Codes and Conventions of Music VideosJustine Mason

Camera

Long shots, mid shots and close-ups – emphasise artist/band, location and emotions.

Close-ups – when artist singing/miming – emphasise words of song – show personality of artist/band.

Hand-held – create ‘home video’ effect – typically used in indie/folk genre.

Mise en scene

Party/club/house – typically used in hip-hop/pop genre – e.g. Taylor Swift – 22.

Outside – typically used in folk/indie genre – e.g. Cocos Lovers – Emily.

Costume – reflects genre to appeal to viewers.

Editing

Jump-cuts – break rules of continuity editing – allows sudden change from scene to scene.

Fade/dissolve – more subtle – different effect created – typically used in a slow-paced song.

Fast-paced editing – used on upbeat songs.

Cutting – related to rhythm of music.

Intercutting – used between performance and narrative.

Lighting

Suggests mood of song.

Artificial lighting – enhances artist/band.

Black and white – create sophisticated/vintage atmosphere – typically used in indie/rock/folk genre – e.g. The Neighbourhood – Sweater weather.

Colour scheme

Sets mood of song – creates atmosphere.

Reflective of genre – e.g. rock genre such as Kings of Leon = dark colours, hip-hop/pop genre such as Katy Perry = bright colours.

Props

Alcohol/drugs – typically used in hip-hop and indie/rock genre – e.g. Arctic Monkeys – Why’d You Only Call Me When You’re High?

Expensive cars – typically used in hip-hop and pop genre – e.g. M.I.A. – Bad Girls.

Performance/Conceptuality Performance from artist/band – live or staged – music videos originally developed from clips of performances.

No narrative – only follows genre – typically used in hip-hop videos.

Cameo – artist/band features but doesn’t perform – observes narrative, part of narrative or completely separate.

Narrative – relates to lyrics – could be short film with beginning, middle and end – or parts of narrative throughout video

Random Narrative – contradicts song and lyrics for effect.

Video used to promote new film - clips of film featured e.g. Bruno Mars – It Will Rain, featuring clips from Twilight.

Intertextuality with films, TV and other videos – mimic other film/TV genres – e.g. horror (Michael Jackson – Thriller), sci-fi (Katy Perry – E.T.).

Thematic

Themes depend on genre – e.g. rock/heavy metal = performance dominated, hip-hop/rap = ‘street/urban’ images.

Dance routines – typically used in pop/hip-hop genre – generally female bands/artists – e.g. Beyoncé's videos.

Spectacle

Direct mode of address – band/artist interacting with audience – creating personal relationship.

Females – typically the object of erotic gaze – Mulvey’s ‘male gaze’ theory – dressed/posed in sexual ways – typically in hip-hop/pop genre – e.g. Nicki Minaj – Anaconda.