2. MUSIC VIDEO PRODUCTION
• We will look at Music Videos from a number of perspectives, this
template is for you to write up your notes and to complete your
case study.
• The document is split into 3 different tasks, each with separate
questions to answer.
• Task 1 is concerned with the purposes of music videos and the
strategies employed by labels and artists
• Task 2 is concerned with the styles, techniques and conventions of
music video production
• Task 3 is your own case study into a minimum of three music
videos where you can unpack and discuss the videos considering
everything you have looked at in Task 1 and 2
3. NOTES ON COMPLETING THE
CASE STUDY
• It is often easier to show something you are discussing than to
take time describing it. With this in mind, feel free to add lots of
illustrative images from your chosen video examples. Links to
YouTube/Vevo/etc are also encouraged.
• Remember, when you make a point or define something, you
should follow this with an example, an explanation of this and
then link to further texts/videos where possible.
• If you don’t think there is enough room to add your full
response to a question, don’t just reset the font size to really
small, add an extra slide wherever necessary.
5. TASK 1 - PURPOSES
• Q1 - Outline the 3 core purposes of music video with a short
explanation for each:
• Sales- The video is used to promote the song and to get people
to buy the music.
• Branding/Identity- Promote the company and musician so if
people like the music/video they will watch new things from the
company.
• Entertainment- Make people enjoy the video and music you are
making.
6. TASK 1 - PURPOSES
• Q2 – What are some of the broader purposes of music videos?
Think about some of the strategies employed by artists in their
videos and how they represent themselves, you could consider
where the artist is on a major label, independent label of
unsigned, is there a difference between them?
• Send a message to viewers watching the video or listening to
the music
7. TASK 1 - PURPOSES
• Q3 – Describe what is ‘synergy’ is and how it has been used in
music videos [min. 3 examples of synergy and convergance]
• Synergy is the combined usage of multiple different aspects of
the music video which will then improve the overall
entertainment of the video.
• One example is when artists use social media to promote their
music.
• Artists can also promote websites to sell tickets to live concerts
• A final way to promote music is by having it put on charts to
show popularity, this will make people interested in buying the
song
8. TASK 1 - PURPOSES
• Q4 – Branding; select an artist you like and look at how they
present themselves in their music videos. Explain what their
‘brand’ is, who is appeals to and why they might have done this.
• Queen is a very mainstream band and most of their music
videos are filmed live which can make their music brand feel
more ‘real’ meaning they generalize more with older teenagers
and adults.
9. TASK 1 - PURPOSES
• Q5 – Compare One Direction and Animal Collective music
videos [find them on YouTube!], what can you discern about
each act from their videos? What is the main aim? Explain why.
• The main aim of Animal Collective is to be more artistic to
watch and have a deeper meaning to the lyrics and video, there
can also be multiple messages to the lyrics. One Direction on
the other hand is designed purely to be mainstream and to
promote buying the song and making money with simple lyrics
and catchy hooks.
11. TASK 2 – STYLES, TECHNIQUES
AND CONVENTIONS
• Q1 – Describe and explain the use of camerawork in music
videos, i.e. the types of shot used with examples to illustrate this
• Each shot in the music video for the song ‘Sunflower’ is made to synchronize
with the music, for example when the songs lyrics begin to have a darker theme,
the lighting is much darker to match it
• Also to grab the viewers focus there are many different camera pans for the
viewer knows where to place their focus.
12. TASK 2 – STYLES, TECHNIQUES
AND CONVENTIONS
• Q2 - Describe and explain the use of editing in music videos,
i.e. the types of shot used with examples to illustrate this
• One way the editing is used to immerse the viewer is when the
music video begins, 2 shots are shown that show a person
turning on some music which can make you feel more involved
with the video.
13. TASK 2 – STYLES, TECHNIQUES
AND CONVENTIONS
• Q3 - Describe and explain some of the technical developments
in music videos, i.e. the types of shot used with examples to
illustrate this
• One way there have been technical developments is that some
videos can now be animated to make the world more lively and
bright.
• Another way that technical developments have improved is the
inclusion of computer graphics, these can be used to improve
lighting that would not been possible and many other things
can be done to enhance the viewing.
14. TASK 2 – STYLES, TECHNIQUES
AND CONVENTIONS
• Q4 – Genre conventions; often music videos adhere to genre
conventions within their visual style and production techniques.
Select a recognisable genre and use illustrations to explain what
their genre conventions are…
• The genre of music in the music video ‘Sunflower’ is a mix of
pop and rap. The video works well with this as the comic book
animation style makes the video look much more lively which
works very well with the pop genre.
