Goodwins Conventions

Lady GaGa - Just Dance



Relationship between the lyrics and the visuals
In the opening verse there are key moments when the song lyrics match up to the visuals. The lyrics are;

How does he twist the dance?
Can't find my drink o man
Where are my keys?
I've lost my phone, phone.

And from these screen shots they suttly amplify the lyrics to portray what shes saying with the actions. As we go through the first verse up to the chorus there are many ways which the lyrics are illustrated by the visuals. Melina Matsoukas, the director, has helped to represent the lyrics with other people doing the actions and not just Lady Gaga. This doesn't mean that Lady Gaga is not seen in the video much because she is as it is a performance video and dance video. The visuals enhance the idea of the song as its a pop/club song so there is a lot of dancing and there are iconic symbols such as the disco ball which is directly linked with dancing and clubs. There are two types of dancing in the video, non cheorographed and cherographed, as this is Lady Gaga's first video she has to make an impression and she is doing so by be a singer and a dancer.


Relationship between the music and the visuals
The base and beat of the music are key moments when the dancing takes place. This correlation with the lyrics as well because the words are saying 'just dance' and the dancing begins on the beat of the music.
Also nearer the end of the music she plays the keyboard at the same time that it is being played in the music background. Mostly there is a correlation between the lyrics, music and visuals as it is an upbeat tone and song and needs to encourage what the song is saying. This video is well edited as well with a few effects for example near the end when the beat becomes more jaggered it speeds up and there are a range of frames together fast.

Music genres have their own video style
This Video clearly mirrors the dance/pop music genre which dancing and a large crowd of people in one place. However, unlike most pop/dance videos this is set in a house rather than a club which is unusual but it creates a more fun and lively atmosphere as the audience can assume they know each other and they are more like friends. Iconically, there are a range of outfits and Lady Gaga, in the video, is wearing a lot of sparkle and glitter which further indicates the pop/dance genre. There is a lot of interaction with the oppisite sex as well which in a common trait in dance/pop videos and their is some sexy dancing within this video.


Lots of close ups of the Artist for the Record Label
Interscope Records is the record company which she recorded with. There are a range of close ups, from when she is a room singing with a microphone to being outside in a mini pool. She is at the front of the dancing and she is where the audience see her. She is in the middle of the screen alot so the audience immediately are drawn to her and her strange outfits catch the attention of the audience further making her the center of the whole video.

Star develops her own star iconography
Now days Lady Gaga is known for her crazy, wild and bizarre videos. Her oldest song, I think,have ranged causing her to create her own star image. She is known for wearing strange outfits for example turning up at the 2010 MTV music Video awards wearing a Meat outfit. She has created her own fan base and her own style which is replicated amoung her videos.



Intertexuality
Lady Gaga is never unique and this is seen through her one of a kind videos. I persoanally can't find many links between her videos and many other different texts. She creates her own style and this is reflected in her videos. Thus concluding there isn't much obvious intertexuality.