Intertextuality

Intertextuality-

What is Intertextuality?

• Intertextuality is the shaping of texts meanings by other texts.
• This was introduced by Julia Kristeva.
• Julia Kristeva argued against the concept of a text as an isolated entity which operates in a self- contained manner and states that "any text is the absorption and transformation of another".
• Every text is a mosaic of references to other texts and genres.
• Some texts refer directly to each other
• The interpretation of these references is influenced by the audiences prior knowledge of other texts.

Intertextuality in music videos

• John Stuart description of the music video as ' Incorporating, raiding and reconstructing' is essentially the essence of Intertextuality.
• Using something familiar to the audience may generate both potentially nostalgic association and new meanings.
• it is perhaps more evident in the music video than in any other media form, with the exception of advertising.

This is a recent video by Iggy Azalea called 'Fancy' which shows a clear example of Intertextuality.  video shows Iggy as the main lead singer, dressed in a yellow suit, teaching the class. The location is set in a school and in the school fields where another member of the song called Charlie xox comes into it dancing as a cheerleader in the school field. It is evident to the audience that it is set in a school as Iggy is singing in a classroom filled with teenagers doing their work. As well as the school being a location, the video shows Iggy in her bedroom choosing an outfit to wear. The video is supposed to be shown in a different era, and the difference of how school was back in the days compared to how school is now.

The song and video is aimed for mainly girls, and due to the difference shown in time eras, it may appeal to women of all ages. This is particularly for women, as they would like to see the classic movie being shown in the form of a music video.

The artist Iggy Azalea perhaps used the use of different time eras in her music video to expand her audience and appeal not only to young teenage girls but perhaps to older middle aged women.





Taylor Swift- Love Story

 

This song is sang by Taylor Swift and is called 'Love Story'. The song is based on Shakespeare famous Romeo and Juliet story. There are many locations used in this song starting off ion a school then moving to a castle, a ballroom, the woods and a park. The locations used resemble a lot of Romeo and Juliet locations as in the play they are in similar locations such as a castle and a ballroom.
This video uses a main convention of pop videos- as it constantly cuts to Taylor singing on her own directly into the camera, whilst the narrative continues in the background.

Lighting is very important when used ina music video, especially when it comes to this music video in particular when the lighting is used to emphasise the mood of the characters. For example, when Taylor Swift is dancing with her man in the ballroom, the spotlights are very dim yet shiny and shows their love, passion and affection for one another. However when they are both in the woods, the lighting is very dark and gloomy, which again emphasises their mood as being angry, upset and in a sense mysterious.

The video is shown in two different eras, as similar as the example used today. The two different eras are today and the 1900's. As it is set in two different eras, the costume of the main characters varies. In her high school days she is wearing modern clothing that many girls would wear today, and when she goes back to the  1900s, her dress sense changes to a traditional gown worn by women in those days.

The make up and props again resemble the different eras, e.g. the 1900s chandeliers and massive rooms show it clearly is set in a castle in that era. Her make up is very light and sophisticated as a woman should have been in those days.

A variety of shots have been added, including a close up of the main character singing, and a birds eye view of the main lead singer and her partner dancing in the ballroom.