15. TASK 2 – STYLES, TECHNIQUES
AND CONVENTIONS
• Q5 - John Stuart’s description of the music video “incorporating,
raiding and reconstructing” is essentially the essence of
intertextuality [something asserted by Andrew Goodwin]. Can
you explain what intertexuality is and find some examples of it
in music videos?
• Intertextuality is having referencing other forms of media in
your own work, places this commonly occurs is TV shows and
cinema.
• One time this occurred was in Taylor Swift’s song ‘Bad Blood’.
The video references a movie called ‘Kill Bill’ with it’s fight
scenes.
17. TASK 3 – CASE STUDY
• For your individual case study you must study an artist or genre
of music, focusing on a minimum of 3 videos [ideally 5+ videos]
• This should provide discussion on the usage of the following:
– Style[s] & Techniques employed
– Intertextuality
– Camerawork/editing
– Genre conventions
– Critical approaches [you should be applying some of the critical
approaches from your lessons and some of your own, to your
selected videos]
18. TASK 3 – CASE STUDY
• You should include a video link for the video
• You can include as many illustrative stills as you like
• Be creative in your approach, it is suggested you use the
heading on the previous slide a guide on how to structure your
response to get you started
• Remember, make a point, use a specific part of the chosen
video as an example, explain yourself and then link to another
video where possible
• Compare and contrast your artist/genre to other artists/genres
• Remember to consider differing contexts
19. CASE STUDY LINKS
• Bohemian Rhapsody -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJ9rUzIMcZQ&list=PLeoBVKHK
NsGq4F3u9q5VKnMWk-tYRfxfs
• Another One Bites the Dust -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rY0WxgSXdEE&list=PLeoBVKH
KNsGq4F3u9q5VKnMWk-tYRfxfs&index=8
• Clint Eastwood –
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1V_xRb0x9aw
• Feel Good Inc. -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HyHNuVaZJ-k
• The Diary of Horace Wimp -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFU9HYyMVxQ
• Mr. Blue Sky –
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQUlA8Hcv4s
20. STYLES AND TECHNIQUES
• In ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’, the song has a good
contrast between classic rock music videos by
showing some form of live performance but while
also creating a fairly new style by containing it’s own
new edits which were before unknown by the rock
genre.
• ‘Feel Good Inc.’ Also takes a much different approach
to the typical rock music video. Firstly they make the
majority of the video animated to build a very non-
realistic world much different to ours and they also
create very disturbing imagery with their animation
style which is a big contrast to the title of the song
‘Feel Good Inc.’.
• Meanwhile in ‘Another One Bites the Dust’, the music
video is much similar to classic rock videos as it is
staged to look like a live performance. The video also
contains lots of zoom ins on either the artists or
instruments, this is so the person viewing will focus
on the most important part of the music when
watching the video.
21. INTERTEXTUALITY
• In ‘Feel Good Inc.’, there is
intertextuality with the windmill
featured in the video, this may have
have some link to the novel ‘Animal
farm’ as the windmill in the novel
represented power just as it did here as
the character outside was free.
22. CAMERAWORK/EDITING
• In ‘The Diary of Horace Wimp’, when
the UFO appears the camera is angled
low, this will be to show that the UFO
is much more powerful than Horace so
he should listen to the UFO. The UFO
would appear two more times and on
the third time the UFO leaves by
moving downward which may be
symbolic to Horace being more
important now he has a wife.
• ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ on the other
hand has the music and editing made
so anyone can interpret the song any
way they want which will depend on
how you see it yourself.
23. GENRE CONVENTION
• In ‘Another One Bites the Dust’, the video
suits it’s genre very well as most rock
videos at the time showed a live
performance throughout their video, with
this one being no exception to fit in well
with its genre.
• ‘Feel Good Inc.’ seems to be much
different to what the typical rock song
would be, but it does still keep the fact
that most bands have 4 members,
containing an electric bass, drums and
one or more singers, which ‘Feel Good
Inc.’ follows.
24. CRITICAL APPROACHES• In the song ‘Feel Good Inc.’, when you use both
the video and song together it creates a
message on how consumerism is evil and how
it can drastically effect others when making
money through pleasure. 2-D(nickname for the
lead singer) tries to escape but realizes its
impossible which can also be symbolic of being
unable to escape then as companies like these
become to big and powerful.
• In ‘The Diary of Horace Wimp’ I believe the
message used in the video is meant to
demonstrate the power of love, this is because
there are three different encounters from the
space ship, the first time the space ship was
high above Horace, showing it’s power. The
second time it was closer as if it lost some
dominance over Horace. Finally on the final
encounter when Horace has a wife, the ship
lowers until you cant see it which is symbolic of
it losing power over Horace which may relate to
his love evolving over time
2-D
