Genre Specific Evaluation - The One That Got Away

Institutional Information

"The one that got away" is a song by American singer Katy Perry for the album Teenage Dream. The song is a mid-tempo pop ballad about a lost love. It features references to the rock band Radiohead as was as the relationship of Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash to express the strength of the relationship. The video was shot at the Lima Residence, a contemporary home located in Calabasas. Mexican actor Diego Luna plays Katy Perry's boyfriend in the video. A teaser trailer for the music video was released and narrated by Stevie Nicks who provides an elderly womans voice speaking about the past and her desire to go back one day which contains scenes of her and her past boyfriend fighting and scenes of them in love. She is later shown as a nostalgic elderly woman dress conservatively and standing by a fence looking into the distance.

Target Audience

The primary target audience for this genre would be aimed at young viewers, from around pre-teen to teenagers as it is a pop ballad with an upbeat twist. The video tackles themes of young love and hints death however there are no promiscuous moments.

Narrative

 The opening sequence shows and elderly couple in a large home in a futuristic setting however the tone is melancholy due to the greyscale filter over the shots which suggests a stagnant nature to their lives.(0:22). The elderly woman is Katy Perry in the future however she is nostalgic and has flashbacks of her life with her past love(0:28) The nostalgic shots are tainted with a warm filter to show the warmth of the relationship to the audience. The pair appear to have a simplistic and laid back lifestyle with very different priorities to what the elderly woman has. The shot shows a mattress on the floor, half decorated walls covered in the couples art and the pair are wearing oversized shirts with messy hair suggesting that they are only spending to day together there. (0:45) The over the shoulder shot shows the perspective of the boyfriend seeing his girlfriend stood next to his painting of her suggesting that she is his muse and inspiration. (0:47) Proximity is shown between the pair with a kiss and hands clasped around their faces.

(0:51) The warm safety of the flashback is then heavily contrasted with the current day situation of the elderly woman alone at night time on her bed. The room around her is grey reflecting her depressed mood. (1:10) The dynamics between the couple are equal and there appears to be no struggle for power. They do not follow the stereotypical codes and conventions of a heterosexual relationship shown in this shot as she is the one with her arm around him. (1:21) This shot shows the couple going to a dance where they are surrounded by elderly people however they are dressed like they are going to a 1950's prom. The pair dance with various people in the room before stealing a bottle of wine and a candelabra. They take them back to their home that is only lit by candle light (1:49) where they tattoo each other with matching designs. (1:58) There is a cross cut to the elderly woman with the same tattoo on her wrinkled skin clearly showing that she has kept it as it is sacred to her.

(2:40) This is the first shot where the young couple fight over their art and he leaves their shared home with his guitar and drove away(3:07) The dark colour of the car suggests that something bad may happen and foreshadows what happens later in the video. This then cuts to a clip of the girlfriend in a frenzy crying(3:15) It is unclear whether she is crying about her boyfriend leaving or what happens later in the clip. (4:11) The elderly version of her character visits a sight with scenic views that is revealed where her previous boyfriend died. She visits wearing black to show her remorse and bereavement despite the loss being 50+ years ago.

 Editing 

Throughout the music video, the main editing technique is the cross cut editing between he flash back and current day. The use of a warm filter on the past, even when the male characters car falls off the cliff, creates a real nostalgic emotional feeling for the audience unifying the audience with the characters.

Camera Angles

(0:28) This shot establishes the setting and location of where the two characters are living. It shows their occupation and living style which appears to be laid back artists with different priorities to others in society. (1:52) This two person shot shows their loyalty to one another as he is tattooing her freehand signifying her love and trust in him. It is dimly lit with warm candlelight connoting intimacy and romance between the pair despite the pain she may be in. (4:11) This shot is powerful because it shows the elderly version of her character in a warm filter perhaps suggesting that shes finally at peace with what has happened to her past love; however the fence connotes that there is a barrier preventing her to get to him in the next life.

Sound

At the beginning of the music video dialogue is shared between the elderly married couple however it is distant and brief. Then the music begins to play.