and just generally her!

I looked at some of her fans from her facbook page, many of which, fans make profiles with Lady Gaga's photo as their own profile photograph. This person happens to be a teenage girl of I would say about my age 17. All of her comments and statuss from other friends were about Lady Gaga and seemed to be other teenagers also.

My researching her fanbases from such things like social nmetworking sites which I use, the main body that make up her fanbase are those of which are between the ages of young girls, to gay and staright teenagers and men and women in their twenties. Their interests will include those ofwhich Lady Gaga seems to have like dressing in way you feel comfortable and being at an age myself where it is a competition of clothing, can be seen as a role model for every age to be yourself! She is undoubtetly the most contreversial 'Diva' of my generation and of today's topics and it is eveident that her fanbase is broad and right across different groups and subcultures of people.

To conduct a survey online, i worte a comment on both a fanpage for Lady Gaga and an anti-"Gaga" page asking the fans why they like/hate Lady Gaga and asked about their demographics and pshycographics. ithought it would be intersedting to hear both sides of the debate about Lady Gaga and looking through the pictures on "I hate Lady Gaga" there seems to be a lot of controversey over her choice of clothing for the VMAS and her "Meat" dress. And other specualtion on her originality.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/I-HATE-LADY-GAGA/146491158567#!/profile.php?id=537028265

http://www.facebook.com/pages/I-HATE-LADY-GAGA/146491158567#!/pages/LADY-GAGA-WORLDS-BIGGEST-FAN-CLUB/241341366542

This is a printscreen of the feedback from my comment of the facebook page of 'I hate Lady Gaga'. 3 people responded to my comment and didn't take too kindly to my asking for their reasons for disliking Lady Gaga or thier age/sex etc. They suggested that I look at previous comments on this page. I browsed through and found that many Lady Gaga fans joined this group to slate it most of the fan's criticism is that they think she is the 'Queen' or quoting her song lyrics. These are more recent posts, and responses from those who really don't like Lady Gaga think she is 'Wrong' 'Horrible' and 'Dumb'. This could be for a number of reasons one of which being that they might be animal rights activists disapproving of her 'meat' dress.

4.Permission

In order for my group and I to use Lady Gaga's music, I need to check with the Record Company (interscope records) that we can have permission otherwise we would be breahcing copyright laws. These are important in the music industry to protect both the artist and the Record Label from others making out for ideas etc. to be their own.

3. Song Choice

The song my group and I decided on was Lady Gaga's 'Monster' track from her album 'The Fame Monster'. We had a vi son of a pop video and we thought would work well with a pop song. We started gathering ideas from bands like 'S Club 7', but figured we wanted someone new and contemporary, but has a track that hasn't got a video yet. We typed in 'pop video' into a genera search on YouTube and up came Gaga accepting an award for best Pop video. Then we all thought of a song that doesn't have a video and that we all love, which was 'Monster'. It is relevant to our generation and her music videos have been controversial to many people gaining influence from people like 'Madonna' and 'Michael Jackson'. Her videos are so clever and match with her songs very well and her genre. It would make a good digi pack and advertisement also as most of Lady Gaga's advertising etc. is linked in some way to the video/album either through pictures/writing etc. Don't call me GaGa I've never seen one like that before Don't look at me like that You amaze me He ate my heart He a-a-ate my heart (You little monster) He ate my heart He a-a-ate my heart out (You amaze me) Look at him Look at me That boy is bad And honestly He's a wolf in disguise But I can't stop staring in those evil eyes I asked my girlfriend if she'd seen you round before She mumbled something while we got down on the floor baby We might've fucked not really sure, don't quite recall But something tells me that I've seen him, yeah That boy is a monster M-M-M-Monster That boy is a monster M-M-M-Monster That boy is a monster Er-er-er-er He ate my heart (I love that girl) He ate my heart (Wanna talk to her, she's hot as hell) He licked his lips Said to me Girl you look good enough to eat Put his arms around me Said "Boy now get your paws right off me" I asked my girlfriend if she'd seen you round before She mumbled something while we got down on the floor baby We might've fucked not really sure, don't quite recall But something tells me that I've seen him, yeah That boy is a monster M-M-M-Monster That boy is a monster M-M-M-Monster That boy is a monster Er-er-er-er He ate my heart (I love that girl) He ate my heart (Wanna talk to her, she's hot as hell) He ate my heart He ate my heart Instead he's a monster in my bed I wanna Just Dance But he took me home instead Uh oh! There was a monster in my bed We french kissed on a subway train He tore my clothes right off He ate my heart then he ate my brain Uh oh uh oh (I love that girl) (Wanna talk to her, she's hot as hell) That boy is a monster M-m-m-monster (Could I love him?) That boy is a monster M-m-m-monster (Could I love him?) That boy is a monster M-m-m-monster (Could I love him?) That boy is a monster Er-er-er-er These are the lyrics for the song. Fortunately, the one profanity in the song is not spoken throughout but otherwise my group have come up with a theme of old style black and white B side horror movies, incorporating iconic 'Monsters' like Phantom of the Opera, Frankenstein, Dracula etc. This is the basic idea and something that we think Lady Gaga might do with her wild and unique image in both her videos and style. Also, to link to her other videos like 'Paparazzi' and 'Telephone', we discussed having a short movie style like Michael Jackson's 'thriller' and incorporating credits and film reels into the video to make it have a vintage/ iconic edge by the use of visual effects like camera work and those you see in cinemas where the little black spots appear on the screen. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EVBsypHzF3U Lady Gaga's 'Telephone'.

