Conventions of a…

Music video

Camera shots:Music videos tend to include many long shots, close ups and mid shots. This is to create emphasis on the artist, location and emotions. Also, close ups are used not only to show emotions but to reflect the words of the song with the movement of the lips of the artist.

The movement of the camera is used to follow and trace the artist or band. Camera movements include tilts, pans, tacking and crane shots.

This refers to the arrangement of performers and props on stage or in a scene for a production of a music video or any other media text. Mise-en-scene puts importance on the representation of something. An example is Wrecking ball by Miley Cyrus.

Mise-en-scene

The Video starts with the image of Miley singing the song into the camera, breaking the forth wall and making an instant connection with the audience. The fact that she is standing alone and the background is completely white reflects loneliness due to her breakup. Throughout the video Mileys feelings are echoed in the props. The wrecking ball shows her anger and need to break free and the walls around her shows her feeling of entrapment.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=My2FRPA3Gf8

Jump cuts is the predominant editing technique used in music videos. This is because this allows a sudden change from one scene to another. Similarly, transitions such as fade and dissolve are very common in music videos as they create a different effect to cuts.

EDITING

Some music videos are black and white which help emphasise a particular mood and some videos have artificial lighting which put the artist/s in an enhanced look.

Lighting

Sound is mainly the vocals or the song but some cases such as Michael Jackson – Thriller , the producers can make the music video into a short film.

Sound

Props: These are a vital in aiding to add to the scene and create significance on particular objects or people.

Costume: this goes with the scenes in the song and reflects the genre and in many cases the artists personality. Costume is an important factor because it is a slight influence on how the viewers will dress as they use some of the celebrities as role models.

Colour: Colours tend to set the mood of the song through creating an atmosphere. For example, dark colours are often used more in rock and punk songs by bands such as slipknot or kings of Leon and bright colours are used more in hip hop and pop songs by artists/bands such as Katy Perry and One direction.