2. Camera
Long shots, mid shots and close-ups – emphasise
artist/band, location and emotions.
Close-ups – when artist singing/miming – emphasise words
of song – show personality of artist/band.
Hand-held – create ‘home video’ effect – typically used in
indie/folk genre.
3. Mise en scene
Party/club/house – typically used in hip-hop/pop genre –
e.g. Taylor Swift – 22.
Outside – typically used in folk/indie genre – e.g. Cocos
Lovers – Emily.
Costume – reflects genre to appeal to viewers.
4. Editing
Jump-cuts – break rules of continuity editing – allows
sudden change from scene to scene.
Fade/dissolve – more subtle – different effect created –
typically used in a slow-paced song.
Fast-paced editing – used on upbeat songs.
Cutting – related to rhythm of music.
Intercutting – used between performance and narrative.
5. Lighting
Suggests mood of song.
Artificial lighting – enhances artist/band.
Black and white – create sophisticated/vintage atmosphere
– typically used in indie/rock/folk genre – e.g. The
Neighbourhood – Sweater weather.
6. Colour scheme
Sets mood of song – creates atmosphere.
Reflective of genre – e.g. rock genre such as Kings of Leon
= dark colours, hip-hop/pop genre such as Katy Perry =
bright colours.
7. Props
Alcohol/drugs – typically used in hip-hop and indie/rock
genre – e.g. Arctic Monkeys – Why’d You Only Call Me
When You’re High?
Expensive cars – typically used in hip-hop and pop genre –
e.g. M.I.A. – Bad Girls.
8. Performance/Conceptuality
Performance from artist/band – live or staged – music videos originally developed
from clips of performances.
No narrative – only follows genre – typically used in hip-hop videos.
Cameo – artist/band features but doesn’t perform – observes narrative, part of
narrative or completely separate.
Narrative – relates to lyrics – could be short film with beginning, middle and end –
or parts of narrative throughout video
Random Narrative – contradicts song and lyrics for effect.
Video used to promote new film - clips of film featured e.g. Bruno Mars – It Will
Rain, featuring clips from Twilight.
Intertextuality with films, TV and other videos – mimic other film/TV genres – e.g.
horror (Michael Jackson – Thriller), sci-fi (Katy Perry – E.T.).
9. Thematic
Themes depend on genre – e.g. rock/heavy metal =
performance dominated, hip-hop/rap = ‘street/urban’
images.
Dance routines – typically used in pop/hip-hop genre –
generally female bands/artists – e.g. Beyoncé's videos.
10. Spectacle
Direct mode of address – band/artist interacting with
audience – creating personal relationship.
Females – typically the object of erotic gaze – Mulvey’s
‘male gaze’ theory – dressed/posed in sexual ways –
typically in hip-hop/pop genre – e.g. Nicki Minaj –
Anaconda.
