JASON DERULO’S WANT TO WANT ME 30 SECOND

ANALYSISBy Issy Payne

In the first 30 seconds of Jason Derulo’s music video for his song Want To Want Me there are 19 cuts. These cuts establish the setting, cut to different angles and cut to different scenes. Through out the 30 seconds, the shots cut on thought beats as they cut on the beat of the music. Also, throughout the 30 seconds Jason is sexualised as he is topless, presenting the classic style and iconography of male pop artists music videos. Also, there are multiple close ups, medium shots, wide shots and extreme shots used to create the music video which cause Jason so seem more dominant, leading him to be presented in a star image.

In this shot we are presented with a close up of a fan. This shot starts to establish the first setting as the style of the fan informs me that the room is set in a building in which the inhabitants are not very wealthy. The wall tells me that the room is very old conveying the same representation as the fan.

This shot is a wide shot, which further establishes the setting. This shot instantly portrays Andrew Goodwin’s music video convention, which states that the music video’s style and iconography is related to the genre of the music. This song is under the genre of pop and pop music video generally are associated as music video which tell the story behind the song. The setting of this shot is narrative rather than performance, which is the sort of style you would expect in a pop music video. We are also presented with Jason in bed with the bed sheets, pillow covers and duvet that are the colour red. This suggest that the theme of the song and the music video is about love.

In this shot we are presented with a further representation of the style and iconography of pop music videos. The way that the telephone is on the floor like it has been knocked off and the fact that in the corner of the screen you can see Jason’s leg which is not covered by the duvet, suggests romance. It suggests romance as this shot has been made to look like a shot from a movie in which the scene is a romantic bedroom scene. This furthers the narrative of the music video an the stereotype of the style you would associate with a music video of the genre of pop.

In this shot we are presented with a pink light shining on the bucket full of water. This then associates this scene with the theme love and romance. From the colour of the floor you can tell that this shot is set in a different location to the first three shots. This makes the music video seem disjointed as it is not following continuity editing, leading to the music video conforming to Carol Vernallis’s theory, which states that the structure of the music video may appear disjointed.

This shot pans right to a birds eye shot of a woman wearing a revealing dress. The way she is posed on the bed and the way she is dressed represents Andrew Goodwin’s music video convention, which states that there is voyeurism in the video. In this shot the lady is representing voyeurism as she is being sexualised to attract the male audience. This shot portrays the diegesis very quickly.

In this shot both Jason and the lady are representing Goodwin’s convention about voyeurism. This because Jason is shown with his top off, which appeals the female audience and the lady is in sexual pose and his revealing a lot of skin. This therefore appeals to the male audience. The pose that is presented in this shot portrays the emotion of love. This is the classic theme in pop artists songs and this shot portrays the classic style and iconography of male pop artists music videos.

In these medium close ups we are presented with voyeurism as Jason and the lady are presented is a sexual way. This therefore attracts the male audience. The ale gaze theory is used in these two shots as the camera is more focused on the lady than Jason Derulo, creating a male gaze in the music video. This causes the lady to be seen as a sexual object.

In this shot we are presented with a star image as Jason is presented in this shot looking down at the lady, portraying him as having more power than the lady. This shows that he is the most important person in the scene, creating a star image. Voyeurism is also used in this shot at Jason is sexualised and Goodwin’s convention about numerous medium shots and close ups of the artist is also portrayed in this shot.

Voyeurism is further explored in this shot. Jason is also presented in a star image in this shot as he is seen as the more dominant person in the music video, making him seem more important.

In this close up the camera is looking up at Jason, causing the star image to be created in this shot as we are forced to look up to him making him seem more powerful than us. Throughout this music video so far including this shot we are presented with a couple who are in love, which relates to the title of the song, Want To Want Me.

In the ground level wide shot voyeurism is explored as both people are sexualised. The stereotype of men being more dominant than women is also explored in this shot.

This shot is a completely different setting to the other shots, causing it to stand out and interrupt the music video. This conforms to Goodwin’s convention about the music video may break continuity editing and may be disjointed.

In this medium shot we are presented with a star image as Jason is own his own in this shot and from the angle and the direction of the camera we are forced to look directly at Jason. We are also presented with the stereotype iconography for male pop artists music videos, which is that they are presented topless. This means that the female audience attracted to the music video.

In this birds eye shot we are presented with voyeurism as both Jason and the lady are presented in sexual poses.

In this shot the camera pans left to another shot of Jason, further his star image as another medium shot is used to show him as the star of the music video. Also, this shot illustrates the lyrics as he sings “it's too hard to sleep, I got the sheets on the floor, nothing on me.” These lyrics are illustrated as Jason has hardly any of his duvet on him and is awake. The line “it’s a hundred degrees” is illustrated as a fan is blowing on Jason.

Voyeurism s further explored in this shot due to the sexual poses both Jason and the lady are posing in. Also the classic iconography of women in male pop artists music video are being in revealing clothing is portrayed in this shot.

Once again the star image is presented in this shot. In this shot performance is mixed with narrative as Jason lip syncs. Voyeurism is also presented in this shot.

In the last shot of the first 30 seconds of the music video we are presented with the male gaze through voyeurism. Voyeurism is portrayed in this shot through the way the lady is posed, they way her dress is revealing and through her hand actions. The way that we are made to look down on the her makes her seem vulnerable, causing Jason to seem the dominant person in the music video.