Which kind of music video do you prefer?

[15jocart 2,305]

So I watched all of Gaga's videos and I've determined that they fall into two visual categories: minimalistic and realistic. Her "minimalistic" videos are usually set in a non-specific setting and may or may not have an actual storyline while her "realistic" videos are set concretely in the real world. I chose these words to best capture what I meant by the two categories; minimalistic doesn't mean simple or plain just as realistic doesn't mean necessarily mean that the events could happen in real life. Instead of explaining the aesthetics of each I'll just show you. If it's not clear then I'm sorry in advance 

Minimalistic

Bad Romance is the best example of a minimalistic Gaga video. It's all set in the same bathhouse and could take place theoretically anywhere in the world (although I think it's the Russian mafia right? #flopfan ). The only thing that gives away the time period is the product placement (laptops, Wii nunchuk, etc.) Other than that, it's purposely ambiguous. The color white ties together all of the scenes very nicely.

The G.U.Y. portion of the ARTPOP film is pretty similar to Bad Romance with a dance sequence in a large white room (I consider the G.U.Y. flower room to be a visual successor to the bathhouse in BR). Other settings include a flower wall and the Hearst Castle as well as a very futuristic scientific lab (I'm only including settings in the G.U.Y.-only version of the video.) Like Bad Romance, the visuals are sleek and have a common theme with what's going on in the scene (costumes, props, etc.).

The Born This Way video may involve a grandiose creation story and kaleidoscopic visual effects, but for all intents and purposes it's going in the minimalistic category (it sure ain't realistic, that's for sure ). It is much darker visually, with the default color being black rather than white, but visually fits better with BR and G.U.Y. than, say, Telephone.

Like Born This Way, the Applause video is visually dark (although not thematically). It references everything from Botticelli's Birth of Venus painting to the myth of Icarus. It features a lot of different scenes but all are relatively minimalistic, set in a black room (with the exception of the final leg scene). The video is more an anthology of references than a story, but the visuals sure are precise.

Other "minimalistic" videos include Alejandro. The DWUW video looked like it would have fallen into this category as well 

 

Realistic

These videos take place in what is clearly the real world with a more "gritty" or authentic feel than the clean look of the minimalistic videos. I hope I explain that decently lol.

Marry the Night is the best example of a "realistic" video in that it is a dramatized version of real events. Compared to the videos in the "minimalistic" category, the settings of MTN are very concrete: a hospital ward, a theatre, Gaga's apartment, a dance studio, a parking lot, etc. It's clearly set in the real world.

Telephone is set in a jail, a diner, and a highway. Clearly Beyonce isn't bailing people out of jail and going on murder sprees in real life (or is she ) but this video is set somewhere in the American West. It's Gaga's campiest video to date (which is why I love it), a definite break from the artistic nature of the minimalistic videos.

Judas' video is a retelling of the Biblical tale of Judas. Judas, Jesus and the gang are depicted as just that--a gang. Bad Romance's "twin" has a much different video, one set in a crowded bar (or whatever an Electric Chapel is). Other scenes include a sorta dirty alleyway and other unsanitary looking venues . This video is especially anachronistic, with motorcycles and neon lights interspersed with scenes that are supposed to recall the days of Jesus. Also Gaga wears a cool bandana.

Poker Face is one of Gaga's easiest and most enduring hits. The video is a little outdated compared to what she's put out since, but it's a product of her earlier days. Like G.U.Y., it's set in a mansion (although this one isn't as nice). Because it's from earlier in her career, it has some more generic elements (I can't imagine Gaga dancing by a pool now with a fog machine ) but it's a great video nonetheless.

Other "realistic" videos include: LoveGame, You and I, Just Dance, Paparazzi, The Edge of Glory, Eh Eh, and Beautiful Dirty Rich. The scrapped Edge of Glory video looked like it would have been in this category as well.

 

Now that you read my overly long explanation of these categories, which style do you prefer Gaga to do? She's produced magic with both, so I'm just curious to see what you guys would want for LG5.

[Sizzily 14,543]

"Realistic" because Paparazzi.

[Anderson123 35,381]

Both! All of her videos are very unique. I'm not going to say I want the next ones to be minimalistic or realistic because it all depends on the concept of the video she's recording.

I gotta say, when she releases "Fantasy" music videos like Bad Romance, Judas, Born This Way, etc. it makes it entertaining to watch and understand it, so I'd say those are probably more fun, especially because she gets inspiration from Stanley Kubrick, Hitchcock, etc. among many other people's work. Of course with Marry The Night it was based on her life and it was a beautiful video, a lot more down to earth but still dramatic.

