1. Music video techniques
Type Definition Music Example
Styles Popular music
genres
Pop, Rock, Indie,
Drum and Bass
Taylor Swift – I Knew You Were Trouble
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNoKguSdy4Y
In-concert and ‘as
live’ footage
Not in studio,
used footage from
concert or gig.
Robbie Williams -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sD5xJsig3Ik
Animation Animation is the
rapid display of a
sequence of
images to create
an illusion of
movement.
Radiohead – Paranoid Android
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sPLEbAVjiLA
Interpretative The audience to
make their own
interpretation of
what they think
the music video is
about
The Beatles – Blue Jay Way
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aB5Lyi_WIjk
Narrative; Telling a story
through a music
video.
Michael Jackson – Thriller
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOnqjkJTMaA
Impressionist Similar to
surrealism, taking
you away from
reality.
Gorrillaz – Clint Eastwood
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LoQYw49saqc
Surrealist Dreamlike and
unreal elements.
Loose Tapestries - Fantasy
Manhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=flXwv-FxFbs
Pastiche Adaptations of
existing videos.
Geri Halliwell - It's Raining
Menhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqXUpe3jlkA
Parody Mick take of
existing
music/videos.
"Weird Al" Yankovic - White &
Nerdyhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N9qYF9DZPdw
Referencing; For example,
referencing a film
in a music video.
Adele–
Skyfallhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=StJLvbPIvTw
Homage Homage is a
show or
demonstration of
respect or
dedication to
someone or
something.
.Luther Vandross - Dance With My Father
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wmDxJrggie8

2. Conventi
ons
Lyric interpretation How the audience
interpret the lyrics.
The Beatles - Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZqXmBy1_qOQ
Extending or
consolidating
song’s meaning
Changing a songs
meaning to a
more suitable
one for the
listener.
Pussycat dolls – Beep
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1r9ghI7YcL0
Allusion When the
audience is
under the
allusion
something is
happening then
turns out to be
not as it first
seemed.
Katy Perry – part of me
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uuwfgXD8qV8
Links to other
artists
Referencing
another by
visually adding
them in the video
or lyrics.
Eminem – Without Me
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZqXmBy1_qOQ
Techniqu
es
Cutting to beat When the shots
in the video cut
to the next in
time with the
beat.
The Offspring – Pretty Fly (For a White Guy)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ui1tUS6Ho-c
Miming and lip sync Wording the
lyrics on the
video to give the
allusion of
singing the song.
Azelia Banks - 212
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3Jv9fNPjgk
Multi-mage The use of
multiple shots on
the same screen.
Example –
Kickstartshttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T9yGcKl
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