Katie Lorraine-Francis

MUSIC VIDEO CONVENTIONS

• A music video is a short film compiled to a song.• The video is often used to promote a new single or to

accompany the song for visual purposes. The purpose is to sell the single.

• There are many different types and styles of music videos and can be shot in many different ways. For example, animation, live filming or abstract film.

• Many videos use a mix of different types of filming. • They often have a plot or use imagery to illustrate the

songs meaning.

WHAT IS A MUSIC VIDEO?

The music channel MTV has had a huge influence on the way music is seen and heard. MTV was the first channel to be dedicated only to music and was a visual for people to hear music and to be entertained at the same time. The table below shows examples of the first music videos ever aired. Music videos have only been around since 1980 and therefore are relatively new in comparison to other media such as film and radio.

THE HISTORY OF THE VIDEO

The Purpose of a Music

Video

• The main purpose of a music video is to promote the single or album. If it is the single, the video will include imagery to show the tone or meaning of the song. Sometimes this can be very literal but more often, the song has a completely different video. An example of a song that shows the song literally is Love story by Taylor Swift. The video shows the singer falling in love with a guy and the song is about falling in love.

• An example of a video that has nothing to do with the song is Wings by Little Mix. This simply shows the band just singing and dancing.

PROMOTION

• Often, music videos are used to promote other things beside the video. For example, films often use songs and scores and if artists make these songs especially for the film then a video will feature the singer and clips from

the movie. More people will watch the video to see sneak peeks and then they will buy the song.

An example of this is Independent Woman by Destiny's Child.

SYNERGY

If people are talking about a certain music video then the song will get more sales. This is because the public tend to like the “next big thing” and if everyone is talking, tweeting and sharing a video then the song will become “the next big

thing”. This is effective as the song isn't the most crucial part of the song. This is why many record companies,

producers and directors make controversial and different videos in order to get more sales.

An example of this is Here it Goes by Ok Go.

WORD OF MOUTH

Conventions

It is hard to pinpoint exact conventions as most music videos have a unique edge to them. This often acts as an

identifier for the artist.• One convention is that there will always be a song on the

video. It is a music video so there will always be music.

CONVENTIONS PART ONE

• Tends to focus more on the music rather than the story.• Fast paced and tends to go with the drums or beat.• Tends to be in black and white to show the mood.• Not very many special effects.

• Uses Long Shots and close ups.

CONVENTIONS IN ROCK VIDEOS

• Cheery and happy.• Tends to show the artist in the plot of the story.• Aimed at Teenage Audiences.

• Uses Extreme Close ups.

CONVENTIONS IN POP VIDEOS

• Tend to be set at a club or party.• Uses fancy lighting and special effects.• Uses recognised brands and clothing's to get more

people interested. • Attractive women, quite sexist.

• Uses group shots and two shots.

CONVENTIONS IN HIP HOP