2. MUSIC VIDEO PRODUCTION
• We will look at Music Videos from a number of perspectives, this template is for
you to write up your notes and to complete your case study.
• The document is split into 3 different tasks, each with separate questions to
answer.
• Task 1 is concerned with the purposes of music videos and the strategies
employed by labels and artists
• Task 2 is concerned with the styles, techniques and conventions of music video
production
• Task 3 is your own case study into a minimum of three music videos where you
can unpack and discuss the videos considering everything you have looked at in
Task 1 and 2
• You are expected to submit each section on a weekly basis during your remote
learning weeks.
• If you get stuck, talk to/email your tutor for guidance.
3. NOTES ON COMPLETING THE
CASE STUDY
• It is often easier to show something you are discussing than to
take time describing it. With this in mind, feel free to add lots
of illustrative images from your chosen video examples. Links to
YouTube/Vevo/etc. are also encouraged.
• Remember, when you make a point or define something, you
should follow this with an example, an explanation of this and
then link to further texts/videos where possible.
• If you don’t think there is enough room to add your full
response to a question, don’t just reset the font size to really
small, add an extra slide wherever necessary.
4. TASK 1 -
PURPOSES
Y O U S H O U L D O P E N T H E M U S I C L E C T U R E
P O W E R P O I N T A N D L O O K AT S E C T I O N 1
B E F O R E D O I N G T H I S TA S K
5. TASK 1 - PURPOSES
• Q1 - Outline the 3 core purposes of music video with a short
explanation for each:
• Entertainment – the music video needs to be entertaining, this is so
that the audience can be more engaged with the content.
• Identity/Branding – most music videos include the artist in the
video, this shows to the audience who they are so they can connect
to them and their image
• Sales – Sometimes in a music video, there is a promotion of a
certain product or lifestyle, these are deals between the artist and a
company to promote something in the music video in turn for a
small cut of the sale of the product being promoted
6. TASK 1 - PURPOSES
• Q2 – What are some of the broader purposes of music videos?
Try and outline a minimum of 3. (Think about some of the
strategies employed by artists in their videos and how they
represent themselves, you could consider where the artist is on
a major label, independent label of unsigned, is there a
difference between them?)
7. TASK 1 - PURPOSES
• Q3 – Branding; select an artist you like and
look at how they present themselves in
their music videos. Explain what their
‘brand’ is, who this appeals to and why they
might have done this.
8. TASK 1 - PURPOSES
• Q3 – Branding; select an artist you like and look at how they
present themselves in their music videos. Explain what their
‘brand’ is, who this appeals to and why they might have done
this.
• Ben Platt
• His brand is the same as a pop singer, specifically ballad songs
to do with himself and his current/previous relationships.
• His target audience is teenage/young adult women and men,
the LGBTQ+ community and anyone who has watched him in
his acting and performance career on the screen and broadway.
• I think the music and his music videos are set out in the way it
currently is to show what his life is like to create a connection
between the listener and the artist.
9. TASK 1 - PURPOSES
• Q4 – Compare One Direction and Animal Collective music
videos [find them on YouTube!], what can you discern about
each act from their videos? What is the main aim? Explain why.
One Direction:
This boyband is considered as a ‘mainstream’ band as their
music has gathered a large fanbase behind it. One Direction’s
music videos mostly contain shots of them (solo and group
shots). This shows off the band as they are basically a brand
with all their merchandise, so their music videos are mostly just
showing themselves off so that they get more sales for their
albums and merchandise with their logo and faces on.
10. TASK 1 - PURPOSES
• Q4 – Compare One Direction and Animal Collective music
videos [find them on YouTube!], what can you discern about
each act from their videos? What is the main aim? Explain why.
Animal Collective:
This band is lesser known than One Direction, although it is still
popular enough to have a fanbase of their own. Animal
Collective’s music videos are more abstract than the
‘mainstream’ music videos of other artists of the time. They
never show their faces in the music videos, and if they do, its
usually just a shadowed outline of themselves. This anonymity is
what differentiates them from others, making their image stand
out from the crowd.
11. TASK 2 – STYLES,
TECHNIQUES AND
CONVENTIONS
Y O U S H O U L D O P E N T H E M U S I C L E C T U R E
P O W E R P O I N T A N D L O O K AT S E C T I O N 2
B E F O R E D O I N G T H I S TA S K
12. TASK 2 – STYLES, TECHNIQUES
AND CONVENTIONS
• Q1 – Describe and explain the use of camerawork in music
videos, i.e., the types of shot used with examples to illustrate this
and how this creates meaning
• Angles aimed looking up at a person in frame can be used to
highlight someone’s importance/superiority. The inverse is also
true. Angles aimed looking down on a person can show their
inferiority. These angles are also used to emphasize or conceal
someone’s physical height.
• Closeups are predominantly used in music videos featuring a
visible singer to focus the viewer on the artist and the lyrics of
the song.
13. TASK 2 – STYLES, TECHNIQUES
AND CONVENTIONS
• Q2 - Describe and explain the use of editing in music videos,
i.e. the types of shot used with examples to illustrate this and
what the effect of this is/meanings that are created/etc.
• The most common way of editing different clips in a music
video is to cut them every so often on the beat as this doesn’t
mess with the flow of the music.
• You could also have cool affects like having the video in slow
motion or even adding some animation/CGI to the video. This
one can only be effective if it fits the feel of the song.
14. TASK 2 – STYLES, TECHNIQUES
AND CONVENTIONS
• Q3 – Genre conventions; often music videos adhere to genre
conventions within their visual style and production techniques.
