CODES AND CONVENTIONS OF A MUSIC VIDEO

By Ellen Whight

WHAT IS A MUSIC VIDEO?

A music video is short film integrating a song and imagery together for promotional, advertisement and artistic purposes. In today's society music videos are used to promote an artist by their music, look, and even advertising their own products or someone else’s. A music video is also used to promote an artists new upcoming song not just by hearing the song but visually to. Music videos have been around since the 1980’s. There are many styles used to film a music video using techniques such as animation, live action filming, documentaries and non narrative approaches such as abstract film, some music videos blend two techniques and styles together. Many music videos use and interpret images, scenes and techniques from their song lyrics making sure the song goes with the video that’s being filmed where as other music videos take a more thematic approach. Some music videos may not have an concept i.e. A music video showing the new upcoming song being performed live.

Type Of PerformancesThere are three main types of performances:

•Commercial Exhibitionist - An artist sells their image to be the newest upcoming artist, stealing the spot light from other artists. Through a music video they sell their image, voice, face, lifestyle and records. By using this type of performance the commercial exhibitionist wants success. •Television Bard – An artist or band tell a story through images on the screen instead of inner personal images. This type of performance shows images to create a story about life and death. The television bard usually only contemplates her, his or their own greatness and unfulfilled wishes. •Electronic Shaman – The shaman can sometimes be hidden in the music video, only hers, his or their voices and rhythm can only be heard, anchors the visual. The electronic shaman promises that there is a hidden meaning in everything i.e. He, she or they promise we live in a magical, mythical reality. This is the least used type of performance.

MUSIC VIDEO STYLESA music video can be categorized depending on it’s style and how it has been filmed. These styles are:

•Standard Clip – A music video that contains more or less then three visual traditions: a filmed singer is blended in with inserted images and the presentation is artistically influenced by the experimental film tradition. •Performance Clip - If a video contains mostly filmed performance then is a performance clip. The performance can take place anywhere. •Narrative Clip – If a music video is mostly appropriately understood as a short silent movie to a musical background then it is a narrative clip. A narrative clip contains a visual story that is easy to follow. A pure narrative clip contains no lip-synchronised singing. •Art Clip – If a music video contains no perceptible visual narrative and contains no lip – synchronised singing then is a pure art clip.

CAMERA STYLES

A music video contains a lot of different camera styles and techniques depending on the style of the music video such as:

• Close up shots especially in a performance music video. • Extreme close up shots of the artist/band, their instruments, face and lips. • Crane shots which hovering over stage images.• Low angle shots. • Pans and tilts moving around, moving to different performances. • Tracking.

MUSIC

The music is one of the main features of a music video, if their was no music the music video would be a silent movie. The music makes the video, the video is either based around the music and it’s lyrics or nothing to do with it at all. A music video can include images which are bound together to go with the beat/rhythm and other musical features. The musical elements can help shape the moving image, movements such as footsteps, tapping, walking or dance are often synchronised with the beat of the song, showing the people in the music video to be in synch with the music which we can only hear, it sometimes looks as if they can hear it to.

EDITING AND SOUND

Editing and sound are a major thing when it comes to filming and making the finished product. Editing involved things such as jump cutting, putting scene sequences together, cross cutting etc. Normally footage is edited to the match the music, it is also edited so that the lip syncing looks right and fits with the music. Editing can also include split screens/CGI, including diegetic sound and changing the levels of sound. Voice over's can be edited in and other noises which go with narrative of the music video.

MIS EN SCENE

Mis en scene of a music video can depend on the genre of the music, lyrics and the type of music video that is being filmed. Mis en scene can include, clothing (certain outfits for different people, artist, band) , make up, themes, props, performance equipment, artist merchandise, locations (concert halls, venues, streets houses etc) and facial expressions.

LYRICS

The lyrics can help create a narrative for the music video, yet sometimes the music video has nothing to do with the lyrics. In most music videos a new meaning is added to the lyrics through metaphorical language. Lyrics can be illustrated by visual images, scenes etc. For example if the lyrics mention a couple splitting up you will see a couple arguing and splitting up on the screen.

IMAGERY

By using different colours within a music video they can interpret different moods of the song, video or the mood of the person being filmed. Using different images or moving images can help create an atmosphere for the audience watching the video. By manipulating colour, motive setting, story footage, clothing etc the director can create ideas which are repeated and varied in the music video.

Analysis Of A Music Video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3U72hzeBLOw&feature=relmfu

Nicki Minaj – Va Va Voom

NICKI MINAJ – VA VA VOOM

As the music video starts there is a fantasy theme , some fairy tales are explored through out the video. Diegetic sound starts off with the sound of falling water and birds tweeting, then fades in to the opening of the song. Unicorns ride in, a fantasy creature of beauty, then the featuring artist, Nicki Minaj enters in a white, princess looking dress with a man who is dressed like a huntsmen both of the costumes create a fantasy theme through the first sequence of the video.

Nicki Minaj’s costume s give off a fantasy feel as she is dressed in sparkly princess dresses depending on what character she’s playing within the music video, here she has an unusual costume on, it looks like a unicorn still a fantasy creature keeping with the theme of the fantasy. Mis-en-scene ties in with the fantasy theme, with the little cottage in the middle of the forest. The lighting in this scene is quite bright and has a yellowy tinge making it look old.

This shot shows Nicki Minaj in danger, going with the fairytale theme of a damsel in distress.

This scene reminds me of Snow White when she is in a deep sleep in the middle of the woods in a class case/coffin waiting for her prince charming to come and save her, this goes with the lyrics of the song as this is what the song is about. A close shot of Nicki Minaj in the glass case/coffin, wearing a formal dress which is white showing good, chastity etc. This shot shows her prince charming has come to her rescue, the man is young and handsome and fits the typical prince charming look. His costume is old fashioned and fits with the fantasy theme.

This shot makes Nicki Minaj look evil as she is wearing a black costume luring the price to her. This also looks like the evil queen from Snow White looking into the mirror. Again a fantasy shot with the dark background and Nicki Minaj standing out from it by wearing a white dress. Nicki Minaj wearing a odd costume yet white again showing good with bright red hair all standing out from the dark background, she is also wearing a mask to cover up her identity. There is also a harsh lighting on her lighting up her from the background.