S

Music Video; Andrew

Goodwins theology.
By Katherine Pirie
Roar by Katy Perry
Roar is performed by American according
artist Katy Perry for her fourth studio
album, Prism. Released on 12
th
August
2013, written by Perry, Bonnie McKee, Dr.
Luke, Max Martin and Cirkut.

Two music videos were made for Roar,
initially an official lyric video was made
denoting the modern technology by using
emoji.It was then later Katy had released
the official music video.
Music videos demonstrate
genre characteristics.
Within the music video of Roar, the Establishing shot is of the
typography, this connotes the playfulness of the genre. Due
to the music video being located within a jungle, this is
synergistic due to the writing is in a tiger front, bold and
dominate denoting to the audience of its cartoon
characteristics. This is then further denoted through the the
symbolic code of her clothing, hair and makeup, the
protagonists within the music video begins to adapt to her
recent location, this is denoted through the technical code of
the montage of voyeuristic shots that denote Katy changing
clothes, bathing and getting food. The lyrics are also
synchronous due to Katy singing Now Im floating like a
butterfly connoting that due to recent experiences she is
better of alone. Stinging like a bee, I earn my strikes This is
where Katy is then beginning to fight and defend for herself.
This links in with the Blumler and Katz theory, uses and
gratifications, personal relationships and identify as an active
audience member will denote clear links between the central
characters circumstances and their own.
Music videos demonstrate
genre characteristics.
Another example of pop genre characteristics used
through out the music video of roar is the use of high
key lighting. This is symbolic as it connotes a utopian
(Richard Dyer) lifestyle and allows an active audience to
feel safe and secure as they are watching the narrative
unfold. This links in with the Blumler and Katz theory,
uses and gratifications, Diversion. The idea that an
active audience member will watch this music video in
order to escape their very day route. Due to the use of
strong vibrant colours, such as red, yellow and green
this entices an active audience member to feel more
comfortable and at ease. Red connotes romance and
passion denoted from the relationship at the beginning
of the music video, yellow connotes happiness and
warm signifying her change in emotion towards her ex
partner. This is highly synchronous due to Katys fan
base being predominantly young teenagers, so Katy is
promoting a positive outlook after relationships. This
further links in with the Todorovs theory of Equilibrium
as things are now resolved.
Relationships between the
lyrics and the visual
Through the music video, a relationship is built in
order for an active audience to make connections
from what the lyrics to what is being denoted. An
example of this is when she sings I got the eye of a
tiger this is where a audience will denote a tiger in
order to connote the jungle and the theme of the
music video. A fighter Katy is then flexing her arm
connoting dominance and power, this is synchronous
to the images being denoted in order to help make
links between the lyrics and the visual images. This is
promoting a utopian view for Katys fan base as she is
being a positive role model, she is also connoting that
women are strong and confident. Through the
technical code the camera is enabling the audience to
denote these links and therefore will be symbolic. This
also links in with the theorist Propp of fairy tale
characters due to the lyrics denoting Katy as a
sensible, mature individual and therefore will promote
her music.








Relationships between Music
and the visual
Within the music video, the editing
style is highly synchronous with
the music due to the fast editing
technique. An example is during
the chorus, this is because Katy is
singing about I got the eye of
tiger, a fighter. Dancing through
the fire this is fasted pace due to
the montage of images that has
being denoted to the audience.
Technical code
Through the music video a range of different
camera shots were denoted to an active
audience member, these included close ups,
long shot, mid shot, track, pan and static.
These are all important as they will draw in an
audience due to the technicality level being
high. An example is at the beginning as the
audience are denoted Katys face and her
outfit, this is already drawing in audience
members due to symbolic code. This also links
in the male gaze theory as Katy looks
voyeuristic and seductive. Through the
technical code, establishing shots are also
used in order to help set the mise-en-scene of
the location of the jungle.
Notion of looking
Through our the music video, Katy is wearing
voyeuristic clothing that will draw in a male
audience, this links in with the male gaze theory.
Within the music video, Katy seems to be
changing her outfit on many occasions as she
becomes more adapted to the jungle so does her
outfit. The mise-en-scene of the location is also
highly voyeuristic due to it being set in a jungle,
with wild cats, this can be denoted as sexualised
due to Katy mimicking her prey. Tiger are known
for being exotic animals, both large and curved
with a sexualised walk as they lead with their
shoulders. This is why during the music video
Katy becomes heads on with a tiger where they
are both denoting their dominance connoting
significant characters within the music video.
Intertextual references
At the beginning of the music video, there is a strong
connection between the plane crash on Katys music
video and the TV shot lost plane crash. This is
connoting, based on the TV show, that they have been
lost on an island battling through a series of different
events. This links in to Barthes's theory of the enigma
code, as the audience do not know how they ended up
on that island. However, s the music video continues
this is still in strong connections with Lost as they both
are searching for food adapting to their new location,
finding new animals that live within the jungle and lose
people along the way.
Another reference is jungle book, as the children film
and book was set in a jungle with having a range of
animals for the small child to play with. Katy is playing
the central character connoting that she will build
relationships with jungle animals. This links in with Levi-
Strauss theory of binary oppositions as the two
characters are different gender but will have the similar
story line.
What element is the music
video
The music video is based on a narrative as it denotes a
story between a male and a female, however as the music
video continues it turns into a performance based video as
Katy is singing with the same mise-en-scene but simply
away from the narrative.