Gabriela Moreira

A2 Media Studies
Media Language

Carry out a detailed textual analysis of two music videos for

two contrasting artists
The video that I have chosen to analyse is Telephone by Lady Gaga. It was directed by
Swedish filmmaker, Jonas kerlund, whilst Gaga assisted with the production. As with
most of Gagas work, the music video is eccentric yet enthralling. Due to the videos
use of nudity and violence, the audience for this would be young adults, who are young
enough to admire Gagas creativity and allow that to inspire them, yet old enough to
appreciate the intertextual references made throughout the video.
One of the more prominent ways in which the songs lyrics are amplified through the
visuals is the use of the main prop in the video: a telephone. The entirety of the first
verse is sung as an actual phone conversation, as Gaga sings hello hello baby you
called? I cant hear a thing what did you say? Youre breaking up on me etc.
therefore reinforcing the idea of the conversation actually taking place. The verse ends
with Im kinda busy to which, in the video, Gaga throws the telephone and begins
dancing, thus illustrating that she is busy. The use of the telephone in the visuals goes
hand in hand with the lyrics throughout most of the song as Gaga sings lines such as
stop calling.. stop telephoning me whilst holding the prop. At some point in the song,
Beyonce repeats the lines Ill be dancing, as she does so she begins dancing in the
video, which is an example of the lyrics being amplified by the visuals.
In spite of this, there are examples of lyrics being contradicted by the visuals for
example, the chorus describes being in a club, and lyrics include I left my head and
my heart on the dancefloor. This is contradictory as at the moment Gaga sings that
lyric, the visuals present her and fellow prisoners in between the prison cells; obviously
an almost opposite setting to a club. However, during those lines Gaga and the
prisoners are dancing, almost as if to create their own dancefloor in the unlikely setting.
This contradiction is continues as Gaga sings out in the club and Im sipping that
bubb when in fact, the visuals portray her alone inside her prison cell. When these
lyrics are repeated later In the song, Gaga and Beyonce and extras are all performing a
choreographed dance together in the middle of a diner, hence creating their own
dancefloor a dancefloor that is bordered by people that are laying dead after just
being poisoned, again, a contradictory to what would be found in an actual dancefloor.
As Telephone is an extended, 9 minute long video, a story is told throughout the video
in between the song, and there is less need to use visuals to illustrate the meaning of
the song, but the relationship between music and visuals go well together, as the
videos pace changes with the music. This can be seen from the first verse, where the
beat and singing have a slow pace in comparison to the rest of the song. This part of
the song has quite peaceful sounding instumentals, sounding almost like a harp, and
the video is slow throughout this as the only thing the audience is seeing is Gaga
standing and in the same position, talking on the telephone. At the end of this verse,
the song suddenly switches up and becomes upbeat the video accompanies this as
the second the pace becomes faster Gaga throws the phone and begins dancing with
the song. Also, later on in the song when it is again fast paced and upbeat, the director
made use of jump cuts in the visuals this can be seen in the kitchen scene where fast
cuts are used during the more energetic parts of the song.

