Lady Gaga's "Bad Romance" music video depicts her being kidnapped by supermodels and sold to the Russian mafia as a sex slave. The video uses various camera techniques, lighting effects, costumes, and sound to portray this storyline and show Gaga's journey from victim to empowered. It takes place in a white bathhouse setting and features Gaga in many elaborate and revealing outfits as she is auctioned off and eventually gains control over her situation.

1. Lady GaGa- Bad Romance
By
Anisa, Emma, Natalie, Sophie

2. Concept
 The main idea behind the video is that of Gaga being
kidnapped by a group of supermodels who drug
her, and sell her off to the Russian Mafia as a sex
slave. It takes place in a fluorescent white bathhouse.

3. The Video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrO4YZeyl0I

4. Lets see what you can remember…
Put the images in the order you think is
correct.
You have 3 mins and can converse with
your tables.

6. Camera + Editing
 The video Bad Romance starts of with a
long shot from which we are able to see
Lady GaGa sitting in the middle with
everyone else around her. The long shot is
able to show the audience where the video
is set.
 It then slowly zooms in cutting twice, once
to a mid shot and then to a close up of
Lady GaGa‟s face. Then cuts to an insert
shot to show an extreme close up of the
music player which she plays. An insert
shot adds needed information, information
that wouldn‟t otherwise be immediately
visible or clear. The extreme version of the
close up, magnifies beyond what the
human eye would experience in reality, the
audience wouldn‟t see the music player
from the long shot therefore the close up
allows the audience to see what is
happening better.

7. Camera + Editing
 When the video starts it cross fades again
and again to show the setting, firstly we see
a source of light, then a room with pods
and then from a close low angle shot we
see bottles of Vodka. We then experience
another example of an insert shot. We first
see the pods from a long shot so the
audience can see the creatures come out
of the pods it cuts to an extreme close up.
This way the audience are able to see the
creatures coming out of the pods from a
better angle.
 When Lady GaGa actually starts singing it
cuts to show a mid shot of an over the
shoulder view of Lady GaGa looking into a
mirror singing the song, this shot allows the
audience to recognise the artist. The
camera is at a low angle from this angle we
can‟t see the faces of the super models as
they are standing up and Lady GaGa is
sitting down. This could imply them as
more superior in comparison to Lady
GaGa.

8. Camera + Editing
 Then from a high angle shot we see Lady
GaGa in her normal form, the high angle
shot shows her as helpless and weak. It
also makes the audience feel sorry for her
as through the high angle shot she seems
innocent.
 When the chanting „rah-rah-ah-ah-ah‟ starts
again we see from a low angle shot Lady
GaGa standing in the middle surrounded by
all the other dancers. This shows her being
surrounded by evil as from the low angle
shot the audience can see all the other
dancers towering over her.
 It then cuts to show her from an over the
shoulder view of the Russian mafia. This
shows the audience Lady GaGa from the
eyes of the Russian mafia. It then cuts to
show an extreme close up of a bottle of
Vodka, seeing the bottle again from a close
up implies the importance of it in the video.

9. Camera + Editing
 It then cuts to another scene where Lady
GaGa is standing in the middle and all the
mafia are surrounding her, however this time it
doesn‟t feel as if she is surrounded by evil.
This is because the camera that is panning
around her is from a low angle shot, again
showing her as in control and more powerful.
 It then cuts to a low angle shot, where the
camera seems as if it has been place on the
floor, we see GaGa walking in front wearing a
white fur gown. The camera follows her, again
as the camera is at a low angle we see her as
in control and more powerful. It then cuts to an
extreme close up of the side of Lady GaGa‟s
face, to show her expressions.
 It then cuts back and forth from GaGa with the
mafia man and her dancing. The quick jump
cuts show the fast pace situation. It then
finishes with a long shot of Lady GaGa
finishing her dance then it cuts to a high angle
mid shot of her lying down on the burned bed
as the camera zooms out.

10. Sound
 At the start of the video, Gaga is pressing a
button on a MP3 stereo which seems to play
a demented excerpt of the fugue in B minor
from Book 1 of the Well-Tempered Clavier by
Bach.
 When she let goes of the button it launches
into the song. Whilst the song is playing and
near the end when she goes, “Work-work
fashion baby, Work it, Move that bitch crazy”
the screen flashes to the beat to the music
from walking Gaga to sitting Gaga to Gaga in
bath.

11. Sound
 Also she repeats the phrase “I want your
Love, And I want your revenge, I want
your love” in French. Just before the final
chorus, Gaga performs a gesture of her
shooting, which leads into the chorus.
 When Gaga has finished the song, the
lights switch off really loudly as though it
symbolises her victory over the man, also
Gaga and the dancers do clapping sound
in the final part of the song.

