Research and Planning - Lady Gaga Music Video

The video for 'Just Dance' by 'Lady Gaga' has just over 125 million views on YouTube; this makes it a very good example of a popular music video so it will be beneficial to analyse.

In terms of which category the video would be classed under, commercial exhibitionist appears to be the theme to best describe it. This is due to the fact that the focus is on Lady Gaga herself and she is shown frequently in the four minute promotional video, therefore selling herself to the audience along with the music, concentrated in the spotlight.

The conventions I have mentioned previously are rife in this music video. There are constant close ups of the artist's face in various different poses, so the audience can relate her to the music as well as voyeurism established through several of these shots (licking her finger.) Also, this is present through mid shots of Lady Gaga in a paddling pool, playing with an inflatable; the viewers are forced to see her in a sexual way and admire her feminine frame. 

There are references to looking shown throughout, what with the disco ball working as mise-en-scene for a party being reflective, as well as a mirror in the bathroom portraying the lyrics in lipstick letters. Lady Gaga's outfit frequently has sparkles on it too; this depicts both a fashionable, rich feel for the artist and a reference to reflection.

Visuals constantly match the lyrics mentioned: "can't find my keys, lost my phone." Within this, a loose narrative is established in that there is a party happening with lots of people, all young and having fun with no regrets. This effectively matches the genre of the song; pop is light-hearted with no serious messages and the bright colours and fun atmosphere reflects this. The people at the party as mentioned are young so the video works to represent this sector of society in that they know how to dance, are care free and willing to let their hair down. It is also rather stereotypical in the sense that the characters drink too much lying on the floor passed out, maybe expressing the love of drinking that many people in this age group possess. The main theme of the video is about having fun and all these factors help to portray this.

The way in which the music video is constructed in terms of the editing also fits with the typical convention of matching editing to the pace of the music. For instance, the line at the end of the chorus of, "Dance, Dance, Dance" sees different quick takes of various scenes to move along effectively with the music. The dance sequences that the artist does herself additionally works in a similar vein.

Overall, Lady Gaga's 'Just Dance' brings together several of the typical conventions of music videos which could account for the success of the video itself. The commercial exhibitionist style is befitting for the artist who makes a lot of money from her popularity as a person as well as the music. A lot can be learnt from videos such as this that are not hugely concentrated on narrative but are just a very successful package in how they show the artist amongst conventions.