1. Music video research
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional
or artistic purposesModern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device
intended to promote the sale of music recordings. Although the origins of music videos date back
much further, they came into prominence in the 1980s, when MTV based their format around the
medium. Prior to the 1980s, these works were described by various terms including "illustrated
song", "filmed insert", "promotional (promo) film", "promotional clip" or "film clip".
Music videos use a wide range of styles of film making techniques, including animation, live action
filming, documentaries, and non-narrative approaches such as abstract film. Some music videos
blend different styles, such as animation and live action. Many music videos do not interpret images
from the song's lyrics, making it less literal than expected. Other music videos may be without a set
concept, being merely a filmed version of the song's live performance
The long-running British TV show Top of the Pops began playing music videos in the late 1970s,
although the BBC placed strict limits on the number of 'outsourced' videos TOTP could use.
Therefore a good video would increase a song's sales as viewers hoped to see it again the following
week. In 1980, David Bowie scored his first UK number one in nearly a decade thanks to director
David Mallet's eye catching promo for "Ashes to Ashes". Another act to succeed with this tactic was
Madness, who shot on 16 mm and 35 mm, constructing their clips as "micro-comedic" short films.
In 1974 the band Sparks filmed a promo video for their single "This Town Ain't Big Enough for Both
of Us" from the album Kimono My House.
In 1975, The Who released their all-music feature film Tommy, directed by Ken Russell, based upon
their 1969 rock opera of the same name. Also in 1975, the band Queen ordered Bruce Gowers to
make a promo video for their new single "Bohemian Rhapsody" to show it in Top Of The Pops; this is
also notable for being entirely shot and edited on videotape.
The Alan Parker film adaptation of Pink Floyd The Wall transformed the group's 1979 concept
double-LP of the same title into a confrontational and apocalyptic audio-visual labyrinth of stylized,
expressionistic images, sounds, melodies and lyrics.
The long-running British Rock music show "The Old Grey Whistle Test" produced a number of
pioneering videos made especially for the program throughout the 1970s and early 1980s. These
included a video of Frank Zappa's "City of Tiny Lights" made using claymation and videos made for
performers such as Television, Led Zeppelin, Genesis, Pink Floyd and Mike Oldfield. The executive
producer of The Old Grey Whistle Test was Mike Appleton. Derek Burbidge and Kate Humphreys

2. directed and videoed many of the artists. The audio was always of prime importance. Gregg Baily
was the recordist for the show on location. Although many assumed the bands were playing live,
due to technical issues and the need to ensure performances were controlled, the bands often
recorded the performance on the day of shooting prior to taping, and then mimed to this "live"
track. Other directors and camera operators were Martin Pitts in the USA, and for England, John
Metcalfe and Tim Pope and many others. Location shoots all over the world were an essential part
of the program. Martin Pitts Directed clips for the Bee Gees that aired on the show.