My analysis of codes and conventions of indie music videos.

1. Codes and
Conventions of Indie
Music Videos
Cristina Shaw

2. About Indie Music Videos
• The majority of indie music videos are a mixture of
performance and concept.
• Indie music is closely associated with the subculture group
“Hipsters”.
• Most of the music videos do not make much sense.
• They are usually either very simple or very confusing.
• There are no plot twists, unless that is the concept of the
video.
• They tend to be either very happy or very sad (but usually
happy).
• Some people will watch these an see symbolism and a deeper
meaning, even if it’s not intentional.
• They can be very pretty and mesmerising

3. Sub Genres
•
•
•
•
•
•
Rock
Folk
Electronic
Hip hop
Pop
Dance

4. “Hipsters”
• “Hipster refers to a postmodern subculture of young,
urban middle-class adults and older teenagers that first
appeared in the 1990s and became particularly
prominent in the 2010s, being derived from earlier
movements in the 1940s. The subculture is associated
with indie music and alternative music, a varied nonmainstream fashion sensibility (including vintage and
thrift store clothes), progressive or independent
political views, and alternative lifestyles.”
- Wikipedia
(www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hipster_(contemporary_subculture))

5. Mise En Scene

6. Costumes C General
in
•
•
•
•
Summery
A character's costume
“Hipster” style clothing
Often depends on the
individual style of the band
and the video itself

7. Costumes - Males
• Common for men to have a
chequered shirt and plain
trousers
• Casual appearance
• Usually unstyled/messy hair
• No accessories
• Quite plain

8. Costumes - Females
Head:
• Simplistic makeup
• Usually lots of eyeliner on
the top lid for females.
• Big eyelashes
• Usually very natural
looking (unless it’s an
obscure and unusual video)
• Hair is usually worn down.

9. Costumes - Females
• No voyeurism or
sexualisation of the female
body
• Usually quite stylish
• Flattering or comfortable
looking clothing
• Quite a few wrist
accessories.

10. Props
•
•
•
•
Acoustic guitar
Microphone
Other instruments
Usually depends on the
video
• Usually a simple use of
props
• Random objects

11. Setting
• Outside and surrounded by
nature
• Festivals
• Parties
• Somewhere obscure and
unusual
• The middle of nowhere
(commonly a desert area)
• Fields or forests

12. Lighting
• Most indie music videos usually very bright.
• There is a lot of natural light (if inside it’s from
windows).
• If it’s outside is usually during daytime.
• Still quite bright even if it's night.
• Sun flare and sunsets.

13. Colours
• Usually sticks to a theme or a load of colours.
• They quite often use very natural colours like green
and brown.
• Quite a few are filmed in black and white.

14. Other Mise En Scene
• Most of these videos feel very
natural. Has a lot of outside
shots.
• They don't usually match the
lyrics
• There is very little voyeurism of
males or females
• Lots of smiles. They are usually
very feel-good videos.
• Interaction and talking with
other characters.
• Quite a lot of the time, obscure
things happen.

15. Popular Shots
• They feature a lot of
water
• Lots of shots of feet
and shoes

16. Camera Angles,
Shots and
Movement

17. Shots
• Lots of close-ups of various
objects and instruments
playing and close-ups of
movements from people
• Lots of shots (close-ups) of the
lead singer
• Looking and singing directly
into the camera
• Rule of thirds. When looking
into the camera, they are in the
centre of the shot. Usually fill
up most of the shot.

18. Shots
• Long shots

19. Shots I like

20. Angles
• Angles don’t seem to be used that much in indie
music videos. When they are used, it’s quite a
mixture.
• Not really used to show power like most
conventional shots. Usually to emphasise and assist
the visuals.

21. Movement
• Hand held camera. Quite often used as if the
audience is part of a crowd. Gives them the feeling
of being there.
• Quite a big variety of movement.

22. Editing

23. Editing
• Usually quite simple and cuts to the beat
• Plays with colour manipulation. Black and white is
popular.
• Lots of filters are used. Often to give it a vintage feel
or something like a sunset filter
• Manipulation of speed, especially slow motion
• Everything flows very nicely
• Most have minimal special effects

24. Animated
• If it's animated it's usually quite obscure. Usually
very simple colours. Stop motion is usually
impressive, unusual and amazing. Good feeling.
Happy.
• But at the same time, creepy and dark.
• Beautiful to watch.
• Really obscure.