GENRE RESEARCH

WHAT IS GENRE?Genre is defined as a style or category of art, music or literature.

Andrew Goodwin states that music videos display genre characteristics, and some of the main music genres currently are:• Pop• Rock• Hip-Hop• R&B• Country• EDM

These genres have sub-genres that get more specific into what types of music certain songs are.

GENRE CONVENTIONS – HIP-HOPMise-en-scene: hip-hop music videos typically have actors wearing streetwear; casual clothing which comes from designer brands to imply wealth and power. The singer will usually by surrounded by people to reinforce their popularity, and actors in this videos will often be black due to the genre being of black origins. Women will often be objectified as well and viewed as trophies for the male artist.

Camerawork: hip-hop music videos will often use low camera angles, as this places the viewer in a position below the artist in order to highlight their power and authority. A range of close-ups, midshots and longshots are also used to showcase the possessions and clothing of the artist, again emphasising their wealth.

Editing: hip-hop videos aren’t particularly unique in their editing, though they are often fast-paced to match the beat of the music, and they sometimes use slow motion as well to put focus on the wealth of the characters.

GENRE CONVENTIONS – ROCKMise-en-scene: rock is a much broader genre, so it’s less easy to find specific conventions. Clothing could range from casual to formal. Mainstream rock videos will often simply feature the band performing, while indie and alternative rock videos will usually have more of a story or narrative to them. Rock instruments are usually featured heavily as well, such as guitars and drums.

Camerawork: high angle shots will often be used to establish the scene, also acting as establishing shots. There will often be close-ups on band members and/or the instruments they are playing. There are also usually group shots of the band playing.

Editing: again, there is little unique in this genre. The speed of the editing will reflect the speed of the song, and there may be slow motion in things like guitar solos to place emphasis on a certain aspect of the video.

GENRE CONVENTIONS – POPMise-en-scene: pop videos tend to have very bright colours, whether it be in lighting, costumes or sets. The singer will often be female, and women in these videos are often wearing revealing clothing or are objectified. Clothing in these videos will also typically be quite fashionable, and actors will usually be young and attractive.

Camerawork: there will often be close-ups of the lead singer, and group shots of synchronised dancers. The camera will sometimes be voyeuristic when focussed on the male or female body, objectifying them for whoever the target audience is.

Editing: once again, the videos will be edited in time with the music, though pop videos are likely to use more techniques such as split screens, as they match the vibrant nature of the music and video visuals.

OUR GENREThe genre of music video we make will be alternative rock.This is the genre that the song we want to use comes under, and we feel it’s fitting because it will support the narrative that we want to do and also isn’t too restrictive in the genre conventions. We will have freedom to try different techniques, but importantly need to establish a strong tone and narrative in the video in order for it to fit in with other alternative rock videos. Some conventions we may be able to experiment with would be putting filters on the video and trying some colour grading, as these are techniques often used in alternative rock videos to emphasise tone.