Synopsis

After a plane crash strands Katy Perry in a jungle, her self-absorbed companion is quickly taken by a tiger, leaving her to survive alone. She gradually adapts to the environment, befriending a monkey and an elephant while turning discarded items into useful tools. As her confidence grows, she confronts the tiger and establishes herself as the jungle's dominant figure. The video closes with Perry seated on a throne among her animal companions, suggesting that her transformation into a fearless leader was more than a dream.

Factoids & Trivia

• The video premiered on September 5, 2013, shortly after "Roar" reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.

• Although it appears to take place in a remote jungle, much of the live-action footage was shot at the Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden in Arcadia, California.

• Visual effects studio Mirada had approximately three weeks to complete post-production on the nearly five-minute video.

• The final cut contains 139 shots. Digital work included jungle extensions, cleanup around the animal footage, the cave animation, and the fireflies that form a tiger's head.

• Several animals were filmed on set, while visual effects were used to expand the jungle environment and enhance selected animal scenes.

• Perry performed much of her own physical work, including swinging on a vine and appearing on a tall waterfall set.

• The tiger's collar reads "Kitty Purry," a reference to Perry's pet cat and an in-joke that turns the intimidating animal into part of her personal mythology.

• The video's use of exotic animals drew criticism from PETA. Perry later cited an American Humane Association review stating that its filmed-media safety guidelines had been followed and that no animal was harmed during production.

• In July 2015, "Roar" became one of the first music videos to pass one billion views on Vevo. It also made Perry the first artist to have two videos reach that milestone.