2.Exploring Music Videos

As well as analysing my own personal favourite music videos, I decided to whip out my camera and record my peers in a mini interview of their favourite music videos. Catching someone on the spot without no preparation was quite hard and it took a few takes of each video but we got there in the end!

Tomas' favourite music video is 'Here it goes again' by OK GO! I like this one too and has been in a few end of year best videos of the decade etc.It was well thought out and choreographed, simple but hilarious at the same time and you can see it's taken a lot of effort to get it right. Being shot on one take also makes it a lot harder for the performers ( the performers also being the band!) I think it sets a certain standard in terms of alternative videos as it is one of a kind and nice to see the band members doing something rather than playing their instruments!

Alisha's favourite video is Lady Gaga's 'Telephone'. I think this video is epic too, and I love the theme of making the video like a short film, with credits at the beginning etc. Based on Kill Bill with the 'PussyWagon' it has become an advertising bonanza from her fashion to what she uses - Coke Cans in her hair, her 'Heartbeats' headsets and Virgin Mobile. Most of her music videos have been known to be daring and different and I agree with Alisha in that the fashion and Lady Gaga overall made that video, along with Beyonce! There are lots of different scenes in this video like a short film from her being into the prison and then into the restaurant. I love the dancing and the quick reverse shots of Beyonce singing and moving to match the beat of the song.

I also made a facebook group, open to everyone to tell me what their favourite music video is and why. I think this was a good idea to see what people of all ages think of music videos and what theirs is! http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=537028265#!/group.php?gid=107839525940427&ref=ts <

This Is one of my favourite music videos as the genre of music is my favourite, and you can see a definite influence of 80's bands in there such like Dexi's Midnight Runners (walking with their instruments in 'Come on Eileen') and David Bowie, with the colours of the film edited. I like the way the video has been edited and the way the video has been made to look old, like a family video and vintage! This is right up my street in terms of music and the places the band go and the way people come and go reminds me of my teenage life at the moment, a youth club is used and reminds me of my college common room and a bowling alley where i live with a pool bar, where me and my friends hang out and socialize. The fashion the teenagers (assuming so as 'youth' is written on the top) is how a popular subculture of 'Indie Kids' tend to dress looking fresh and cool, with a vintage twist of '80s hairstyles. I think there is a definite influence on their style of music, the way they dress and the style of the video, sort of creating like a teenager's life through a video involving many teens. I love the way the scenes blend in together and there aren't many jump cuts and its mainly group shots to show people socializing, not looking like they are enjoying themselves however, so maybe showing a particular stereotype of younger people being 'moody'!

The story in my perception, is a group of teenagers are like protesting in a way by gathering outside their local 'hang out' which might be being taken away from them or turning into something else. With the banner saying ' forever and ever amen' (the title of the song) give the audience an idea that place has always been there through different generations as portrayed through two younger boys seen in the video, one with a megaphone! this could mean that they want this place to stay because of their generation growing up. It also makes a statement on how quickly children are growing up today, with the modern haircuts on the boy with the megaphone and high fashion.

I just love this video, the song and everything about it, the band member are cute too!

