1. How and why music videos are still a cultural
statement and relevant in today’s society
Plan
2. Background research on history of music videos.
When did it start, what was the first music video?
• Early ear and pre MTV
• 1950s early music clips – first music video was Tony Bennett walking through Hyde Park to the song Stranger in Paradise
• 1965 We Can Work It Out by THE Beatles was considered the first music video on television – They wanted there presence in America with
out being there
• They worked with Michael Lindsay-Hogg to use cinematics to portray the song instead of recording a live performance
• Late 60s more avant garde and underground techniques are being used in music video production
• Late 60s – 70s more experimentation in film as Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd and David Bowie started looking at how film and music could work
together and open a door to endless possibilities. David Bowies Ashes to Ashes was the stepping stone to deeper layers of meaning in
music videos
• MTV and the Rise of Directors.
• MTV launched in 1981 with Video Killed the Radio Star
• Was a channel devoted to the art form and made it easier for people to put visuals to a song as they played them 24/7
• 1983 – Thriller by Michael Jackson. John Landis brings back the idea of creating a narrative film with a music video as its central driving
force
• 1922 MTV listed the directors name next to the artists as they had realised it was an auteurs medium as directors took full creative control.
David Fincher started off in Music Video Production
• It gives a new breed of young and talented directors to express their unique vision through the medium as they required very little budget
and crew for the style of videos that were popular then
• The YouTube Ear.
• In the mid 2000s, MTV went away from showing music to air more reality shows, this spawned a myriad of new directors taking to YouTube
• They were very low budget and didn’t conform to the media censorship
• With the explosion in popularity of youtube everyone took to posting there videos on YouTube
“It’s (music videos) an artwork you do because you love it (not to get paid)” [M. Diva, 2019].
3. Give Understanding to a song
• Music videos give the impression of the song, and many individuals like to perceive what the
artists are thinking of for their songs visuals, ideas about the song and further thought, and so
forth. When we take a watch songs being played with a video we all have different points of view
of the importance, and meaning. Every now and then an artist will create such a video with a lot
of meaning and sometimes it is just them singing with fancy visuals accompanied by them
• Music videos give the impression of the song
• people like to perceive what the artists are thinking of when they watch video, ideas about the
song
• When we listen to songs being played with a video we all have different points of view
MVs to talk about - logic suicide one (deep meaning). Sayonara by Aries (no meaning just visuals).
Ed sheeeran lego house (metaphorical lyrics so the video works well. About a breakup like a lego
house)
4. Entertain
• Films and videos can entertain people in a number of ways including, the actors
choice and acting, the direction and cinematography, the soundtrack and the
script. When these are combined in a very good way the audience can be so
engaged they don’t think about all the work that goes in. Major productions work
all these aspects into the work to engage the audience with the soundtrack being
the music and the actor being the artist meaning people will watch it just for the
sake that the artist is in it.
• Actors choice - DNA by Kendrick Lemar - Don Cheadle
• Direction and cinematography - Señorita Shawn Mendes - MVA winner
• When they work well nobody thinks about all the work that goes in as it flows
seamlessly
“Even if everything is now digital, who doesn’t want to have more than just the track…I would say the track is the
burger and the music video is the full meal deal with fries and Coke” [S. Cahn, 2016]
5. Promote an artist image and recreate it
• Establish up and coming artists
• TCrook$ 506 monthly Spotify listeners and 25k views on YouTube. More
plays on YT than Spotify.
• Recreate artists image
• Slipknot - aggressive and intense kids too thought provoking staples of
heavy metal
• Evident through there music videos - Wait and bleed 1990 and then
deivl in I 2015?
“In this sense the music video becomes an extension of yourself. Your choice of style, approach and content
will reveal elements of who you are – even things that aren’t clear in your music” [T. Campbell, 2016]
6. Give fans a little extra
• Give fans a little extra
• Post Malones WOW video is all BTS of his tour
• Works on everyone as they all have a curiosity into the life of there
favourite artist
• Might not include??
“It’s not just official music videos. YouTube has interviews and live performances and footage straight from the
band tour bus. Its content you couldn’t find anywhere else.” [Amelia, Unknown]
7. Being the director
still a staple of the filmmaking world
give new directors a chance to work with professionals and gain that
filmmaking knowledge and improve their craft.
easier to make 10 music videos to show off your talent than 1 feature/short
film that doesn't achieve what a director wants artistically
“In the last five years I have constantly seen all the most refreshing and exciting directing talent come out of
music videos over other fields” [N. Doff, Unknown].