13. Costume
 The clothing is quirky, unusual and unique which can appeal to non conformists. The
outfits are:
 Men-black women-white and Gaga in a green dress sitting on a throne, masks
 On her nails, there is a black netting over them
 As they come out of the white pods, Gaga and the dancers are dressed in white
costumes covering their eyes so that their mouths are only showing to show
gaga singing.
 She looks in the mirror wearing all black and sunglasses and black hat

14. Costume
 In the bathtub, she has orange hair that is short and
curly which is different from the other costume. Her
eyes are big which could show the effect of her
being drugged and from the drink. Wearing
earphones, white nail varnish and a tattoo on her
wrist. In a crop white colour to show her innocence
and represents the sexuality and how she will be
auctioned to the Russian mafia.
 There are shots where Gaga is wearing hardly any
make up and are just showing her portrait image to
show her emotions.
 The dancers around her remove the overcoat she is
wearing to show her wearing a revealing costume of
a short diamond top and hot pants.

15. Costume
 When Gaga is just in the centre of the room, in her
underwear and with diamonds surrounding her.
Showered in diamonds could support this portrayal
as she feels constricted and trapped as there are
many people around her– men who are looking to
bid for her.
 When she is being revolved and she is wearing a
top that looks like metal and is turning around a
orbiting ring is surrounding her to reinforce what is
happening to her .
 In the next part, she is in an all green costume, with
weird and unusual shoes that do not look like
human shoes and look uncomfortable supporting
her situation. It looks as though she is wearing a
tight top, skirt and legging although she is actually
wearing an all in one suit, with her hair tied up in a
strange way which matches this outfit, completed
with sunglasses again. She looks as though she is
on a catwalk where everyone‟s eyes are on her and
looking at the clothes but in this situation the people
are looking at her as she is the one being advertised
for auction.

16. Costume
 She then wears a polar bear coat with a trail
as she leads up to the male sitting on the
chair completed with lot of make up. And
sunglasses which show her stern
expression. her hair big and curly. She then
removed the coat and exposes herself just in
lingerie while the man looks at her in a mask
 She lies on the floor wearing an all in one red
outfit in high boots as well as the dancers
behind her. She is in the centre and without
a mask, so the attention is on her and all of
the outfits are different in comparison to each
other
 At the end, she is on the bed in her
lingerie, by a skeleton to show that she has
killed the man that won the bid for her.

17. Lighting
 At the beginning, the lighting is high key and there are always lights
turned on at the back of the camera shots to emphasise the light on
Gaga. There is then a shot that shows a shot that looks like the sun to
represent the beginning of something. The light then shines through
somewhere to show the setting where the pods are set. The lights pans
around for effect and show the unusual props that are featured. It is as
though a door has been open to reveal the light.
 The light gets brighter as the sign gets closer and is featured more into
the shot.

18. Lighting
 As the shot shows the pods, the lighting is dim and appears that
there is only light coming from the lights that are seen at the back
of the setting.
 When she is in the bath with orange hair and big eyes, the
lighting is high key
 When she is staring into the mirror, the lighting is low key
 The lighting get brighter as the story develops
 When she is in the green costume, the lighting is dim once again
 Then gets bright again as she appears in the fur coat and
brightens even more when the dance at the end comes on to
show her dominance and power she has regained at the end of
the situation of the video.

19. Colour
 Modern colours are used such as
black and white and lady gaga stands
out as she is in green while the rest of
the people are in black and white.
There are lights added into the scene
that make the scene appear brighter
and more effective.
 In all of the scenes, the colour white is
involved which represents the
innocence of her due to the concept of
the music video.
 When she is in the bathtub with the big
eyes, the orangey hair she has is the
only colour that stands out in the
scene because of the settings and
lighting.

20. Colour
 There is a lot of use of silver and diamonds that represent wealth
and sophistication.
 In many of the scenes they appear dim but the lighting used and
that can be seen in the shot make it very clearly to see Gaga.
 Most of the outfits are very sparkly and so stand out even in low
key lighting. Such as the red costume that appears near the end
of the video, the brightness of the red is seen clearly in the setting
and via the use of lighting
 As the lighting gets brighter the colours stand out
more, emphasising the importance of Gaga and the role she has.