This is most probably my favourite music video ever. I love the Polaroid photographs and the delicate subtle movements of each, one after the other. There must have been lots of photographs taken within these three minutes as Sia lip syncs in the first set of flick pictures, showing a lot of time and attention must have gone into this video which reflects on the song really well. This song helped me through a particularly bad time however I still love it today. Like the Drums video, it is quite simple, well the idea is, but this would have cost a lot more in terms of Polaroid cameras and the photo paper, i can't afford to buy many papers at one time for my camera! It is the singer all the way through with another girl so it's quite a personal song and video for the artist to be in. I love the simple background setting but the emotions on their faces say it all and connect with the video and the song. The part where the camera is moved in fast forward mode up the stairs from the last still image, moving onto another set and a trail going up the stairs shows how any pictures were taken. Some of the pictures are flipped backwards as well as forwards. Many of the pictures are capturing the background as well as her face and some are long shots of her whole body, when she walks or to show what she is wearing to reflect her mood. Some are taken from the side but the main angle is face on showing a truly honest video with the expressions changing,looking at the camera and away,downwards and around her, 'small and needy'. The mirror in the background whilst she is changing into different outfits shows a complication in self body image which i think for my this song is about 'Help.I have done it again.hurt myself again today,there is no one else to blame.' The pictures are showing movement as well as still emotion where she is walking. It's nice to see the pictures being flipped on something, like on chairs and you can see the fingers flipping them and the whole Polaroid photo, i really like it when she walks out the door, it shows where she is walking to , back down the stairs to her holding them and flipping. It's like a photo with in a photo, and the story flows throughout of a girl, the story in story as she looks at herself.

Unfortunately, my next favourite music video there are only two of on YouTube, one of which is too short and the other has no audio! However you don't need audio for the video, especially when this particular artists is one of my favourites also and i love all her other videos as they all share to what I believe a theme similar to Alice in Wonderland. Her videos are always magical and sometimes random, but this one is perfect as it matches the song with the rhythm in the music action matching the 'characters' if you like in the video. I love the fact that the video starts without the music as not many videos do that!The music starts on the camera shot after the first one where these are matched form a close up of her feet to her whole body. the narrative is apparent in all videos i have chosen, however, what the director has planned with the artist in the video maybe different to what the viewer perceives and can make the viewer reflect on connotations they might have with it, in my case it was Alice in Wonderland! I think the costumes and make up add to her quirky style that matches her music as well and the setting looks magical along with the people relating much to Alice in Wonderland with it's many different character's and places. The main narrative of Florence being blindfolded is like playing hide 'n' go peek and with the children there also adding to the effect of childishness.She is also holding a wine bottle which could reflect on someone having one too many! and passing out and this could be like a dream/nightmare with scary faces and the disorientation used in the cameras can reflect this as she runs through the woods. i love the ending where they are all dancing as it is like a communal gathering,like they didn't know each other in the beginning and now they do! I think the narrative for me is why I like this video so much and how it is really fun and quirky! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGrx6etMl0w The old Version. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWOyfLBYtuU There was another video made earlier this year, but i really don't like this version as I heard this song when the original video was out two years ago and I just prefer that one as it holds memories for me watching it and the newer one doesn't appal to me in terms of it's narrative. However I do still love the song and that she has still kept her quirky image! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0629SPfofVI The last video I have picked is The Maccabees 'Precious time'. I love both the song and the video for numerous reasons! I think this video is so cleverly made, and like an experiment in places as it's not perfect but that's what suits the image the band are portraying and I have seen them live 4 times! I love the way it's so simple set in a room with a table and a paper background for the window. It's so sweet and original for when it was made back in 2007. I love the puzzle pieces and the paper underneath for the eyes and mouth looking as though they are talking. I think this is done by taking pictures or filming each shot, moving each little place to see no hands moving it. Similar to Sia's video, it must have taken a lot of hard work and attention to make. There is no particular narrative to the music video just lots of different random pieces of paper that connect to each other. I think the videos I have chosen are very different to those shown to me at the end of my AS year as different skills have been used and certainly time has shown how technology has built. What makes a good music video? For me, a music video has to match the genre and style of music and in someway represent what the whole artist is about and the song. So if it is dance music, I think a lot of flashing lights I used http://www.zamzar.com/ to convert videos form YouTube and save them onto my computer to put onto my blog. The videos of the interviews were from my own camera uploaded onto my computer and uploaded onto my blog!