Million Reasons (1)

media representations

• the way events, issues, individuals are represented through processes of selection and combination.
• the way the media, through representation, construct versions of reality.
• the process which lead media producers to make choices about how to represent events, issues, individuals and social groups.
• the effect of social and cultural context on representations
• how and why stereotypes can be used positively and negatively.
• how and why particular social groups, in a national and global context, may be under-represented or misrepresented
• how media representations convey values, attitudes and beliefs about the world and how these may be systematically reinforced across a wide range of media representations
• how audiences respond to and interpret media representations.

background of Lady Gaga:

• Lady Gaga's real name is 'Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta'.
• Gaga's musical inspiration varies from singers like Madonna and Michael Jackson to glam rock artists like David Bowie and Freddie Mercury, as well as theatrics of Andy Warhol and her own performance roots in musical theater.
• Lady Gaga's is mostly known for her outrageous style and the album 'Joanne' is a complete contrast to her previous image as it is very natural and 'stripped back'.

representations (stereotype):

• she has the dark roots of her hair showing from in the scene of her in the dessert being picked up by her friends which could link to her Italian roots of those originating having dark thick hair.
• the idea that she is down to earth contrasts the stereotypes that all celebrities are unreachable and only care about the wealth they have

Lady Gaga's star image:

• her image seems very down to earth in the simplicity of the video and how she acts on the screen.
•  the way that she has chosen to be represented is a country and chilled vibe which contrasts seemingly to the life that she lives in a very fast paced and competitive world.
• the song also talks about her love life and religious beliefs which is not often shown by celebrities as they prefer to keep their own lives private and away from the public eye. she is showing that not everything is perfect and she is the same person that she used to be.

narrative:

• As she starts getting ready, the singer notices a small box with a bow atop it on her desk.
• The video then inter-cuts to a number of flashbacks—Gaga singing in a white studio while playing the guitar, getting rescued by her friends from the desert and breaking down in tears.
• Finally Gaga opens the box which reveals the content to be a rosary with a note saying "Love you, sis".

It grew organically from the conversations that Lindsey and Gaga were having one day, with the title phrase lifted from the singer's musings about the men in her life. The track is a pop song with country influences. It lyrically delves on "heartbreak and hope" during a relationship, as well as Gaga's religious faith during the chorus, ultimately making it a song with a positive message. It shows Gaga singing in a white studio, and also her in a desert, breaking down before being rescued by her friends.


representations as a female:

• she is sat in a chair getting all of her hair and makeup done for a show that she is performing, made to dress up and be stereotypical feminine.
• baby pink suit which is contrasting as the pink is stereotypically a feminine colour but the suit is more masculine.
• when performing in the white room with the suit on, sh has extremely long blonde hair which is stereotypically feminine 
• she is shown to be a strong woman as she is crying and trying to run away from all the drama but she still gets back up and hides her feelings to perform for the people and cameras.

mise-en-scene:

• when she is in the desert the sun is setting and it is quite dusky but with an orange hue, this could show that something is ending but there is still a glimmer of hope in the distance.
• wearing a black hat and dark sunglasses after crying to conceal her identity and hide what she is going through. (postmodernism)
• her playing the guitar could be a tribute to her writing her own songs and being fairly independent in that field, the one thing that she doesn't need someone for. represent her music and that it is still standing strong after the breakup.