Conventions of a music video
Today in class we looked at what a music video includes:
- Looks professional.
- Variety of locations/ settings.
- Thought beats- the transitions happen in time with the music
- The music video tells the narrative (story) behind the song.
- The genre of the song and style of the music fits the music video.
- Lots of shots (Long and short shots), cuts, transitions and face pace editing.
- Filters- colours effects, good editing.
- Practical videos with no lip-syncing - dancing, instrumental, editing.
- Iconography- props
- Lip- syncing and overlapping videos
We then got set the task of analysing three music videos, identifying the conventions of a Pop, Rap and an Indie
genre'd music video:
Pop: Ariana Grande -Into You
The music video is a narrative which is typical of a Pop genre'd soundtrack. This is due to the music
video following the story line of a romantic love journey of the stereotypical girl and boy - with a fairy-tale
ending of them falling in love. The music video is also a narrative as we do not see a performance with the
presence of zero musical instruments, meaning the music video is not based off scenes from a gig, which
would be typical of an Indie genre'd soundtrack. The music video is neither a concept as it is clearly follows
a love story which matches the genre and lyrics of the film and the conventions the music video wants to portray.
The music video's cuts are also not quick and fragmented, the editing is mostly continuous - showing a nicely
flowing story line and not portraying the chaotic traits of a fast, short cuts rap music video. The mise en scene
is also closely matched to the lyrics and genre as the girl is shown to be a classy in a formal and classy
costume with the boy portraying the typical bad boy. The location is also shows a typically film premiere and a
contrast with a wild party. The main prop of the motorbike is also stereotypical of a girl rebelling with going
with the bad boy into the sunset.
Rap - Kanye West-Mercy
ending of them falling in love. The music video is also a narrative as we do not see a performance with the
presence of zero musical instruments, meaning the music video is not based off scenes from a gig, which
would be typical of an Indie genre'd soundtrack. The music video is neither a concept as it is clearly follows
a love story which matches the genre and lyrics of the film and the conventions the music video wants to portray.
The music video's cuts are also not quick and fragmented, the editing is mostly continuous - showing a nicely
flowing story line and not portraying the chaotic traits of a fast, short cuts rap music video. The mise en scene
is also closely matched to the lyrics and genre as the girl is shown to be a classy in a formal and classy
costume with the boy portraying the typical bad boy. The location is also shows a typically film premiere and a
contrast with a wild party. The main prop of the motorbike is also stereotypical of a girl rebelling with going
with the bad boy into the sunset.
Rap - Kanye West-Mercy
The music video is concept. This is due to the music video not following a storyline but just having their clips
focusing on them rapping the lyrics. The music video is not a performance as we do not see any instruments
or any of the people in the video playing any of the backing track, meaning all the scenes are just based off the
lyrics. The genre Rap is clearly identified through the choreography of the people as they are throwing themselves
around and are all up in the viewers faces - screaming the lyrics into the camera. The pace in the video is also
upped and cuts faster with shorted clips, from something like a Pop music video, through the camera being thrown
around to the word 'swerve' and the camera being less controlled as it is not following a narrative. The video is also
filmed in monochrome outlining the dingy, scary and powerful theme they are trying to portray - for example, they
are not child friendly in the video like a Pop genre'd music video, but instead quite threatening. The location within
the music video is stereotypical of what we would see a gang member hanging around in (an underground car park),
showing further the theme of scary and viscous as they scream the lyrics at the video/camera. For this being the
location as well, it mean it doesn't make the music video look 'all dolled up' and it makes it look less fancy
- contrasting further a Pop music video. The props also portray that of a Rap music video as the props are
things like gold chains and jewelry; in contrast, to the prop of the pony in the Taylor Swift music video.
Indie- Ed Sheeran- Give me love
or any of the people in the video playing any of the backing track, meaning all the scenes are just based off the
lyrics. The genre Rap is clearly identified through the choreography of the people as they are throwing themselves
around and are all up in the viewers faces - screaming the lyrics into the camera. The pace in the video is also
upped and cuts faster with shorted clips, from something like a Pop music video, through the camera being thrown
around to the word 'swerve' and the camera being less controlled as it is not following a narrative. The video is also
filmed in monochrome outlining the dingy, scary and powerful theme they are trying to portray - for example, they
are not child friendly in the video like a Pop genre'd music video, but instead quite threatening. The location within
the music video is stereotypical of what we would see a gang member hanging around in (an underground car park),
showing further the theme of scary and viscous as they scream the lyrics at the video/camera. For this being the
location as well, it mean it doesn't make the music video look 'all dolled up' and it makes it look less fancy
- contrasting further a Pop music video. The props also portray that of a Rap music video as the props are
things like gold chains and jewelry; in contrast, to the prop of the pony in the Taylor Swift music video.
Indie- Ed Sheeran- Give me love