music video proforma case study

1. MUSIC VIDEO PRODUCTION
CASESTUDY
LUCAS HIGHAM

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 consideringeverything you have looked at in Task 1 and 2
• You are expected to submit each section on a weekly basis during your remote learning
weeks.
• If you get stuck, talk to/email your tutor for guidance.

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.

4. TASK 1 - PURPOSES
YOU SHOULD OPEN THE MUSIC LECTURE
POWERPOINT AND LOOK AT SECTION 1 BEFORE
DOING THIS TASK

5. TASK 1 - PURPOSES
• Q1 - Outline the 3 core purposes of music video with a short
explanation for each:
1) Marketing and sales- the video could visually draw people in, help them
‘feel’ the music and encourage them to stream or buy the CD/vinyl.
2) The music video also gives the song a visual identity for example
Madonna’s ‘Material Girl’ music video easily correlates to the song, very
distinct and iconic images even though it’s referencing the film ‘Gentlemen
prefer Blondes’ starring Marlyin Munroe giving the music video an added
layer of a timeless quality, nostalgia factor making the video feel familiar but
distinct.
3) Entertainment- if someone wants to experience the song in a new way,
they could watch the music video, the video could add a new meaning and
understanding to the song.

6. TASK 1 - PURPOSES
• Q2 – What are some of the broader purposes of music videos?Try
and outline a minimum of 3. (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?)

7. Q2 - TASK 1
1) The artist can create a persona to the general public and fans through their music
videos, alter how people perceive them and their music. If they create a successful
persona this adds to the branding of the artist and their identity. Kid Rock did this in
his music video to ‘American Badass’ and it’s in the title he wants to convey that
he’s an American badass, an outlaw, cruising through the south on his motorbike,
with a half naked woman in his arms, every mans dream.
2) Establish the artist as professional, making an impression on the music industry,
get attention of producers. People will take them seriously, help ‘level up’ the artist.
They can be known not just by their music but the images their music is put to.
3) Save the artist playing the song live, they can show the music video to producers or
the producer could easily find on the internet if they’re interested in signing the
artist.
4) An outlet for jobs, recognition, and creativity. It allows other creators to the put
their work out into the world, directing, cinematography, production design, editing,
costumes etc. Many top talent like Guy Richie, Spike Jonze, David Fincher, Paul
Thomas Anderson, Martin Scorsese, Sofia Coppla and many more have directed
music videos before they were top talent and during the peak of their career.
5) Product placement, increasing sales.

8. TASK 1 - PURPOSES
• Q3 – 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.
• The Rolling Stones- there music videos are generally in a similar location, the band on
the stage, Mick Jagger in the centre wearing an eccentric costume, singing the song.
Nothing special or inventive, easy to follow. This creates the feeling that
your actually there in the moment watching them live.
The stones’ brand is rough, gritty, heavier-driven that came
to define hard rock. So you wouldn’t expect an art house
esque music video with hidden meanings about the origin
of life in a rolling stones music video. Their hard rock gritty
music is reflected in their music videos, the quality is almost
bootleg no flashy cinematic shots, it’s down to earth.
This style the stones have chosen would not only appeal to fans of the band, but it could also
draw in music enthusiasts who like to hear the music with the instruments. The decision to
make the audience feel like they’re watching the band live also helps to promote actual live
performances, these people will be craving to see them in the flesh instead of on TV drawing
in more fans and sales.
(hyper link to playlist of
rolling stones music
videos in image)