Gabriela Moreira
A2 Media Studies
Media Language
This video is a continuation of Gagas previously released video for Paparazzi. In the
ending of that video, Gaga had called the police on herself after murdering her
boyfriend, and this video begins with her being put into prison. With that context,
Gagas character develops in this video as becoming even more vicious and vindictive.
The image being presented of both her and Beyonce is of two fearless females who
arent to be messed with, defying the stereotypical expectations of women. In the
kitchen scene, the idea was actually to ironically challenge the perfect housewife
stereotype that was vastly portrayed in 1950s pop culture. The setting being in the
kitchen is fitting to expectations society had for the housewife, stereotypically expected
to be in the kitchen making food for their man, which Gaga is technically doing,
however she is shown adding poison to the food. It successfully mocks and defies the
expectations held for women by society at that time, further reinforcing the characters
image as daring and murderous which was present in Paparazzi. Another feature
continued through both videos is the mickey mouse glasses that Gaga had worn in
Paparazzi, whilst in Telephone, Beyonce is wearing the exact same glasses, and both
singers wore them at the time of committing the murders. The unique glasses had at
the time become associated with Gagas image.
The mise-en-scene makes it evident that the principle setting of the video is an all
female prison, defying the norms of a pop video. The unconventional nature of the
video is even more established as Gaga wears glasses covered with cigarettes, is
covered in tape, etc. This possibly presents Gaga as being blind to the toxicity of her
life, this and being portrayed as a criminal are controversial to the expected
conventions of a pop video. With each different scene, the main character always has a
different outfit on, each unique, which Gaga is known for. The constant costume change
is something that would be conventional to feminine pop videos. The majority of the
video features Gaga through mid-shots where she is the centre of the frame which
establishes her significance. The mid-shots are also used to focus on props that she is
using, e.g. the kitchen scene uses many mid-shots focusing only on Gaga and the
poison she is adding to the food which is a primal part of the plot. In scenes that make
use of long shots, the purpose is mainly sexualisation of Gaga and the dancers. By
choosing long shots for these scenes rather than mid-shots, the audience is exposed to
the womens bodies as they are in their underwear. The use of these shots are typical
to pop videos in which the stars are presented as sex symbols. Using long shots also
allows the audience to see the entirety of the diner and all the dancers doing the
choreographed routine, this is also conventional to upbeat pop videos. Although, this
long shot also exposes the dead customers in the diner whilst the dancers are in the
centre, and the two main characters are wearing patriotic American outfits. Including
the dead customers in this scene where the others are unfazed by the lifeless bodies
around them creates a sense of morbidity, Gaga explains that she wanted to take the
idea that America is full of young people that are inundated with information and
technology [the telephone] and turn it into something that was more of a commentary
on the kind of country that we are. This implies a deeper meaning to the video than
what meets the eye, insinuating that though Americans are known to be proud,
patriotic people, the country is really known for the high levels of crime and
participation in war.
Voyeurism is used in quite a few scenes of this video, and there is a definite sense of
the artist being on sexual display. Part of the video is presented as security camera

Gabriela Moreira
A2 Media Studies
Media Language
footage, watching Gaga and fellow inmates as they dance in only their underwear and
heels. The provocative costume accompanied by dancing portrays the women in a
sexualised manner, and the use of the security camera footage could insinuate that the
person watching is doing so in secrecy, which furthers the sexualisation. This may have
been used to portray her, in a way, as a sex symbol and appeal to audience members,
as after all, sex sells. Another reference to the notion of looking is at the diner when
Beyonce and the man are sitting across from each other. Shot-reverse-shot is used
presenting the eye contact between the two, and then the mans eyes looking down,
the next shot being Beyonces dress showing off her assets. The fact that the shot is
focusing solely on her breasts again presents sexualisation of women and voyeurism
from the man this efficiently goes with the plot, emphasising the mans poor
personality.
One of the most essential parts of this video is the grand use of intertextuality. Most of
the intertextuality used makes references to Quentin Tarantinos films. When Gaga is
bailed out of the jail, Beyonce is waiting for her in the Pussy Wagon, the vehicle used
throughout the film Kill Bill Gaga likens herself to the character of the film who is
seeking revenge on those whove wronged her, which Gaga also does in this video.
Gaga addresses Beyonce as Honey Bee, which is a reference to the character Honey
Bunny in Pulp Fiction. This reference is extended as the two go into a diner and
together they poison most of the customers in Pulp Fiction, the opening scene
features Honey Bunny and her partner committing an armed robbery in a diner.
Similarly to Gaga, Tarantino is viewed as controversial, therefore by making a video so
heavily influenced by his work, Gaga is increasing the controversy, almost representing
herself as someone who is fond of violence. The video would appeal to audiences who
are fans of Tarantinos work, as he has a cult following.
Another use of intertextuality is at the beginning of the video, when the guards put
Gaga in her cell and one of them comments I told you she didnt have a dick. At the
time of this video, there were many rumours about the artist being transgender, so this
was a reference to that, whilst also sending a message out to the media but in an
almost mocking manner, something her fans might admire. Other types of
intertextuality used in the video include a Virgin Media phone, Beats laptop, Diet Coke
cans, etc. When the laptop is presented to the audience, it reveals that the prison
guard was using the dating site Plenty Of Fish, which is a humorous reference to how
due to the long hours prison guards are made to work and their reputation of being
cranky, they may find it hard to find love.