2. Initial things I noticed
• Eyeline matches
• Close ups/Mid shots
• Camera movements emulate gazing in and out – drug reference
• Wide shots
• Edited to beat
• Obscure performance shots
• Crossfade editing at middle eight
• Performance shots – indulge in herself – laura mulvey
• Stark contrast shot – fast paced editing/jump cuts/reverse editing
• Dismemberment – shots of Ke$ha’s body – forced to sexualise her
• Sole artist – man is there as prop
• Performance shot same but different angle
• Camera moves around artist – artist walks towards camera
• Performance > Narrative
• Mixture of static/camera movements during performance shots
3. CAMERA
SHOTS
The actual shots within the video consisted of
mid/close/extreme close up shots. I believe this is
because this video is concentrating more on “Ke$ha”,
then the actual song. Interestingly, there were a few
long wide shots, where the subject was placed
directly in the middle, and more focus was on the
foreground. This was paired with frequent eyeline
matches to enable the audience to identify with
Ke$ha’s feelings and the themes of the song.
MOVEMENTS
Furthermore, the camera movements in this video
were very notable. Often the camera would zoom,
circle, and go ‘off focus’ of the shot, I believe this is
done to emulate gazing, prehaps linking to Laura
Mulvey’s ‘Male Gaze’ theory. Additionally, looking at
context, it could be a reference to drugs, and the
effect they have on the human mind and sight.
ANGLES
The angles remain pretty basic, at mid length,
however there are several dismemberment shots
where the audience are forced to look at Ke$ha’s
body from a low angle (for example the beginning
shot). This again plays on the idea of voyerism,
forcing the audience to sexualise her.
4. MISE EN SCENE
LOCATION
Primarily located in a desert, this is quite random and unfitting
with the name/first impressions of the song – from the word
“drug”, we may expect the video to be set in somewhere dark
and gloomy, instead of a hot desert. There are a few
establishing/gazing shots throughout the video of the
surroundings.
PROPS
There aren’t props as such in this video, however the male in this
case acts as a prop. Additionally, the animal mask/snake/elephant
could also be seen as a prop, to aid her performance.
COSTUME
She is dressed appropriatley for sun – shorts/loose shirt however
her incredibly short shorts, encourages voyeurism and the
audience to sexualise her body/forced to look at her legs.
LIGHTING
Lighting is high key, and the editor may be trying to emulate the
feelings/sight that one has when they are on drugs. In stark
contrast, there are low key/strobe shots of Ke$ha in the dark,
wearing UV paint.
5. PERFORMANCE
Throughout the video, Ke$ha’s performance
towards the camera remains lit. The video mainly
consists of performance based shots (which is a
convention for pop videos). Once again, this is
because it is Ke$ha, and she is selling herself as a
brand aswell as her songs. Interestingly, there is a
clear mixture of static VS. moving camera within
the video. Usually, the camera is moving away as
the subject walks towards it.
Extravagant performance shots seem to be a
convention, too. Featuring shots with/refering to
different wild animals. This is significant because
Ke$ha’s fan base is called ‘The Animals’, aswell as
her album being titled ‘Animal’ and this theme
runs through her song.
Furthermore, there is no real narrative to this
song, it’s pretty much various different
performance shots.
6. EDITING
Since there is no real storyline to this video, it’s
hard to determine what ‘type’ of editing was
primarily used. However, during the middle
eight, shots were edited together using cross
fades. I believe this represents the ‘comedown’
from drugs.
Furthermore cartoons were used to mimic
hallucinations/mirages, and the radioscope lens
was used to illustrate another drug-like vision.
Moreover, performance shots are often shot in
the same location/same part of song etc. but at
different angles. I noticed this a lot in this song.
The camera would often be front on, then cut to
a side angle performance shot.
During the middle eight/UV paint scene, the
editing picks up, featuring fast paced editing,
jump cuts and reverse shots. This is something
that I will use in my video.
Every single shot was cut to the beat which
made the video very in sync with the song, and
enabled a smooth run of audio and visual.
7. REPRESENTATION
The audience are often forced to view Ke$ha as a
sexual object/something of sexual desire, due to the
extreme close ups of skin. This represents women
traditionally, and backs up Laura Mulvey’s theory that
women are purely in music videos to be admired
through the male gaze.
Shots of her ‘indulging’ in herself further encourage
voyeurism, which is a key element in Andrew
Goodwin’s theory. Additionally, this is a modern
representation of women as they are viewed sexually,
there to be admired and ‘look pretty’.
However, the absence of an actual male figure
portrays a modern representation of an independent
woman, in control of her body, mind and feelings. The
man in the video has a small amount of air time, and
is never seen without the star.
Going back to control, the concept of the song and
the themes of drug use that run throughout the video
can also be interpreted as presenting women
traditionally as it is clear that Ke$ha’s emotions are
being controlled by this drug.