Select a recognisable genre and use illustrations to explain what
their genre conventions are…
• Rap:
• In music videos, the rap genre usually consists of a group of
males in casual looking clothes, usually sports brands. The
males would be showing ‘gang signs’ in the music video. They
are often surrounded by females wearing minimal, very
revealing clothing.
15. TASK 2 – STYLES, TECHNIQUES
AND CONVENTIONS
• Q4 - John Stuart’s description of the music video “incorporating,
raiding and reconstructing” is essentially the essence of
intertextuality [something asserted by Andrew Goodwin]. Can you
explain what intertextuality is and find a minimum of 3 examples
of it in music videos?
• Intertextuality is when you find a reference to one piece of media
inside another piece of media. In the context of music, this could
be from a simple visual nod in the music video to another song or
movie or a sample of one song is played in another song
• (For example, the intro of Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! by ABBA is
directly used in the song Hung Up by Madonna)
16. TASK 2 – STYLES, TECHNIQUES
AND CONVENTIONS
• Intertextuality is a clue to another piece of art or entertainment. This
can be through a visual nod or in the music itself.
• The first example is a screenshot from the music video ‘Thank U, Next’
by Ariana Grande. The costumes and staging in this part of the music
video is almost identical to a scene in Mean Girls.
• The second is from ‘I’m Glad’ by Jennifer Lopez. This music video pays
homage to a classic film, Flashdance with its iconic scene.
• The third example is from the music video ‘Fancy’ by Iggy Azalea
which has the visual nod to the film Clueless by the similar outfit that
she wears.
• Q4 - John Stuart’s description of the music video “incorporating,
raiding and reconstructing” is essentially the essence of
intertextuality [something asserted by Andrew Goodwin]. Can you
explain what intertextuality is and find a minimum of 3 examples
of it in music videos?
17. TASK 2 – STYLES, TECHNIQUES
AND CONVENTIONS
• Q4 - John Stuart’s description of the music video “incorporating,
raiding and reconstructing” is essentially the essence of
intertextuality [something asserted by Andrew Goodwin]. Can you
explain what intertextuality is and find a minimum of 3 examples
of it in music videos? Ariana Grande –
Thank U, Next
Mean
Girls.
Movie.
18. TASK 2 – STYLES, TECHNIQUES
AND CONVENTIONS
• Q4 - John Stuart’s description of the music video “incorporating,
raiding and reconstructing” is essentially the essence of
intertextuality [something asserted by Andrew Goodwin]. Can you
explain what intertextuality is and find a minimum of 3 examples
of it in music videos?
Flashdanc
e. Movie.
Jennifer Lopez –
I’m Glad
19. TASK 2 – STYLES, TECHNIQUES
AND CONVENTIONS
• Q4 - John Stuart’s description of the music video “incorporating,
raiding and reconstructing” is essentially the essence of
intertextuality [something asserted by Andrew Goodwin]. Can you
explain what intertextuality is and find a minimum of 3 examples
of it in music videos?
Clueless
. Movie.
Iggy Azalea –
Fancy
20. TASK 3 – CASE
STUDY
Y O U S H O U L D O P E N T H E M U S I C L E C T U R E
P O W E R P O I N T A N D L O O K AT S E C T I O N 3
B E F O R E D O I N G T H I S TA S K
21. TASK 3 – CASE STUDY
• For your individual case study you must study an artist of
choice, focusing on a minimum of 3 videos [ideally 5+ videos]
• This should provide discussion on the usage of the following:
– Style[s] & Techniques employed
– Intertextuality
– Camerawork/editing
– Genre conventions
– Critical approaches [you should be applying some of the critical
approaches from your lessons and some of your own, to your
selected videos]
22. TASK 3 – CASE STUDY
• You should include a video link for the videos used
• You should include illustrative stills from the videos chosen
• Be creative in your approach, it is suggested you use the heading
on the previous slide a guide on how to structure your response to
get you started
• Remember, make a point, use a specific part of the chosen video as
an example, explain yourself and then link to another video where
possible
• Compare and contrast your artist/genre to other artists/genres
• Remember to consider differing contexts
• Add slides here as appropriate – DO NOT SHORT CUT THIS
SECTION, IT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT
23. TASK 3 – CASE STUDY
Link for the video used: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDeNQNtW1f8
• I like the fact that the
music video doesn’t try to
hide that it is a music video
• I love the editing effect of
making the man disappear
and reappear at in that
part of the song. There
would have to be a shot
where it is just her and a
shot with both and they
merge it together to
accomplish this.
24. TASK 3 – CASE STUDY
Link for the video used: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3dbdzbGED5Q
• The use of framing shots
throughout the whole
music video has half of the
screen or less with the
focus in it. This ends up
emphasizing the message
inside the song.
• I love the split screen
framing of this as it is
rarely done and adds a
unique touch to the music
video
25. TASK 3 – CASE STUDY
Link for the video used: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YSrP6cF1gf8
• I like the fact that the
artist is actively playing
the piano in this song,
reminding us that this is a
music video as well as a
narrative
• I love the simple yet
effective framing of this.
• The use of interior car
shots is a creative touch
as most music videos
have just outside shots of
cars.
• The transition into black
and white links to another
26. TASK 3 – CASE STUDY
Link for the video used: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UCKbw9OJIcg
• The fact that this music
video is filmed in black
and white adds a unique
touch to I that I
personally like.
• The use of having the
artist and the band
performing live reminds
the audience that this is
a song as well as a story.
• The balance between live
music and narrative
based shots is split
evenly and seems