9. TASK 1 - PURPOSES
• Q4 – 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.

10. Q4 - TASK 1
One direction’s style of music video is always easy to follow, with high production quality, it looks very clean, polished,
clearly lit. We also get frequent close up shots of the artists. The videos have a very innocent atmosphere to them,
almost documentary-like, feels as if the band were secretly being filmed having fun, this backing up a brand of young,
innocent, reckless boys, that image being repeated through all the music videos I watched of theirs. All the videos also
appeal to the target demographic, female. For instance ‘What Makes You Beautiful’ has the band running around a beach,
and the first few cords of the song are extremely similar to the start of the song ‘Summer Nights’ from the musical film
‘Grease’ making this a direct reference to that song and the atmosphere of that film, being love. This tying in nicely with
the demographic audience. Makes the audience feels like they’re with the band that day, with the members looking
directly into the lens, an intimate feel.
On the other hand, animal collective’s music videos sque in the opposite direction. They’re surreal, niche, and
distinct. The videos aren’t something you can have mindlessly playing in the background, they demand attention
with flashy images, a blend of live action and animation (sometimes just animation). One could say one
direction's music videos are simple and animal collective, complex. You don’t know what’s going on, you’re
constantly questioning why, getting the audience to think more about the song and what it means in relation to
the images on screen. Maybe it means nothing? It’s up to you as a viewer to determine the meaning for yourself,
rather than it be handed to you. Circling back to the style of the music videos, each one feels unique and
inventive. It deserves every second of your time. The editing in animal collective has pace, unlike one direction
where it usually cuts at the same time, the pace of editing complements the song. The song starts off slow and
builds to become more catchy, however with one direction the songs are always at the same level, for that band
it makes sense, they’re a pop group, you’d expect to hear they’re sounds at a party, it can’t lose momentum.

11. TASK 2 – STYLES,
TECHNIQUESAND
CONVENTIONS
YOU SHOULD OPEN THE MUSIC LECTURE
POWERPOINT AND LOOK AT SECTION 2 BEFORE
DOING THIS TASK

12. 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 and how this
creates meaning
Low angle shot
The camera is pointing up at the artist, making the audience look up to
them. Power dynamic, the artist is the dominent figure. This is done to
craft an image of the artist and to make the audience idolise them.
It makes the artist look larger, towering over you.
Group shot
The artist in front of a group, girls and friends.Again, probally to make
the audience want to be them. Paints the persona that artist has many
friends and is very popular, which many people want to be.
On the other hand, you may have many friends therefore you connect
with the artist, you see yourself in them, this driving sales and more
fans.

13. CLOSE UP
Frequentclose up shots of main artist, showing talent as a singer, and
to engrain their face to audience so they know who they are.
Possible attraction,expand the demographic audience.
The close up also gives an intimate feel,help connect with artist, feels
more personal.
CENTRE
FRAMING
Artist is positioned in the centre of the frame; our eye is
draw to them first. Again making them stand out
and dominant.
(ALMOST) CONSTANT
CAMERA MOVEMENT
When the camera is in (almost constant) movementit engages the
viewer more, our eyes are clued to the screenand the camera
moves with such style and slickness.Makes us appreciate the
music video even more.

14. 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 and what the effect of
this is/meanings that are created/etc.
• Quick cuts: an editing technqiue primarlyused in hip
hop muisc video, used so often, it's now a convention of
the genre. It can confuse the audience, with quick
flashes of images, possibly to reinforce the meaning and
message of the song. Potenitaly add to the
rewatchability of the video, hardcore fans may want to
sift through every piece of footage.
• Cut to the beat: cutting to a differentclip on a certain
beat of song can be used effecticvly to establish pace
and rhythm of the video. It adds a nice satisfying flow to
it, however if you do this too regulary it can result in
being quite predictable. The use of this technique also
creates the mood, if your cutting to the beat, the mood
will probally be happyor energetic, likewise for quick
cutting.
Editing in music videos is very
delibarate, it shows the viewer certain
clips at certain times, the editing,
footage,and song all must work
togetherto blend nicley. Otherwise you
end up with a jumbled,incohient music
video with mixed messages from all
sides.Editing helps establishthe mood,
pace, and style of the music video.

