The music video for Katy Perry's "California Gurls" takes place in a surreal candy-themed world. It combines elements of narrative, performance, and conceptual styles. While portraying an innocent theme through its whimsical setting and Katy's childlike costumes, the video also depicts her in a sexualized manner. It follows the story of Katy freeing her friends from traps in the candy land, though control is taken from the male character Snoop Dogg by the end. Iconography like sweets and costumes are used to both enhance the dreamlike setting and suggest innocent and sexual meanings. The technical elements aim to match the pop genre while special effects add humor. Overall, the video both employs

1. Advanced Portfolio Homework task. Submission Friday October 3rd
Katy Perry’s music video for ‘California Gurls’ is a hybrid style music video which combines elements
of narrative, performance, and arguably conceptual music video. The video is stereotypical of the
pop genre and this can be explored by using Lacey’s repe rtoire of elements, including character,
iconography, narrative events, setting ad technical and audio codes. The general theme of the video
is that the main characters and protagonist are shown in an extravagant and extraordinary world
made entirely of candy and sweets, and there movements appear to be controlled as though they
are figures in a board game.
The main character repesented is that of pop star Katy Perry, who plays the protagonist in the video.
She appears to be the leader of the female characters who are played in the ‘board game’. She is
represented in a fun and youthful manner, as she interacts with her surroundings in a costume made
of sweets, fitting with the theme. Despite the fact that she portrays an element of sweetness and
innocence in her performance, she is also seen in an alternate scene in a different way.
Stereotypically of the pop genre, she is also represented in a sexualised manner. in this instance, she
is seen entirely nude and only covered slightly by the pink candyfloss ‘clo uds’ that she appears to lie
in. This sexualised representaion suggests another dimension to the video which is further explored
by the representation of male characters. The only male character in the video is rapper Snoop
Dogg, who appears to be playing the board game and thus controlling the events that occur. The fact
that the male character is in control over the females in arguably a sexist representation, which may
be viewed as a stereotype of the pop genre in which women are regularly sexually objectified.
Despite the fact that the women eventually regain control from the male and thus end the video in
position of power, they appear to do so through their appearance and seduction of the male
character. This is a negative representation of women despite the video being made and performed
by a female popstar.
The music video follows a linear narrative in which the story of the ‘board game’ is told. The viewer
follows the journey of Katy as she releases her friends around the ‘candy land’ surrounding f rom
their various traps, which include being stuck in jelly or covered in a candy wrapper. Snoop Dogg as

2. Advanced Portfolio Homework task. Submission Friday October 3rd
the game player literally rolls the dice and decides what happens next in the game. This narrative
continues until the tables are turned and the male protagonist is confronted by the females. The
video may be seen as a conceptual music video due to the unique and unusual theme which is not
directly relevant to the lyrics of the song. The video is also strongly performance based as Katy sings
the song almost entirely throughout the video and there are numerous scenes that involve group-choreographed
dancing.
Iconography and props are used extensively in the music video in order to enhance the viewers
experience and add to the extravagance of the video itself. The use of sweets and candy in this video
are successful as they are inevitably appealing to the audience and engage the viewer. The creativity
of the video is essential as it arguably creates a dreamlike and idealistic world that a viewing
audience will respond well too perhaps as a form of escapism. Iconography in conjunction with
performance is found is scenes such as the ‘fight scene’ in which Katy Perry is seen squirting cream
from cans attatched to her bra, a scene which may be seen and humourous or sexual in which case
the majority of audiences will respond positively to the use of props. Katy Perry is also however
represnted in a childlike manner, by wearing costumes evocative of childs clubs such as ‘girl scouts’
or ‘brownies’, with her hair in bunches. This use of iconography is used to suggest the innocence and
youthfulness that may have connotations with a world made of sweets. However Katy is also shown
on beach wearing a cupcake bikini, suggesting that despite the innocence theme in the video there is
clearly a more mature and adult element as well.

3. Advanced Portfolio Homework task. Submission Friday October 3rd
The setting of the video is used in order to link the video back to the lyrics of the song. In the
opening scene of the video, the box of the ‘board game’ is shown along with the name ‘Candy fornia’.
This idea is reoccuring throughout the video as we see a version of the famous ‘Hollywood’ sign
made out of icing. This may suggest that the surreal world that Katy Perry is representing is in fact a
representation of California, the city that the song is about. This may be seen as a positive
represntation, as Katy Perry is clearly suggesting that California is arguably her dream, as the
dreamliek nature and idealism of the video would suggest. It may be interepreted that this illusory
world is in fact Katy’s idea of heaven, and thus a wholly positive representation of California as its
parrallel. However, it could also be argued that this is a negative representation of Hollywood and
California due to the lack of realism in the video. This representation may be Katy’s view of the city
in that despite its aesthetic appeal, the surroundings are all not real. Although it may be a fantasy to
live in a world made of everything sweet it is in fact impossible and this may be the artists attempt at
social commentary, to suggest that not everything in the world of Hollywood is as sweet or perfect
as it may be appear. This may break the stereotype of the pop genre and there is a more serious and
substantial message behind the immediate appearance of the video.

4. Advanced Portfolio Homework task. Submission Friday October 3rd
The techincal and audio codes in the video help to enhance the video itself and make the viewing
experience more enjoyable for the viewer. High key lighting is used in all scenes in order to fit in eith
the pop genre, as low key lighting would give the video a more moody and dark feel that would be
inappropriate with this song and lyrics. Wide angled shots are used regularly in order to include the
impressive surroundings of the mise-en-scene and to give the audience an idea of the vast size of
Katy’s ‘candy land’. Close-up shots are used in Katy’s individual scenes in order to emphasise the use
of direct mode of address and sexualise the representation further. It may be argued that the lack of
diegetic sound allows the focus to remain on the song and i ts lyrics. Special effects are used in order
to animate the video and add elements of humour, such as a live gummy bear swearing at Katy or
the animated lollipop melting into the sand.

5. Advanced Portfolio Homework task. Submission Friday October 3rd
In conclusion, the music video for California Gurls uses Lacey’s repe rtiore of elements in order to
steretypically represent the genre of pop. However alternative interpretations may argue that some
elements such as the setting may break the stereotype of the pop genre by offering more alternative
and serious messages or views. However, by using elements such as iconography and character to
create a world made entirely of sweets and candy in order to represent the sweet and innocent
nature of the protagonist Katy Perry’s ‘California Gurls’ meets the generic stereotypes the pop
genre.

6. Advanced Portfolio Homework task. Submission Friday October 3rd
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7. Advanced Portfolio Homework task. Submission Friday October 3rd