21. Props
 The sign saying „Bath Haus of GaGa‟ is
another introduction to the video.
 The mirror forces her to look at herself and
she doesn‟t seem happy to do so, perhaps
she doesn‟t like what has become of her.
 When she is hunched over in a cylindrical
cage it shows her being oppressed and not
having her freedom.
 She is wearing diamond studded earphones
which could symbolise that she is worth a lot
to the Russian mafia and she deserves the
diamonds in their eyes even is she may not
want them.
 The lap tops which portray the bidding of the
auction as the supermodels are trying to sell
her off to the Russians. She appears to be
worth a lot to them £100,000, similar to the
cost of the diamonds.
 She appears to be in high demand, showered
by diamonds which could be an analogy for
the icy characteristics of the Russian people.

22. Props
 The portrayal of Lady GaGa lying upon the
scorched bed creates an image which
differs vastly from the ordinary and what
you might expect in a video based on a sort
of relationship not matter how unhealthy it
happens to be. The remains of who is
supposed to be the male interest it also
scorched and the fact that she is holding a
form of gun which shoots flames insinuates
that she is responsible for his demise, as
well as achieving the effect of her regaining
her dominance in the situation She is taking
control and is no longer going to suffer at
the hand of other and this „bad romance‟.
 The sun glasses she is wearing shows a
reflection of the man, this is her trial and
tribulation to face.

23. Props
 The glasses are made from razor blades which
could link to her being treated cruelly e.g. cutting
herself, because of her awful situation
 Russian alcohol is depicted relates to setting
and they appear large and dominant. When she
is in the bath, her eyes are very large, which
could suggest that she has been dosed up with
drugs and alcohol, and so she isn‟t as
upset, because she is less aware of what is
going on around her.
 There are white pods which are small and
confined but people and her emerge from
them, they are being restricted and she feels
trapped. The writing upon the pods says
„MONSTER‟ this could be related to either she
feeling as if she is turning into a monster or the
her abductors behaving like monsters. She
appears to be coming out of the pod similarly to
a coffin the crucifix links to vampirism, perhaps
suggesting that she feels like the living dead.

24. Setting
 The video is set in a lightly
lit room. This is pristine
similarly to a medical
centre, as it appears very
clinical.
 The camera cuts between a
lightly lit room where the
dance sequences take
place and a darkly lit room
where she appears to be
caged.
 Light room could perhaps
be being led into a false
sense of security; dark
room suggests being seedy
and perhaps even danger

25. Facial Expressions
 Her facial expressions never seem to be
happy, as she is being oppressed.
 At the start when in the throne she has a
very stern facial expression to show her
dissatisfaction in having to conform to the
rule which her captives are setting
down, she is very annoyed and unhappy
with her situation. All of the models
surrounding her appear to be wearing
stern dispositions, sort of like leading by
example that's how they want her to react.
 She doesn‟t seem to be quite as upset
when she is at first in the bath by herself
listening to her music; she seems to feel
better when she is away from her
supermodel captors.

26. Facial Expressions
 When she is in the bath, her eyes are
very large, which could suggest that she
has been dosed up with drugs and
alcohol, and so she isn‟t as
upset, because she is less aware of what
is going on around her.
 After this it portrays her regaining her
feistiness, and fighting back rather than
crying and hiding away. When the
supermodels try to rip her over coat off
she tries to fight them before they
eventually get their own way. When they
eventually take off her coat she portrays
a look of disgust and embarrassment at
having such a revealing outfit on.

27. Facial Expressions
 The Russian man is staring
intently, absorbing what he is
seeing. He appears dominant
and controlling in the
situation, threatening.
 She doesn‟t smile and is
very, straight faced.
 Stern faced and is appearing
very defiant in the last scene
when she is featured upon the
burnt bed.

30. Rules
1. All the girls are on the one side the boys on the other
2. You must have a representative to answer the question
3. Both teams have their own buzzer: Ladies- GaGa Ohh La La
Guyguys- Roma Roma MaMahh
4. If the first time doesn‟t get the question right it will pass on to
the next team.
5. In the event of a tie there will be a tie break question
6. There are 10 questions (excluding the tie break)
7. Best out of 10 will win the game

31. Questions
1. Finish the lyric: “I want your ugly, I
want your ________”

32. Questions
2. How many costumes does GaGa wear
throughout this video?

33. Questions
3.What is the basic concept of the video?

34. Questions
4. What other language does she speak
during the song?

35. Questions
5. What are her glasses made of in the first
shot?

36. Questions
6. Who composed the classical music
played at the beginning?

37. Questions
7. What does the big red writing say at the
beginning?

38. Questions
8. How much does the lap top say she is
worth (in dollars)?

39. Questions
9. What is the creature at the end of her
coat?

40. Questions
10. What was written on one of the pods at
the beginning of the video?

41. Tie Break or Additional Round
How many pairs of sunglasses does she
wear during the video?

42. Thanks for listening…
