Applying Todorov’s theory to Katy Perry’s music video last Friday night

This has a non linear narrative as it is composed of many flash backs to the prty that happened the night before and it starts showing us the consequences of this party on the main characters house.

• ORIGINAL EQUILIBRIUM  She is alone in her room with no friends

• DISRUPTION There is a Party in her neighbour’s house


•          RECOGNITION She goes to the party to try and stop it

• ATTEMPT TO RESTORE Her neighbour invites her to her party

• NEW EQUILIBRIUM She is in her room with a lot of people there

Applying Vladimir Propp’s narrative theory to Katy Perry’s music video last Friday night

• Hero – Katy Perry She is the 'hero' as she is the character around which the story revolves. She originally is on the quest to stop the party that is going on in her neighbour’s house but then her quest changes to trying and get the guy she likes to like her back.



• Princess – The guy she likes at the  beginning is the ‘princess’ as Katy is on the quest to get him to like her and in the end she secedes, he is the ‘reward’ for her quest



• Helper and Donor – Rebecca Black as she helps Katy in her quest by making her look prettier. She is also the donor as she gives her some dresses and fake boobs to help Katy get the guy that she likes to like her back.

• False hero – Kevin Mechale as he thinks that he is on a quest to conquest Katy Perry’s love

Conventions of a music video

When you watch a music video you expect:

• Some form of narrative
• To have many close ups of the main artist
• The editing pace to match the pace of the music
• To have the colours matching the mood of the song e.g. if it is a happy song having bright colours
• To have the genre of music match the mood of the video e.g. dark gothic song having dark video.
• Lip Synching
• Some form of performance if they are a organic band.
• If they are an organic band they will feature instruments.
• If they are a synthetic band they are more likely to have a dance routine.

Andrew Goodwin

Andrew Goodwin, a media theorist, wrote about the conventions of a music video:
• There is a relationship between the lyrics and the visuals e.g. in the music video telephone by Lady Gaga she uses a telephone referencing to the lyrics.

• Particular genres may have their own video style and iconography e.g. Rock bands tend to include more in their music videos live performances
• A demand from the record companies to include many close-ups of the main artist to make him/her look more attractive and thus attract a larger audience
• The artist has to develop his/her own star iconography in and out of their music videos. This also helps to attract a larger audience and gives the artist a style that defines him/her and makes him/her stand out from the other artists.

• References to voyeurism in music videos e.g. Lady Gaga in telephone she is objectified as she isn’t wearing a lot of clothes which attracts a male audience
• Intertextual references e.g. in Weezer’s Buddy Holly he references to the TV program ‘Happy Days’

Analysing a music video

My Favourite Game the Cardigans

Welcome to A2

Welcome to A2