15. TASK 2 – STYLES, TECHNIQUES
AND CONVENTIONS
• Q3 – 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…
• Hip hop is probablythe most recognisable genre of music video. Its
visual conventions is frequentuse of low angle shots, the camera
pointing up at the artist, making them look larger and more domient
in the frame. The main artist is usually always framed in the middle,
drawing the eye immidelty to them. From production desgin and
costumes it evokes fame and riches, with parties, big houses, and
exotic locales. The costumes are larger than life, full of colour
commonly sportswear, big golden chains, jewllery. It shows freedom
and wealth, an image many hip hop artits like to project. Another
convention used in these music videos is the depiction of women,
the costumes are always quite revealing, if it's a male artist you can
bet they'll be a shot with him surrounded byhalf naked beautiful
women. They have less power, just there as eye candy.
Low angle shot, singing to the
camera, making a connection

16. TASK 2 – STYLES, TECHNIQUES
AND CONVENTIONS• Q4 - 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 a minimum of 3 examples of
it in music videos?
• Intertexuality is when cinema, fashion, and photography is
visually referenced in music video.
• 1) The Ghost of You by Chemical Romance. The music
video is a clear reference to 'Saving Private Ryan', the
iconic D-Day opening sequence. However the music video
also stands on its leg, with a narrative that flips between
the beach and the ball room, artisticly connecting them in
this lovley shot. Sementing the meaning of the song being
love and loss.
• 2) The Universal by Blur. This music video is
taking reference to Stanley Kubrick's 1971 masterpiece 'A
Clockwork Orange'. With the main singer wearing
the iconic make up on his eye, from the white astetic and
recreation of camera shots, it's all there.
• 3) Material Girl by Madonna. Possibley the most famous
use of intertexuality in music video. There aren't many
people with the courage or the class to attempt a
comparison to Maralynn Monroe. As Madonna is
refferecing the Monroe film 'Gentlemen prefer blondes'.
The shore flowing onto
the ball room.
Madonna Monroe

17. TASK 3 – CASE
STUDY
YOU SHOULD OPEN THE MUSIC LECTURE
POWERPOINT AND LOOK AT SECTION 3 BEFORE
DOING THIS TASK

18. TASK 3 – CASE STUDY
• For your individual case study you must study an artist of choice,
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]

19. TASK 3 – CASE STUDY
• You should include a video link for the videos used
• You should include illustrative stills from the videos chosen
• 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

20. CASE STUDY – BEASTIE BOYS
• For my case study I have chosen to focus on
the Beastie Boys, the first white rap/hip hop
group to gain any importance and popularity.
The group consisted of Michael "Mike D"
Diamond (vocals, drums), Adam "MCA" Yauch
(vocals, bass) and Adam "Ad-Rock" Horovitz
(vocals, guitar, programming).
The reason why I chose Beastie Boys to talk about their music videos is that their
videos have always beenthe most entertaining to watch. I first discoveredthe band
when I watched the Apple TV+ documentary, Beastie Boys Story, directed by Spike
Jonze. Up until that point I never listened to rap or hip hop, in fact I hated the genre.
However, while learning about the history of the band through the documentaryand
hearing their music, I must say it started to grow on me.
The Intergalactic music video was shown through the credits of the documentary and
I couldn't take my eyes off it. I had seennothing like it before,in terms of a music
video. It was so fun entertaiment, perfectlyhighlightng their song.

