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
• 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
Y O U S H O U L D O P E N T H E M U S I C L E C T U R E
P O W E R P O I N T A N D L O O K AT S E C T I O N 1
B E F O R E D O I N G T H I S TA S K
5. TASK 1 - PURPOSES
• Q1 - Outline the 3 core purposes of music video with a short
explanation for each:
• Advertise the song, music videos are more engaging to watch
and may bring people into the brand
• Provide a new outlook for the son, may entirely change the
meaning got it with visual representation
• Gives people further entertainment and strengthens
attatchment to the song itself
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?)
• It allows the band to better get across the meaning of the song by
seeing them by what is shown on screen, which may make the lyrics
and tune seem more relatable to the viewers.
• To reinforce a social message from the band, to push their views as
attractive and entertaining it can be easy to do through video,
which is then supported by the song itself.
• Allows people to develop a closer connection with the band by
seeing them perform the song without the band having to perform
a live convention.
7. 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.
• In music videos by my favorite band “Lovejoy”, the band
present themselves as jovial, exciting and funny, always looking
like they’re having an absolute blast in each shot. They also
push forward the idea that they’re somewhat ordinary people,
because almost all of their videos are shot partially in bars,
partially on the streets of Brighton.
8. 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.
• One Direction music videos prominently feature the band
themselves in the center of the screen, with high budget
production. Hey make their videos easy to follow with a relatively
closed viewpoint, and attract a very large audience. The video is
ultimately created to make money and bring people to the song. In
comparison, Animal Collective videos never feature the artist, only
human figures on CGI backgrounds, and likely don’t cost nearly as
much to produce. It is a niche and hard to understand style, with a
smaller option however the videos can really mean just about
anything, as they are left very imaginatively open. Their videos are
built to be creative.
9. TASK 2 – STYLES,
TECHNIQUES AND
CONVENTIONS
Y O U S H O U L D O P E N T H E M U S I C L E C T U R E
P O W E R P O I N T A N D L O O K AT S E C T I O N 2
B E F O R E D O I N G T H I S TA S K
10. 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
• Close up shots are the most common use of camera angles in
most music videos, focusing on usually the lead singer to create
a more personal connection to the viewer. It will often follow
performers in the limelight if they move around during the
video, but is also used to display an entire stage by circling or
changing angles on the band if the video is taking that form.
11. 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
• Most music videos are edited in a fast cut montage of different
shots, making viewers have to watch it multiple times to
understand most of the shots, almost ensuring more revenue.
There is also often blockbuster style CGI, especially among
larger more rock-focused producers.
12. 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 recognizable genre and use illustrations to explain what
their genre conventions are…
• Hip Hop often uses low camera angles on groups of people,
usually men, dressed in sports clothing or other expensive
outfits, making gestures similar to gang signs. Many modern
and older hip hop music videos since very early in the genre
becoming popular.
13. 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?
• Intertextuality is having references to other forms of media within a
music video, such as GeorgeNotFound starring in Lovejoy’s “Taunt”,
“Material Girl” by Madonna having similar shots to the Marilyn
Monroe film ”Gentlemen prefer blondes” and Shania Twain’s ”Man I
feel like a woman”, featuring a close to identical shot with Robert
Palmer’s “Addicted to love”, only flipping the gender roles.
14. TASK 3 – CASE
STUDY
Y O U S H O U L D O P E N T H E M U S I C L E C T U R E
P O W E R P O I N T A N D L O O K AT S E C T I O N 3
B E F O R E D O I N G T H I S TA S K
15. 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]
16. 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
• Add slides here as appropriate – DO NOT SHORT CUT THIS
SECTION, IT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT
17. TAUNT - LOVEJOY
• Taunt is an Indie Rock/Pop song by emerging band Lovejoy. The
video itself features one central person sitting on a chair in the
center of a small blank room, while three of the band members
circled him, playing instruments, lifting weights or generally
attempting to make him break his blank expression in a fast cut
montage, while the lead singer Wilbur lip-syncs the words to the
track in each shot. Every shot only lasts for a few seconds, with the
band members changing position each time. Some examples of
intertextuality include the man on the chair being GeorgeNotFound
(pictured above), a popular youtuber associated with Minecraft, just
like the band’s lead singer Wilbur Soot, as well as the use and
emphasis of the line “You’re insecure”, likely a reference to One
Direction.
18. ONE DAY - LOVEJOY
• One Day is another indie rock song by Lovejoy, the music video of
which premiered just before the music video for Taunt. The video
prominently featured Wilbur Soot throughout the first verse, then
the lead guitarist Joe Goldsmith walking through a street
brightened by streetlights. Two friends of the band, Benedict
Lovejoy and Nathan Kidd, also made an appearance, as muggers
that attack Joe Goldsmith on the street.
19. MODEL BUSES - LOVEJOY
• Model Buses was the first song on the Pebble Brain EP to get a
music video uploaded. It features each member of the band
standing in front of portable green screens around Brighton,
dancing, playing their instruments and lip-syncing the words.
The green screens usually have greyscaled videos of old English
buses on them.
21. LINKING FORWARD…
• Now it’s important to think about how you can use some of what
you’ve learned in your investigations for your own work.
• Summarise in this section the key techniques, styles, conventions
and genre you prefer and what you think you could use in your
project.
• Think of this as a place to put all those loose ideas for your music
video and how you intend to apply the things you’ve enjoyed
looking at.
• Remember, music video is a medium that has a lot freedom in
terms of form and style. It is also the medium that steals,
incorporates and re-integrates all the things you have seen and
experienced.
• Add slides as necessary, it will make the next section of the
much easier
