a-level music video

1. What is the purpose of MUSIC VIDEOS?
INDUSTRY REASONS AUDIENCE APPEAL

2. What is the purpose of MUSIC VIDEOS?
INDUSTRY REASONS
► To help sell a song
► To promote an artist or song
► To introduce a new artist/song
► To show off an artist’s image
► To help make the song/artist memorable
► To allow the artist/song to be seen/heard on
more platforms – music channels, internet,
DVDs
► To promote an artist’s other skills – dancing or
acting maybe
AUDIENCE APPEAL
► To provide a visual
representation of the song
and its narrative
► To entertain the audience
► To allow the audience to
connect with the singer/feel
like they’re watching them
live

3. AUDIENCE
ACCESS
► iTunes
► YouTube
► Music channels on TV
such as MTV/4Music
► Music Industry websites
such as Sony
► Artists’ own websites
► Radio Station websites
► Social Media
► Mobile
► Tablet
► Television
► Computer

4. MEDIA LANGUAGE - How to communicate
a meaning and message
► GENRE specific – Music Genre (Music / Visual)
► NARRATIVE stucture – Todorov, Barthes, Propp, Levi-Strauss
► CINEMATOGRAPHY (Camera shot, Angle, Movement)
► SETTING, COSTUME, LIGHTING, ACTING, PROPS
► ICONOGRAPHY

5. TYPES of MUSIC VIDEO
► There are types of MUSIC VIDEO we need to explore:
CONCEPT VIDEO PERFORMANCE VIDEO
Use of IDEAS
Use of IMAGERY
Often more creative as it expresses
a vison and opinion of the artist as
an INTERLECTUAL PROPERTY
Video that focuses on the
performance of the band
This is either live recording or on a
stage
► KEY WORD: Intellectual Property (I.P) – A product or person with a sellable image and
background which will make a lot of money for a company!

6. TYPES of MUSIC VIDEO
► There are two types of MUSIC VIDEO we need to explore:
Narrative VIDEO
Use of storytelling
Use of narrative based devices. Maybe the story starts before the
song.
The narrative can be like a mini film, with a beginning, middle and end.
Can suggest some links to a story.
► KEY WORD: Intellectual Property (I.P) – A product or person with a sellable image and
background which will make a lot of money for a company!

7. Performance
•Artist/band performs an act i.e. concert, play or other
form of entertainment.
•The music video presents the artist/band throughout the
entire song.
Focus on the artist and their importance. Can be in the form
of: Solo (or special guest) performance, As-Live – a ‘live’
performance that has been artificially produced, or a
mixture of both.

8. Conceptual/Thematic
•Has a running theme throughout the
music video.
•Repetition of images.
•Black and White colour scheme.
•Absence of recognisable setting.
•Does not include much miss-en-
scene.
These all rely on a poetic form, most
commonly a metaphor. Instead of
telling a story linear form, a
conceptual music video created a
feeling to be evoked throughout
viewing it. Each viewer may have a
different feeling or opinion on what
emotion has been created, as a
metaphor can be in interpreted in
different ways.

9. Narrative
•Often the video tells a story.
•The narrative can be like a mini film, with a beginning,
middle and end.
•Can suggest some links to a story.
A music video which features a storyline which relates to
the song in some way. Can be in the form of: A linear
structure (in order) and a non linear fragmented structure
(NOT in chronological order).

10. CONCEPT and PERFORMANCE
Advantages and Disadvantages
Advantages Disadvantages
CONCEPT
PERFORMANCE

11. Pop performer VS. Pop Star
The study of stars as media texts demands that the distinction be made between those who are simply
known for performing pop music and those who are known for being pop stars – these are people who have
an identity or persona which is not restricted solely to their musicianship.
Pop stars establish their character and personality through songs and performance and will strive to achieve
immediate star identity with a first album.
Performers have more control over their persona in that many of them write their own songs and as their
body of work develops they shape themselves though branding and re-branding.
Pop performers are often described as pop stars through their quick promotion to this status by their
label/management.
This is easily done courtesy of gossip-based stories, well-known love interests, attendance at
premieres/parties or features in popular magazines or TV shows.
In Stars, Dyer sates that a star is “more than talent, beauty, glamour and charisma” (1979)
A ‘star’ is NOT the same as a person. It is an image and a representation constructed to appeal to an audience.
The ‘star’ may not have any resemblance to the person behind the construction

12. A History of MUSIC VIDEO! – Part 1
► Bessie Smith - St Louise Blue’s (1929) An early example of Music Video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JpVCqXRlXx4
► EVOLUTION of MUSIC VIDEO (1939 – 2015)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eHr38oTJT6o
1) How has music video changed over the years?
2) What is the leading factor for this change?
3) How have audience needs changed from 1930s – present day?