21. INTERGALATIC
• Intergalatic is arguableythe Beastie Boys' most successful and most
well-known music video and song. The music video aspect of its
popularityis down to how entertaining and stylised it is.
• Firstly, the use of a partly narrative driven music video. That being of: a robot from outer-space
crash lands on earth, three people exit it from it (that being the beastie boys) and that segment is
just them singing to the camera, walking around the city. The other segment is with the giant
robot which get into a battle between a squid-crab hybrid sea monster, the robot ultimlity prevails.
Finally, the three beastie boys board back onto the robot and fly off back into space. Within the
music video many technquies are used, I'll first talk about the use of intertexuality.
• The opening of the video is a prolouge, which doesn’t contain the song. Instead the classical
music composed by Modest Mussorgsky, 'Night on Bald Mountain' is used (also known as: 'Night on
Bare Mountain'). This was famouly used in Disney's 1941 animated film 'Fantasia'. The music is used
as the robot crashes onto earth. As it lands another use of intertextuality can be spotted. The robot
lands in what looks to be an Asian country, and when it lands the reaction of the public and the way
the robot lands, can only make me think of the 1954 orginal showa-era Godzilla film. And finally, the
last use of intertexuality I could find was when the robot and the sea monster have their show
down. I couldn't help but be remidned of the scenes from the Power Ranger tv show, as a kid I'd
occasionally watch it. The big fight scenes in the streets always stood out as you could tell it was just
two people in a suit amungst minitures. However the connection to the original Godzilla films can
still be made, those films also contained big fight scenes with large creature, filmed in a similar
fashion however in stop-motsion.
• Onto the the technical skills used, the video contains a few music video conventions such as the
main singers looking into the camera while lip syncing and over/under cranking. The video very much
reflects the song, being repetative the video is clearly structured with the different segments.
• As far as editing and camera techniques, theres use of over/under cranking (as I've already
mentioned), time-lapse, and quick cuts. The camera is always moving providing high energy and the
bizare nature of it all. There are mainly medium shots, a lack of close ups.
Power rangers
Godzilla (1954)
Link to the video in the title

22. SABOTAGE
• Sabotage is without a doubt Beastie Boys' most popular song and music video, with
over 82 million views on youtube and over 175 million listens on spotify.
• When I first watched Sabotage, I thought it was a narrative driven music video however upon
watching it several times, trying to decipher the story,it simply boils down to unorganised
craziness, much like the song. For this video, there was a very strong sense of inspiration that
Spike Jonze (who directed the video) and the Beastie Boys themselves felthad to be
incorporated into the music video. This strong inspiration is an added layer of the
intertexuality, and that is of course 1970scop shows. You don't even need to have seen
any 70s cop shows to understand the inspiration. Mike D states in an interview
with Vanity Fair "I remember we all watching VHS video tapes of Streets of San Francisco and
other shows, and we were like, that would be awesome if we could actually pull off our own
version of that." To establish this intertexuality costumes, props, and loactions are used to
full affect. As far as any techniqual skills go there are freeze frames and text pops up, like the
opening of an episode on a cop show.
• Much like Intergalatic the shots are fast moving and quickly cut however, in Sabotage some
shots are more random and abscure, with one just tilted up spinning this, again, reflects
the unorganised chaos we see happening on screen.
• These editing and camera technqiues all come intoone and are indentifiable in most Beastie
Boys music videos. Beastie Boys are rap and hip-hop, so quick fast singing, it would only make
sense to reflect that in their music videos which help craft a brand for themselves this can be
seen in Sabotage, Intergalatic, and Alive to name a few. All these videos paint the Beastie Boys
as reckless and fun, giving an entertaining time for the viewer. The boys were quite clearly
having a lot of fun while shootingsabotage from the costumes, crazy stunts, drving around in
the car; it’s a win win.
Streets of San Francisco

23. BODY MOVIN'
• Body Movin' still provides a fun, goofy, entertaining experience for both the viewer and the
Beastir Boys. Like their previous videos it is narrative driven, with a clear story this time (unlike
Sabotage) the story follows a cross between James Bond and 1966 Batman as he plans to steal
something. It's a 1960s spy movie in a nutshell with clear intertexuality of James Bond and the
Batman tv series.
To cementmy intertexuality comparsion
I have collectedimages that echo the
inspiration, the video feels like a James
Bond rip-off then towards the end when
he goes into his cave another 60s bit of
pop culture pops,that being the batman
tv series starring Adam West.
The video itself is very comical from its story to the
performances.On a technical standpoint the video looks very
colour evoking a kind of technicolor(layering the
intertexuality) and the shots are quite static and not as quickly
editing as the other beastie boys' videos I've explored.This
was likey done to help the audience take in the story and
visuals.