Conventions of Music Videos

Olivia Laherty

Music Videos in generalThe conventions of general music videos traditionally revolve around bringing the artists target audience a music video suitable and likable by them. This is done in a number of ways. The audience needs to be able to interact with the artist. This is done through a number of different camera shots, editing techniques and genres of music.

An Extreme Close-Up shot usually focuses on showing one feature of the artists face. As shown in the picture, these shots usually revolve around the eyes or lips. In order to do this, the artists eyes or lips need to stand out to the audience of being bright or dark. This depends and varies on the genre of music.

Extreme Close-Up Close-Up

A Close-Up makes the artists face the main focus point of the shot. This can show high levels of different emotions in order to allow the artist to interact with the audience and music video. These shots are mostly used in music videos to show power, or sensitive emotions.

Medium Shot

A shot of the artist from the knees to the waist up is known as a Medium Shot. A Medium Shot allows the audience to interact with the surroundings of the artist which also establishes a genre of music or the audience they are attracting. As shown in this Medium shot, the artists clothes are shown along with the bright background allowing the audience to know its targeted at a younger audience of the pop genre.

Long Shot

A Long Shot in music videos are normally used in all types of music videos. However throughout a music video, they are used in order to show the audience the background or back-up dancers in which accompany the main artist. This allows the audience to develop a rapport with the audience whilst also clearly showing the genre of music through the use of colours.

Throughout basic music videos, the shots change by the means of cutting. This allows a quick transition from one shot to the other letting the music video flow to the music. However these shots and editing techniques need to correspond with the music. For example, having an up beat, high tempo music video, the cuts and shots would occur more frequently in opposed to music videos in which are emotional and therefore low tempo; the music video would normally be shot using a continuous technique of traditional shots. These cuts would have to be in time with the beats of the music video which therefore allow the music video to yet again flow and allow the artist to create a successful music video for their target audience. These shots also vary based on the genre of the music video.

The Pop Genre traditionally bring their younger audience of 9-17 year olds bright colours and up-beat music. The main target audience is girls, which is why the majority of the lyrics from these music videos focus on feelings of love, emotions and happiness.

Differing hugely from the Pop genre, rock focuses on heavy metal music, and usually portrays dark messages. The target audience is significantly older than the Pop genre, focusing around males in their 20s. However this a smaller audience than pop, although their music is just as successful even though its focused outside of the mainstream.

Classical music varies completely from the music previously shown. It is targeted towards n older audience of 45+, and therefore considered to be targeted towards a niche audience that moves away from the mainstream. This music normally shown through the means of music videos unlike Pop.

My chosen genre of musicBased on research, the music I have chosen to revolve my music video around is the Pop genre. I believe that this genre is hugely successful amongst todays generation, and is representative of me as a young individual. Through creating a pop music video, I will have to consider the various uses of shots and editing techniques that I will need in order to make my music video a success. The artist I will use will also have to correspond with my chosen genre, and the artist will have to be able to establish a relationship with our audience throughout.