Postmodernism rejects the idea that any media text is more valuable than another. Lady Gaga's "Paparazzi" music video uses techniques of postmodernism by referencing and blending elements from popular culture and classic films to tell a narrative about the dark side of fame. The video references Sunset Boulevard and Vertigo through its narrative and visuals while also incorporating symbols from Minnie Mouse. Lady Gaga portrays a character who experiences the ups and downs of celebrity, from riches to a dramatic fall from her balcony staged by her boyfriend, showing some realities some celebrities face due to fame.

1. Post Modernism
What is postmodernism?
A complex text with several meanings which usually involves emphasis on the self reflexity of contemporary culture
and media
Postmodern media rejects the idea that any media product or text is of any greater value than another
Lady gag paparazzi is a post modern video
Pastiche/Homage
Generic conventions of a ‘golden
age’ Hollywood film
Referencing popular culture: reference to
Minnie mouse
Sunset Boulevard (1950)
Narrative and stylistic similarities and
intertextual references.
Intertextuality and the blurring of
boundaries
The breakdown of distinction
between binary divides
Lady gaga as a humanoid Hitchcock Homage
Makes reference to the film vertigo
Pastiche: An artistic work in a style that imitates another type of work, artist or period
Homage : Imitation from a respectful stand point
Intertextuality: one media text referring to another

2. Artist: Lady Gaga
Genre: Pop
Producer: Rob Frusari
The video acts as a short Hollywood film which highlights the fame/tragedy (ups and downs) of celebrities in
this music video it exposes numerous examples of situations some celebrities go through to be famous for
example death and sexual inappropriate gestures which are also the main themes to the video.
The video starts with quick shots of the beautiful elegant setting so the audience get a feel of the calm
atmosphere while there are shots of the setting names of the people who will be shown in the music video or
who created it start to appear on the screen one by one which links in with a normal Hollywood film. After
that there is a scene with tons of money and jewellery scattered on the floor by this you already get the
impression that Lady Gaga is going to be playing a powerful role in this video as if she’s in control this also links
in with the fact that they of house which is shown at the start of the video is similar to ‘The white house’ this
could symbolise that she feels as if she’s royalty because of her fame and the amount of money she makes.
Medium close ups of Lady Gaga and Young gentlemen is being shown whom she is being intimate with is seen
lying on a bed talking in Swedish, subtitles are revealed at the bottom of the screen which is stereotypically
used in a Non-English film. They move to the balcony and start making out as this is taking place there is a
hidden photographer taking pictures of them, Lady Gaga realizes that her boyfriend has set the paparazzi to
photograph her and tries to stop him, he pushes gaga off the balcony. As Gaga is seen falling a heartbeat
sound effect is played and the image is of Lady Gaga against hypnotic swirl which links in with the film Vertigo
by Alfred Hitchock as in Vertigo Judy turns into Madeline and Lady gaga turns into someone else the hypnotic
swirl could also suggest that Lady Gaga’s emotions is turning her emotions are bitter and she's out for revenge
basically she’s changing as a person. Eventually after Lady Gaga has been shown on the floor a few shots of
newspaper articles appear on the screen reading ‘gaga hits rock bottom’ ‘Lady Gag is over’ and ‘Lady no more
Gaga’. The scene then cuts to Lady Gaga and her love interest(the gentlemen who pushed her off of the
balcony) is reading magazines on a sofa in their front room. In this scene Lady Gaga is wearing a yellow
jumpsuit with circular glasses and shoulder pads which has a hint of symbols to do with Minnie mouse in it
eventually we get a close up of Lady Gaga’s face who has an intriguing venomous smile this automatically puts
an idea in your head that something appalling will take place. Lady Gaga gives the poisoned drink the
gentlemen and the then he passes out while this takes places Lady Gaga calls the police to say “I just killed my
boyfriend” and then hangs up.
Throughout this video Lady Gaga does not represent the vision of mainstream pop videos her video is
narrative and extreme while watching this it stood out due to the fact that it was presented as a movie when
its actually a music video. By Lady Gaga doing video's like this she stands out from the mainstream view of
societies expectation of pop video’s and its more easier to me by doing this to get a message across.