CONVENTIONS IN A MUSIC VIDEO

PURPOSE OF A MUSIC VIDEO

Promotes a single and album Promotes the artist or band Creates, adapts or feeds into a stars image Sets the meaning of a song using images.

BASIC STRUCTURES

A music video should conventionally be 3-4 minutes with a combination of a live performance, narrative and other computer graphics.

Many music videos include performances of artists as part of the video

It was from clips of performances that music videos developed

Can be a live stage performance, with shots of artists and audiences

Can be the artists in real life situation e.g. fooling around, talking

IDEA OF SPECTACLE Music videos can be considered to be examples of spectacle.

This is when the performers are performing, often looking directly at the viewer. This is called direct address which is when they are directly interacting with the viewer.

Examples: In the case of men, this involves the look of the character towards

the viewer. The male is seen to be addressing the viewer directly. He is supposed to be singing directly at you.

The female figure is often an object of an erotic gaze, object of males desire which is a voyeuristic gaze. Which is someone who looks at someone for pleasure. Women in music videos are often dresses and posed in sexual ways.

NARRATIVE

Often the video tells a story either that features in the lyrics or is suggested in the lyrics .e.g. boy dumps girl

Like a mini film with a beginning, middle and end

Very fast paced, lots of shots and cuts Sometimes the story can contradict what is said for effect

THEMATIC

There are lots of common themes in music videos

Depends on the genre of music Heavy metal bands go for dominant clips Rap will have street images Female artists have dance sequences

ANDREW GOODWIN

Andrew Goodwin identifies 5 key aspects of music videos that the audiences look out for which is: Thought beats – seeing the sound Narrative and performance The star image Relation of visuals to song Technical aspects of music videos

THOUGHT BEATS

First step: is to look at the music itself and take into account the structure of the song

Second: the voice of the song, the artists voice is extremely unique and can form identification it trademarks that work well with the star image. Ronald Barthes theory of the Grain of voice can be related to this. He sees the singing voice as an expressive instrument and therefore able to make an association of its own

Third: He points out the artists mode of address. Songs can be seen as stories and the artist the storyteller, making the music video a two was communication device, them telling us the story and us listening.

NARRATIVE AND PERFORMANCE

We only tend to typically get the git of the meaning of the song and then tend to make up our own idea to what is being told. Goodwin explains that music videos should ignore common narrative. It is important in their role of advertising. Music videos should coherent repeatability. Narrative and performance work hand in hand it makes it easier for the audience to watch over and over without loosing interest. The artist acting as both narrator and participant helps to increase the authenticity however the lip sync and other mimed actors remains the heart of music videos. The audience need to believe its real.

THE STAR IMAGE

The star image is another vital aspect of music videos. Meta narrative which is a big story that describes the development of the star over time, it has an important part to play in the music video production process.

RELATION OF VISUALS TO SONG

This is similar to repeatability. Meanings and effects are manipulated and constantly shown through the video and drummed into our vision

This is where the meaning of the song is completely ignored

Music videos can use a set of images to illustrate the meaning of lyrics and genre, this is the most common

TECHNICAL ASPECTS

Technical aspects hold the music video together through use of camera work, movement, angle, mise-en-scene, editing, sound and special effects.

Speed, camera movement, editing, cutting and post production are all forms of use of camera. Lighting and colour help set the moods and emphasise the key moments of the song for dramatic effect.

Mise-en-scene, the setting of music videos is vital, it needs to look authentic to attain professionalism

Beats, music videos use cuts to go with the beat or rhythm making music videos more entertaining.