Narrative – Katy Perry – Part Of MeSaeed Moulai

Fact File

Artist/group? Katy Perry Name of the song? Part Of Me Which album, when was it released? Teenage Dream: The Perfect Conflection. 16

February 2012. Who directed it? Ben Mor What is the song about? – read the lyrics and give a (very) short summary. The song is

about a woman who tells her ex partner that although they broke up there is something that he can never take from her and nothing that he does can change that.

Analyse the content of the music video: Is there a plot in the music video? If yes – give a short outline.

The music video tells the story of a woman who catches her partner cheating, she runs into his work and breaks it off, chucking her necklace at him. She then drives away and sees an advert for the marines, after staring at this she runs into the gas station bathroom and cuts her hair off, after this she can be seen joining the marines and the rest of the video shows the process of her training up and then engaging in war. In the video there are numerous flashbacks where they mirror situations from her previous and current lifestyle, the boyfriend features prominently. At the end of the video there is a 10 second shot of her suited up in protective armour pulling a war face staring down the camera.

Is it a performance video concert), a narrative video a plot/storyline), or a conceptual video (metaphorical/abstract form – the aim is not to tell a story, but create a certain mood)? Explain.

The video is clearly narrative video because it tells a story of one person and the sequence is in a chronological order. This is of course apart from the obvious flashbacks

Is there an obvious connection between the lyrics and the music video? Explain the (lack of) connection.

I think there is a clear connection between the lyrics and the music video because they both feature shows of courage, determination and willpower. the both show that there has been hardships and as both the music video and lyrics go on, the hardships are overcome.

Who is the target audience of this video? Why do you think so – explain (choice of costume, plot, actor/performer’s movements, attitudes, etc.)

I think that the target audience for this video are women aged between 16- 35. This is because the video tells the story of a tough breakup and the attitude of this video is that woman do not need men to succeed in their life. The actress in this music video (Katy Perry) is portrayed as heroic and brave and those are the kind of attributes that woman want to see in themselves. I also think that the target audience is aged 16-35 is because woman this age are most prone to enduring break ups in relationships. Katy Perry’s outfit also plays a strong significance as before her break up she is dressed very feminine and in a way that would please men, but after her break up she cuts her off and dresses in what society deems as masculine and unappealing clothes, this is to get across the idea that this woman does not go about her life for the approval of men but she does it for herself, she breaks the stereotype.

Intertextuality

There is strong intertextuality with the film GI Jane, here is an example:

Does the video focus on the artist/group, or are other characters in focus?

The video focuses on the artist, Katy Perry. a female artist who at the time of recording this video was 27 years old. The story is based around her and over the video there are a few cameo appearances from other actors including her ex-boyfriend who she broke up and her army colleagues. I think the reason she is in solitude for a lot of the video is because much of the song is about independence and self strength.

What is the atmosphere of the music video? Does it put the audience in a certain mood? The atmosphere of the video is at first a

negative one because it shows her breaking up with her boyfriend, but as the music video goes on the atmosphere changes into a determined, uplifting attitude and it gives off a sense of self belief and drive. The way that the video is filmed makes the audience empathize with all the emotions that Katy Perry is feeling and in a way it makes the audience back and support her through the video, this is a good technique because it then makes Katy Perry more likeable and with that comes more money for the artist.

Describe how the editing, SFX and Mise-En-Scene are used to help convey desired meanings. Give examples. One way that camera is used to give desired meanings is through the use of shots. In

the music video Katy Perry is portrayed as independent, powerful and driven. Shots such as low angle shots and slow motion are used frequently to give off this sense. Another way that independence is shown is through the use of sharp focus and facial expressions, in most close up shots after her break up Katy Perry is pulling a determined face and the use of sharp focus magnifies the idea of this. notable examples of this is when she first sees the idea of joining the marines and the final shot where she is facing war. Katy Perry’s outfit also plays a strong significance as before her break up she is dressed very feminine and in a way that would please men, but after her break up she cuts her off and dresses in what society deems as masculine and unappealing clothes, this is to get across the idea that this woman does not go about her life for the approval of men but she does it for herself, again the use of mise-en-scene creates the desired meanings of independence.

What is the intention of the music video?

The intention of the music video is to promote confidence in women and to tell them that they don't need a partner to be strong, powerful, independent and to do amazing things with their life. It also goes out to show that break ups are just another learning block in life and that if you have the right mindset then you can overcome it easily and you will be a better person after it. It teaches about independence, bravery, willpower, self-confidence and about taking a leap into the unknown. The song matched with the music video makes it very inspirational and uplifting.