Poker Face may have been recorded with a low budget, but it still looks good. You have no idea how crazy it is to be in a club and the music video starts playing. Gaga made that music video iconic, even if it didn't feature any major visual effects, but the song and her image really had an impact.

[15jocart 2,305]

4 minutes ago, Alan123 said:

Both! All of her videos are very unique. I'm not going to say I want the next ones to be minimalistic or realistic because it all depends on the concept of the video she's recording.

I gotta say, when she releases "Fantasy" music videos like Bad Romance, Judas, Born This Way, etc. it makes it entertaining to watch and understand it, so I'd say those are probably more fun, especially because she gets inspiration from Stanley Kubrick, Hitchcock, etc. among many other people's work. Of course with Marry The Night it was based on her life and it was a beautiful video, a lot more down to earth but still dramatic.

Poker Face may have been recorded with a low budget, but it still looks good. You have no idea how crazy it is to be in a club and the music video starts playing. Gaga made that music video iconic, even if it didn't feature any major visual effects, but the song and her image really had an impact.

I was thinking the same thing, that her strongest videos are the ones that have a clear storyline (BTW, Telephone, Paparazzi, Judas, BR [although when I first watched it in 2009 I had no clue what was going on ], and to an extent You and I).

[Serendipity 7,821]

Best of Both (worlds)  

[littlepotter 74,214]

Wow, what a great post! You really thought about it.

I kinda fail to see how you categorized these videos, though. For me, a video like GUY is everything but minimalistic Edge of Glory is what I would call minimalistic. Doesn't mean it's not realistic as well. 

Actually I can't think of a lot of Gaga videos that fit into 'minimalistic' because well she's never been that way  I didn't get your pov.

[Fiona Apple 13,006]

I generally like more short music videos tbh. Bad Romance,Judas,Applause are all great for me. I love G.U.Y but I never watch it anymore because it's too long XD (I never liked the telephone video though)

Also I wouldn't really call BTW or GUY minimalistic videos :p 

[15jocart 2,305]

1 minute ago, littlepotter said:

Wow, what a great post! You really thought about it.

I kinda fail to see how you categorized these videos, though. For me, a video like GUY is everything but minimalistic Edge of Glory is what I would call minimalistic. Doesn't mean it's not realistic as well. 

Actually I can't think of a lot of Gaga videos that fit into 'minimalistic' because well she's never been that way  I didn't get your pov.

The categories are purely visual. I couldn't think of a better word than minimalistic to describe BR/BTW/the GUY part of the ARTPOP film. What I mean is visually sleek and rather ambiguous in terms of setting. I put TEOG in the "realistic" category because it's very clearly set in New York City and even though it's a rather "tame" video it's more visually similar to LoveGame than it is to Born This Way or something like that. Sorry it's hard to explain very well 

[Warholian 6,880]

It's sort of a hit or miss with minimalistic videos. Honestly, I really want her videos for LG5 to have story lines with multiple actors and expensive production. Put those months of acting on AHS to use, mom.

[Daredevil 2,133]

Gaga's minimalistic videos have so much detail. That's why I love Gaga 

[Brainiac 10,585]

The last word I would ever use to describe the Bad Romance video is "minimalistic." 

[Weasel 12,525]

Realistic for sure. But it can be a mix of both. However, I remember hating Applause, Alejandro, Born this way and such because they were all shot in a (basic) studio. I also remember how we knew she was shooting applause at some studio and people looked up the studio and there was this new york street looking set in the studio and so I expected some dance scene with people in the streets, like JLo's new video. 

And it turned out to be an entire video filmed in front of a boring black background. 

[15jocart 2,305]

3 minutes ago, Weasel said:

Realistic for sure. But it can be a mix of both. However, I remember hating Applause, Alejandro, Born this way and such because they were all shot in a (basic) studio. I also remember how we knew she was shooting applause at some studio and people looked up the studio and there was this new york street looking set in the studio and so I expected some dance scene with people in the streets, like JLo's new video. 

And it turned out to be an entire video filmed in front of a boring black background. 

That's the exact definition of the two categories I mean!! I just couldn't explain it. 

[15jocart 2,305]

10 minutes ago, Brainiac said:

The last word I would ever use to describe the Bad Romance video is "minimalistic." 

Visually it's very clean and sleek (to the point that it could be called "sterile," which I think they were going for). Compared to the grittiness of LoveGame or Just Dance. Ya feel?

[AyaKara 2,281]

Hey 15jocart! I had to remove the DWUW .gif because, although it's Gaga, it's considered sexually explicit feel free to replace it with a photo from the vid (minus that one, of course )

I love this thread!! I always used to analyze Gaga's vids. Alejandro is my favorite, but all of her videos are great.

I do prefer minimalistic better, as long as it's unique and done well.