8. VFX and keeping current
changing times in cinema the use of VFX have massively increased from the days of just filming the band
such The Beatles to full CG composites
With the increased in visual interest it brings in ore viewers which in turn brings more publicity and fame
for an artist.
Ihe video for Voodoo In My Blood by Massive Attack and Young Father's combines 3D objects that are
composed into live-action footage
Wide Open by The Chemical Brothers motion tracked a mesh skin onto the actor with blended 3D
elements and complex light simulations.
It has become a staple in music videos award shows such as the VMAs have started a Best VFX award
for the companies that create the best VFX in music videos.
Past winners include BUF VFX for their work on ME! By Taylor Swift and Passion Pictures for their work
on Feel Good Inc by Gorlliaz.
“the result is absolutely spectacular and a testament to the creative possibilities of collaborative projects” [C.
Ward, 2016]
9. Future Of Music Videos VR
the VR route.
With the ever growing number of cheap VR headsets
increased use of mobile phones for streaming
untapped market.
move your phone around and have the video follow - the viewer feel like they are apart of it.
The Weekends music video for The Hills remix as there are many layers to the video with
things that can only be seen if watching from different angles.
Overall it gives the viewer better engagement with their favourite artists.
“VR lets us experience and connect to music more personally than ever before” [T. Szirtes, 2019]
10. Future Of Music Videos Shorts
creating short films around songs in an album.
to create a visual narrative through songs that have connected themes or situations
such as
blackbears Anonymous Saga
The Unauthorised Bash Brothers Experience by The Lonely Island, the whole album
plays out as a half true biography of the Bash Brothers who were famous baseball
players in the 80s.
The idea behind it is too add to the song in ways that just music can’t be creating
relationships between the audience and the actors -> creating that relationship
between the artist and the viewer.
“If artists continue to treat the music like movies don’t be surprised when Netflix or Showtime replaces YouTube
as the central hub to watch videos from your favorite rapper.” [Y. Phillips, 2018]
11. Future Of Music Videos Spotify
where we view them.
The biggest music streaming platform Spotify - Canvases.
This is a short, looped video that plays alongside the song.
They are snippets from the music video, live shows or just an animation of
the album cover or fan art like Billie Eilish does on her songs.
With the ever expanding list of artists doing this it is clear that it will continue
to grow and evolve into a new way of watching music videos
“The goal is for you to have richer ways to express yourself (the artist) and to allow listeners to engage with you
and your music even more deeply” [Spotify, 2019]
![Background research on history of music videos.
When did it start, what was the first music video?
• Early ear and pre MTV
• 1950s early music clips – first music video was Tony Bennett walking through Hyde Park to the song Stranger in Paradise
• 1965 We Can Work It Out by THE Beatles was considered the first music video on television – They wanted there presence in America with
out being there
• They worked with Michael Lindsay-Hogg to use cinematics to portray the song instead of recording a live performance
• Late 60s more avant garde and underground techniques are being used in music video production
• Late 60s – 70s more experimentation in film as Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd and David Bowie started looking at how film and music could work
together and open a door to endless possibilities. David Bowies Ashes to Ashes was the stepping stone to deeper layers of meaning in
music videos
• MTV and the Rise of Directors.
• MTV launched in 1981 with Video Killed the Radio Star
• Was a channel devoted to the art form and made it easier for people to put visuals to a song as they played them 24/7
• 1983 – Thriller by Michael Jackson. John Landis brings back the idea of creating a narrative film with a music video as its central driving
force
• 1922 MTV listed the directors name next to the artists as they had realised it was an auteurs medium as directors took full creative control.
David Fincher started off in Music Video Production
• It gives a new breed of young and talented directors to express their unique vision through the medium as they required very little budget
and crew for the style of videos that were popular then
• The YouTube Ear.
• In the mid 2000s, MTV went away from showing music to air more reality shows, this spawned a myriad of new directors taking to YouTube
• They were very low budget and didn’t conform to the media censorship
• With the explosion in popularity of youtube everyone took to posting there videos on YouTube
“It’s (music videos) an artwork you do because you love it (not to get paid)” [M. Diva, 2019].](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7)