13. A History of MUSIC VIDEO! – Part 2
KEY ARTISTS WHAT IT MEANT FOR MUSIC
50s – 60s
Concept
The Beatles
Bob Dylan
Music being used as a basis for film.
Set the language that we use to analyse music videos in the present day
Performance music video took a step towards Concept music video
1970s
Promo era
Queen
David Bowie
Top of the Pops was introduced to promote competition in music
Music videos as a form of promotional material for musicians
Music videos released as a product
1980s
MTV era
David Bowie
Michael Jackson
Duran Duran
1981 – MTV was launched
Jacksons short film “Thriller” took music video to an entire new level
Big directors from Hollywood took an interest in Music video
90s – 00s Michael Jackson
Nirvana
Madonna
MTV becomes a staple for promotional material
Internet becomes a factor in promotion
Websites and videos mean musicians become a property of the industry
New technology means videos are easier to make!
Present ANYONE Social Media
Easy access
Familiarity
The importance of music videos?

14. Andrew Goodwin (1992)
Codes and Conventions
Andrew Goodwin believed that a music video should have;
1.A relationship between the lyrics and the visuals, which illustrate, amplify or contradict the lyrics.
2.Thought beats: seeing the sounds (through the use of point 1).
3.Genre-related style and iconography present. (Rap music video will include gold chains/sports
cars etc.)
4.Multiple close-ups of the main artist or vocalist: the creation of a star image to promote a
recognisable brand image.
5.Voyeurism often plays a major part, especially in relation to females.
6.Intertextual references to other media texts may be present, especially in humorous videos.

17. CODES AND CONVENTIONS OF ROCK MUSIC VIDEOS

19. black or dark coloured clothing with piercings and heavy eye makeup.
low key lighting to create a dark atmosphere as this reflects the mood in the song.
in contrast to this high key lighting is used on occasion to add emphasis,
for example a soot light draws your attention to one particular person and marks the
moment.
setting is normally very simplistic as the band want to keep the attention towards the
music and performance.
facial expressions express the feeling of the song and to show how passionate they
are.
Use bodies to reinforce a particular lyric, for example if they are saying no they might
shake their head as a way to express themselves.
Lastly the stereotypical rock hand gesture is associated with the rock genre and is
sometimes incorporated in some musicians music videos to reinforce the genre

20. Sound – Some rock music videos have story lines and are
produced in the style of a ‘narrative’ and therefore might
have some dialogue throughout.
It can also be introduced at the beginning of the video
before the music to set the tone for the rest of the music
video.
Other than this typically it will just be the music from the
musicians in the video

21. Editing – Depending on the tempo and mood of the song
depends on how it is edited.
Fast rock songs with have quicker paced editing rather
than a rock ballad music video.
Lively rock will have lots of cuts and jump cuts between
different scenes creating an energetic atmosphere.
In a slow song the editing will have less cuts and maybe a
cross dissolve between clips as this is softer.
Another common editing feature found in rock music
videos is montages.

22. Camera – Usually the video will consist of mainly close up or extreme close ups on their faces to
show emotion or the instruments.
This will influence how the video impacts the audience. As well wide shots and ariel shots are
used to establish the location or maybe the size of the crowds if the music video is of a
performance.
These shots will either be shown at the beginning to introduce the setting or during the chorus to
demonstrate the impact their music has of the audience.
Point of view shots are incorporated to give an insight into that they are seeing and experiencing

23. Analysing 3 music videos of your
choice
Music video 1 Music video 2 Music video 3
Type / genre
Codes and
conventions
Representations

24. Music Video Type / Sub Genre
► Narrative?
► Performance?
► Thematic?
► A mixture?
► How do you know?
► Does it suit the lyrics & meaning of the song?

25. Codes & Conventions
► Visual Codes (clothing, colours, non verbal communication, graphics,
mise-en-scene, iconography)
► Language Codes (lexis, mode of address, hyperbole, imperatives, ellipsis,
colloquialisms)
► Genre of visuals (especially if its using a narrative style)
► Does it reinforce music video conventions or subvert them? Why?

26. Representations
► Any groups of people / events / issues referenced?
► How are they represented?
► How is this representation created (through what media language?)
► Do they lyrics reinforce or subvert these representations? How?

27. The rock music genre is defined as music with broad appeal distributed to a wide global
audience, it has a strong beat and certain instruments are associated with the genre, for
example the electric guitar. Examples of rock bands and artists include The Killers,
Paramore, and Vampire Weekend. However, rock music encompasses a range of sub-
genres including indie-rock and folk-rock. Indie- rock describes bands and artists who are
often signed to independent labels or whose output incorporates elements of indie and rock
music. Examples of indie-rock artists include The Strokes, The White Stripes and Phoebe
Bridgers. Folk rock is pop music derived from folk music but incorporating the stronger beat
and instruments associated with rock music. Examples include Mumford and Sons, Haim,
Taylor Swift and The Lumineers.