Kanye West Touch The Sky Analysis Script

1. In terms of RICHARD DYERS star theory, in this video, KANYES image contrasts drastically to that of later albums (MBDTF and YEEZUS). This video follows on the image and end-themes of his debut album COLLEGE DROPOUT; his struggle to breakthrough into moving to NEW YORK in hopes of a record deal and his consumerist dreams of owning high-end fashion items. LYRICS BACK WHEN GUCCI WAS THE **** TO ROCK ID DO ANYTHING TO SAY I GOT IT APPEAR ON BLACK NARRATOR (CONTD) the music industry, the turbulent times of NARRATOR

KANYE does share similar themes in this video that are present in subsequent albums

such as MBDTF and YEEZUS. His frustrations of not getting the respect he feels he deserves and to challenge the industry or genre conventions. However, KANYE is far more controversial and direct in his lyrics and has changed his image, which is evident in videos such as BLKKK SKKKNHEAD SCREENSHOTS APPEAR SIDE BY SIDE BLKKK SKKKNHEAD AND TOUCH THE SKY NARRATOR (CONTD) KANYE directly attacks music corporations and feels its his duty to speak about the restraints from record labels and the genre conventions that makes creativity stagnant. This new image is directed more a specific target audience, such as hopeful up-and-coming artists, differing from his previous more commercialised work. INSERT SNIPPET OF HOLD MY LIQUOR F**K YOU AND YOUR CORPORATIONS

YOU N****S CANT CONTROL ME FOLLOWED BY CLIP OF KANYE/ZANE LOWE INTERVIEW (2:46 2:50) (3:

CUT TO: 2. KANYE in this video is what DYER would audiences can identify with rather than admire so much. In this video, he is leaving that real image somewhat and becoming the manufactured product of the music industry. 3. TOUCH THE SKY conforms to GOODWINS theory of intertextuality through mies-en-scene. KANYE dresses and plays the character EVEL KANYEVEL alluding to famous stuntman EVEL KNIEVEL and fits in to GOODWINs theory of NARRATOR consider to be a real character in which NARRATOR

relationship between lyrics and visuals or title of song and the visual text amplifying lyrics. CUTS TO SCREENSHOT OF KANYE SIDE BY SIDE WITH PHOTORAPH ON EVEL KNIEVEL

There are other examples of intertextuality in the video, for example during the skit with NIA LONG and TRACEE ELLIS ROSS. TRACEE a white girl references a KANYE line in a previous video GOLD DIGGER. FREEZE FRAME AND POINT WHEN IT OCCURS IN TOUCH THE SKY THEN SHOW CLIP OF LINE IN GOLD DIGGER (2:36 3:08 in TTS) (3:16-3:19 GD) ELLIS ROSS says he gon leave yo ass from

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4. TOUCH THE SKY also employs TODOROVS EQUILIBRIUM NARRATIVE THEORY. A STUNT MAN prepares to fly over the GRAND CANYON in a ROCKET, whilst battling against his duties to appease his GIRLFRIEND and his desire to pull the stunt. Another twist occurs when his JEALOUS EX-GIRLFRIEND shows up at the event, causing tension. couple resolve their issues. The narrative ends with the stunt man dying during the stunt. The video also incorporates LEVI-STRAUSS BINARY OPPOSITIONS THEORY. In terms KANYE has a WHITE GIRLFRIEND and BLACK EX-GIRLFRIEND fighting over him. The WHITE GIRLFRIEND is SUPPORTIVE whereas the BLACK GIRLFRIEND is oppressive. Finally TOUCH THE SKY uses PROPPS CHARACTER ARCHETYPE THEORY in which PAMELA ANDERSON plays the DAMSEL IN However there is a new equilibrium when the NARRATOR

DISTRESS, NIA LONG the VILLAIN and KANYE the HERO. SCREENGRABS OF NIA LONG, KANYE AND CAPTION APPEAR WITH VILLAIN, HERO AND DAMSEL IN DISTRESS ABOVE IMAGES.

5. This video fits into LAURA MULVEYS MALE GAZE THEORY. Men to appeal to heterosexual men construct Media texts and women are objectified through cinematography and costume. PAMELA ANDERSON is proactively dressed and is a cultural sex symbol. NARRATOR

6. NARRATOR

Touch The Sky has an element of performance in the video, changing the video structure from narrative to hybrid; however the performance fits seamlessly into the context of the videos narrative. LUPE FIASCO raps his verse at a concert performance. Another part of Touch The Sky conforms to hip-hop genre conventions is the use of a skit with NIA LONG and TRACEE-ELLIS ROSS. The use of a skit with celebrities featuring was common in hip-hop music videos in the late nineties/early noughties. Skits were also associated with KANYE WEST videos as he uses a skit in NEW WORKOUT PLAN, featuring cameos from ANNA NICOLE-SMITH, FONZWORTH BENTLEY, JOHN LEGEND, GLC, VIDA GUERRA and TRACEE ELLIS-ROSS. 7. In terms of verbal codes, the typography is typical of 1970s action TV shows, such as STARSKY and HUTCH. The typography matches the cinematography with is shot with NARRATOR

the grainy pixilation of 1970s shows and ties into the mies-en-scene of the video. FADE OUT