CD case interpretation

This is the cover of the Blondie CD 'Sunday Girl' from 1979, her second UK number 1.

Although Blondie is a band, the CD only contains the main star, Debbie Harry.

The photo of her is a sterotypical shot of glamour, with long blonde wavey hair, red lips and strong bone features. This connotates the rock esque glamour that she created in her peak of fame.

Because this song was released at her peak of fame, I think having her looking back on the case as a representation on her looking back on her previous not so sucessful fame and could be looking back at 'the little people' that created her into the star she is now. Usually when people reach the peak of fame, they become in their own little world and forget what people brought them there.

The title of the song is 'Sunday girl' which connotates the idea of a good, wholesome girl who goes to church/sunday school. By having this on the red background, this challenges the idea and gives an oposite almost sarcastic effect. Red connotates sex, danger and love which challenges the idea of the wholesome sunday school girl. Also by having Debbie Harry in quite skimpy clothing that also adds to the effect of going the oposite sarcastic way.

The back of the Cd case is done in a simple style, with a shot of the entire group on the back. It is done in a relaxed poleroid style which shows that they are a close band who despite having all this sucess they are still who they origionally were.

This is a promotional poster for Gwen Stefani's album Love.angel.music.baby.

Gwen Stefani is seen as quite a rebelious star, doing things her own way despite what anyone tells her.

In this poster she is depecited as a regal royal figure. She however has decided to challenge that and go against it by rebelling. She is slouching, taken the crown off her head and is holding it, and has been painted in a blotchy more smudged style compared to the stereotypical style of fine art.

This could be a a representation of being your own person, I think this poster has been represented in this way as she does not care about her social standing or figure in society she only cares about 4 things - love, angel, music, baby, which links into her album release.

Cast sheet

I chose to use Kadie Hutty as the main star in my music video. I chose her because she has connotations of glamour in her looks such as long dark wavey extensions and a tall slim figure. This works because she actually looks like a celebrity and it fits the critera needed.

Location list

In my video I have only shot in two locations: a bedroom and a garden (with a breif run through down the stairs and through the kitchen).

I have chosen to shoot the majority of the video in a bedroom. This room is a very girly room with posters of celebrities and club nights on the wall. The main theme of the room is pink which suggests girlyness and glamour. I have several shots of the camera tracking through the wardrobes and shoe racks to connotate scenes of glamour. I also have a large circle mirror which is shown to connotate the stereotype of celebrity glamour.

I chose to do the final scenes in the garden whilst the star is having her breakdown because it shows that although running out of her behind closed doors life and into the open she is still trapped from the fame monster.

Prop list

These are all the items I used in my film:

• Make up items
• Perfume bottles
• Blackberry
• Fur coat
• Vodka bottles and glasses
• Hair appliances
• Wardrobe
• Shoe rack and shoes
• Clothing inside wardrobe
• Mirrors
• Flowers
• Posters on wall

The fame monster

In current popular culture, there is a reoccurring theme of 'the fame monster' through popular artist Lady Gaga.

Her second studio album is titled this as she feels its demonstrated her catapult to fame in the space of a year with its downfalls.

The dark side of fame is very apparent in celebrity culture, including famous breakdowns from the likes of Britney Spears who was once a wholesome character representing brands such as Disney. It is suggested that although fame is something people may so desperately crave, it isn't worth it as the dark side overshadows the light. Things such as the paparazzi, amount of work being given and constant competition to maintain your looks to keep yourself in the game appear to be the main concerns which can lead to things such as alcohol abuse, drugs, eating disorders and full blown breakdowns which lead the star to wonder who they are anymore.

In my video I am demonstrating the dark side of fame, with the camera representing 'the fame monster' who is always around the star.

The beginning of the film starts with connotations of glamour, such as make up, shoes, clothes, jewelry and so forth. I have my main star apply these and wear things such as heels and a fur coat to make her look the part and show she is a true star in her own right. The star then takes a call (on a Blackberry, which is a sign of understanding modern culture) and although at first the call appears to be good, it isn't and she throws the phone and begins to have a tantrum. The context of the phone call is unaware to the viewer. I have chosen to do this because when most celebrities have breakdowns the cause of the matter is often unapparent to the public eye and many causes are formed through celebrity culture media. The star then turns to abusing herself through the form of alcoholism, as a celebrity things such as these are always easily available which may be a reason why so many are alcoholics. The star then begins to have dizzy spells looking around, questioning herself and her surroundings. I have some shots of the star pushing away the camera demonstrating that the camera is the fame monster that has captured her and ruined her. I have the next scenes of her being chased through the house and into the garden through a tracking shot behind to show the fame is chasing her despite her best attempts to escape from it. I have her run into the garden still being chased to show that it isn't only effecting her behind closed doors but in the open too and despite being in the open air she is still in trouble and is still trapped. The final shot is of her staring straight into the camera with an empty stare, this suggests that she has stopped running and she doesn't know who she is anymore and the fame monster has well and truly trapped her.

This links to the song by Blondie "Atomic" because I am demonstrating that she is an atomic bomb waiting to go off, with the fame and celebrity culture being the person setting the bomb off.