Textual Analysis Video 2

Kesha - C'mon

http://www.slideshare.net/nivea001/textual-analysis-of-music-video-rihanna-unfaithful

The single C'mon by Kesha was released January 7th 2013. The writers of the single were Kesha, Dr. Luke, Bonnie McKee, Max Martin, Cirkut and Benny Blanco. Blanco, Cirkut, Martin and Luke all produced the video as well as writing it. The song was released as part of her second studio album; Warrior.

The video for the C'mon video has a surrealist beginning before the track begins. Starting at an american waffle house named "Awful House" the audience first sees Kesha as a barbie like character with a lollipop in her mouth behind the counter as a waitress. The cinematography is just a straight frame however it slows to a clos up of her bosses 'Awful House' badge to show the audience where she is. Her outfit being pink hair ribbons, a pink checkered shirt and "Daisy Duke" shorts we see straight away a stereotype to the american diner girls wearing pink, low cut tops and rolling round on roller blades in their short shorts or skirt, we imagine this due to what we have seen on films therefore there is a clear representation of these with Kesha as a character.
After Kesha exits the waffle house after quiting her job she sits on a bench, it is here when the first direct connection to the audience with the actors eye contact looking at the camera in a close up shot. From coming out of the waffle house to the bench there are three straight cuts, a knee shot, mid shot and two close up shots are shown. These all work together to produce a prolonged opening. The cinematography then zooms out from the close up to a mid shot whilst she is on the bench, this is still using direct eye contact as the effect. The use of special effects is brought into the video here as we experience a flash of light in the sky with the touch of rainbow colouring, this connoting the start of the surrealism in the video. The shot reverse shot is in place here to also represent this, after the sky is shown it is back to Kesha on a close up then zooms out before a van arrives. The sound is very strong and bold as the van pulls up, this is used before the music begins. As kesha places her hand on the door of the van the camera is still whilst a lightening type shock is impacting from the van to her arm, this happens for several seconds to show it is an important thing for the target audience to take note of in the video. To make the electric shock more convincing there is a shock sound placed here as well. Using pauses like this make moments to remember in music videos therefore it would be a good technique to use in my own music video. Once Kesha is in the van a close up of a tape is shown, there is also diegetic sound of the tape going into the tape player, the second that the tape is pushed into the player by the accompanying passenger the music video begins.
As the video starts the it seems very abstract and surreal. The contents of the video are people in furry animal costumes that are with Kesha throughout the whole thing. People such as online groups and conglomerates like MTV argue that this is highly related to illuminati. "This is why we are seeing these plushies/furries in all these videos; the illuminati wants to get their symbolism baked in nice and early, so that as the child grows older they can assault their five senses with images of Satan, Freemasonry, etc." The video could also be connected to both the genre of the music and the target audience. She is a raunchy icon within the music industry however Kesha is also known for her acting as the idol. In 2005, at age 18, Kesha was signed to producer Dr. Luke's record label, Kemosabe.
Inside the video we see the furry animalistic people in a store with Ke$ha and we see her direct eye contact with the camera made apparent by the length of the shot. The medium close up of the shot emphasises the close ness of the animals to Ke$ha herself. Surrounding her could connote the fact that Ke$ha is the gifted one, the part of the illuminati. She is guarding herself with a big bubblegum sweet reenforcing the surrealism of the video and mise en scene in it. The image of the group are then followed by a shot of a man in a defence position ducking near a shop counter. This is connoting that he is scared of apprehensive of Ke$ha and the furry animals. The cinematography shown in this section is very quick and active. It has alot of cuts, tilts and quick pans for example in the video at 2.47 there is a quick pan to the left to match the beat of the music at that point. This is a typical convention of pop music that has a beaty rythmn to cause the audience to want to feel uplifted and 'dancey'. There is hand held control like movements in the shop with the cinematography, this is shown when the characters and Kesha are dancing in the isle together. This adds to the party effect showing energy and following the characters jumping.

Ke$ha is posed as part of the illuminati by many because of this scene in the video. She turns the shopkeeper into a cat in within seconds connoting she has alot of power and more ability than others. The mise en scene of this clip shows the crosses all over the background, this is almost acting as a subtle jab against Christianity. However this could also connote Ke$ha's religious side, showing that she is not only a partying teenager having fun, making music but she takes the power she feels she has from being religious seriously. 
The costumes that she is wearing throughout the videos relates to the lyrics of the song as well as the mise en scene featured in the lyrics. The lyrics in the song are featured in the mise en scene such as the crops tops she is in and the bubblegum she is holding in the shop scene. I like how she has added a surrealist element to her work due to the target audience in mind, that way young people who are looking to enjoy their social lives with others can relate to it. Everyone wants an escape to something surreal in life and I believe this song is a great representation of that.  
             The locations in the song gives the impression that the video is very abstract however how the lyrics and the video connect it shows a slight narrative. The van that picked up Ke$ha from the waffle house was very odd, nothing similar to what we see making a contradiction to equilibrium. The way the van is decorated and the special effects used when the van sets off reinforces the abstract, 80's style that the video has. we see when Kesha is inside the van a tape player, this also showing the period of time the video is based, the swirls of the special effects therefore implying the time difference. Another location we see is the furry animals featured in the vehicle against a fence in a parking lot area. The animals are shown as stereotypical 'rebels', this is due to the costume. For example in the scene we see a white bunny, innocent to the youth wearing a black leather jacket and a red bandana. This is telling us that this isn't an innocent, childish video like it looks to be in the start but has much more of a strong meaning behind it; this could then connote back to the illuminati meaning that people have referred to in their news reports. 
             Throughout the video there is always a link to having fun and 'causing trouble in the dark' and the cinematography matches this. There are both very quick and very slow shots that include quick tilt shots and stedicam like shots; this is effectively producing the shots representing the behaviour in the video and following the movement of the singer and the furry animals within it. The camera movement is followed by the audience when they watch it therefore they will feel much more involved and part of the story if the camera is following the 'partying' of the people inside it. A common convention showed in the video at three and a half minutes is the BMW RR motorbike, this is product advertising which is shown usually if a video is sponsored by the brand of the object within it. By putting the BMW bike in the video instantly relates to the audience as it is known for being a very highly commended brand, trustworthy and has a lot of class. Ke$ha in the video here is trying to connote that she is able to afford an expensive brand like this all whilst have fun and doing what she loves best; singing. By involving a brand like BMW she wants to be as highly respected herself as the brand is to the public.