CONVENTIONS OF A MUSIC VIDEO

WHAT IS A MUSIC VIDEO?

A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings.

HISTORY OF A MUSIC VIDEOThe earliest music videos or promos were filmed in the mid 1950’s. However, before then, as early as the 1920’s, films by animators such as Oskar Fischinger were accompanied by musical scores labelled ‘visual music’.

The early animated efforts of Walt Disney’s ‘Silly Symphonies’ were built around music.

The Panoram jukebox with eight three-minute songs were popular in night spots yet faded out during the War.

TYPES OF MUSIC VIDEOS

Illustrative: This type of music video tells a story and is often on a performance base.

Amplification: This is where a music video director interprets a video in their own way making something creative and different.

Conceptual: This type of music video may not have anything to do with the lyrics of the song and are known to be very abstract.

CAMERA SHOTS AND MOVEMENT

Music videos tend to use shots such as close ups, mid shots and long shots. This is use to establish and emphasize the artist, emotion and location. The close ups are also used to shot lip syncing done by the artist. The movement of the camera usually follows the artist or the storyline and can include techniques such as panning, tracking, tilts and crane shots.

MISE-EN-SCENEThis refers to the arrangement of the performers and props in a scene or production of a music video or media text. Mise-en-scene emphasises on the importance of representation and symbols. It can also include:• Costumes• Make up • Lighting • Décor• The frame of the camera work

EDITING

The editing of a music video has the ability to completely change the footage for example, the colour, the speed and the effect. Transitions are usually used to help footage flow such as fading, dissolving and wiping. The most basic type of shot transition, the cut is the most common way to join two shots. It is the continuation of two different shots within the same time and space. It is the most basic in that the video undergoes no special processes to perform a cut; the two film strips are simply played one after the other.

LIGHTING

Some music videos connote emotion through lighting for example dark lighting can mean danger or night-time. Black and white lighting can reflect an era and is usually used in period videos.Lighting such as spotlights can be used to identify an area or a performer, this is common in music videos. Computer generated images and green screens are also a popular method of device to create bright coloured effects.