In the following presentation I am going to outlines the different motifs that are used in music videos and a description about each one also showing examples of them used in modern music videos.

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*Common Motifs in Music Videos

*Fragmentation*Body fragmentation is a commonly used motif in music videos. Aspects of

this includes:

*Deliberately uses close ups on body parts such as the (eyes, mouth and breasts) to ‘excite’ the viewer.

*Fragmentation is also body obscured by objects

*Finally marching/ dancing feet can also be seen as fragmentation.

*Below is a print screen I took from Katy Perry’s music video ET. As you can see there is a use of closes up on body fragmentation specially the face (eyes) through out the video. This makes the viewer keep watching as its more interesting with rapid shots of the body.

*Mythical and Mysterious Aspects

* A popular motif featured in a lot of music videos is mythical and mysterious aspects

such as:

* Gothic mansions

* Make believe places (places from the past or fairy tale lands)

* Post apocalyptic

* In this screen shot you can see an example of a make believe place used in the music video of Katy Perry’s Roar video. Here you can see she is in a fake jungle as controls the animals in the video. The use of a make believe location to shot the music videos adds more excitement and different ideas to the video keeping the viewer keep watching. This also makes the music video more noticeable compared to other so the viewer is likely to come back and watch the video again.

*Horror* This motif uses extreme measures of violence and reference to Hell and Satan

in videos which cause a lot of controversy as it could upset certain religions. This aspect consists of:

* Extreme violence

*Hell

*War

* Satan/monsters

* In the music video below from (Rihanna Disturbia) you can see elements of hell. As you have the artist of the music video out of control, disturbed and underground prison with hell like creatures. This adds emphasises to the horror of the music video.

* Intertextuality shows a form of art recognizing itself as art, it can also be referencing to other works of art.

*This can be shown through shots of cameras, the actual sets, directors etc.

*As well as shown through the video where a musicians looking at him/herself in the mirror/glass/water and his aware of the audience.

* In this screen shot that I took from the One Direction music video ‘Kiss You’ you can see that there is scenes in the music video that show the actual sets that are used to produce the video. This lets the viewers know that the artist themselves know that this a show/ production and isn’t real.

*Intertextuality

*Ritual Celebration*Ritual celebrations are also a commonly used motif in music

videos.

*Common aspects of ritual celebrations are seen as parties on the beach, street, religious celebrations and so on.

*You usually have the black artists are usually happy in these celebrations whereas white artist are usually demonic rituals.

*Below is a screen shot take from the music video Chris Brown Yeah 3x. In this music video you can see a black artist having a ritual celebration in the street dancing and being happy. This is one of the common motifs in music video.

*Impossible Sequences*Impossible sequences are shots that show fast and

slow motion shot, special effects and or animations.

*They tend to show shots that cannot be true to life and show the impossible.

*In the following music video Justin Timberlake – Mirrors there are many show and fast shots used through out the music video.

*Other Features*Finally other features that can be included in music videos are:

*Shots in to bright light such as the sun or fire

*Breaks in narrative for the artist to sing

*Clips from the film that the song is featured in

*Cross cutting from narrative to concert footage

*This screen shot below is from the music video Maroon 5 Payphone. In this music video there are elements of bright light such as fire. Making the clip stand out more and exciting.