Analysis of Beyonce's Halo

Beyonce-Halo

I believe that the meaning of this music video is Explicit and the reading is Dominant. The reason I believe this is because the meaning of the video is very clear to the viewer. It is clear that Beyonce has found a man who she loves and who she sees as a heavenly being. This is shown through the use of white clothing whenever she is with him and the light beams in the background whenever he is shown in the camera to make him glow. The audience will accept this as it is very clear and in your face. Even if the video was watched on mute, the meaning would still be clear by the visuals.

However this could be argued with as when she is in the studio preparing to dance in the ballerina outfit she is wearing black and looking in the mirror while in the rest of the video she is wearing white. This could represent her looking at her past self in the mirror, the black clothing representing a dark, unhappy, miserable past with a love which did not work, but now she has found a heavenly being which has turned her black clothing white and as made her happy.

Analysis of Rihanna's Disturbia

Rihanna-Disturbia
This video has a subtextual meaning. The reason I believe this is because throughout the entire video, Rihanna is explaining to the viewer her interpretation of what the meaning of Disturbia is. However her interpretation of Disturbia is not that of the dictionary definition. The lyrics of the song match that of the visuals of the video, however the lyrics of the song do not match the actual meaning which causes the visuals to not match the actual meaning. This makes the reading of the video negotiated. This gives off the impression that Rihanna is trying to put across a personal message or view. The lyrics of the song make it seem as if she approves of disturbia and in the video she is portrayed as the 'boss' of the disturbed people. Along with Lady Gaga's 'Bad Romance' this video gives off a psychotic impression. The dark fingertips right at the beginning of the video running along the pianno also give off a demonic effect along with the artist's eyes in the video during the time that she is in the cage behind bars. The way that she is lying down gives off a seductive feel to the viewer. This seduction could be a way of the artist putting across her views. Disturbia is seductive, something you want perhaps. The editing of the video is used to create jerky movements which also gives off psychotic, disturbed effect to the viewer.

Analysis of Lady Gaga (Bad Romance)

How does Lady Gaga's Bad Romance conform and subvert to the codes and conventions of a typical pop video?

Lady Gaga's 'Bad Romance' both subverts and conforms to the typical pop video. Throughout the video there are a lot of jump cuts to other scenes and events which are taking place. A multiple number of different events taking place is common in modern pop videos. There are also many close ups of Lady Gaga throughout the video, making her the main focus of the audience which is also a common convention is pop music videos. Gaga is always at the centre of each choreographed dance routine which also makes her the centre of attention and the most noticeable for the audience. The provocative clothing is also a common convention in pop music videos, especially by fairly similar artists to Gaga such as Rihanna and Beyonce. The iconography used within the video is traditional. The red clothing showing passion, the flames representing 'burning desires'. This conforms to the idea of female pop artists.

However, this music video also subverts to the typical pop video in ways. The artist herself has a Unique selling Point of being portrayed as quite psychotic, which is different to all other artists, and this is reflected in her music videos. For example the clothing which she has on in certain parts of the video, as some of her outfits look quite devilish and disturbing as well as the part of the video where she is getting burned by flames. As her outfits look quite demonic and devilish, along with the flames the video comes across as quite evil and both of these resemble hell. The amplification of her being portrayed as a slave that has been bought reflects on the title of her song, bad romance, which shows forced romance. This is specific to her music video and subverts to the common type of video where the female artist is seen as the heroine or the person in control, not the victim or the person who is being controlled. The iconography also subverts the common pop video. It uses a gothic set up which is unbalanced and gives of a psychotic impression. This video has the intertextuality of Madonna.

My Favourite Video

Dr Dre-Kush ft. Snoop Dogg, Akon

This is my favourite pop music for many reasons. The main reason why this is my favourite music video is because of the effect used throughout the whole video where the artists are the only moving objects within the video while everything else is frozen and not moving. as the artists move through the video they dodge around the still objects and people including water frozen in the air. Even the airplane which is in the sky is frozen and not moving. I thought that this effect was very interesting and cool. Another reason why I like this video is because of the camera movement throughout the video aswell, although the camera movement on Akon's second chorus was particularly interesting. The way that the camera swerves at an angle is an interesting addition to the make up of the video (2mins 24secs). It gives of the effect that the money is moving even though it isn't. I have never seen this type of camera movement before. the effects at the end of the video, when Dr. Dre is in his car driving and it looks as though he is driving through fast moving cars is another effect which I found very interesting.

This video catches my attention due to the different types of camera movement used and the effects put into the video. The lyrics do not directly match the visuals, however does have alot in common with them. The visuals tells a story while each artist is singing their part of a 'script' as if this was a film, there is no dancing or back up dancers.