2. In developing our own music video, we recognised the absolute significance of analysing and
deconstructing the codes and conventions of many similar music videos to assert a basic idea of what
we felt needed to be accomplished in order to produce a successful music video ourselves.
Undoubtedly, other music video case studies allow us a window in which we can begin to understand
the general practises and decisions of producers within the industry. As with any text, the appearance
of patterns within the codes and conventions adopted by many music videos of our genre, illustrate
the makers’ need to validate the purpose of the production. Therefore, once we had recognised the
purposes of our song (Billy Bragg’s “Sulk”), to entertain, provide emotional commentary and
appealing indie-rock music, we knew that our visual concepts had to compliment this. Through
siphoning through various videos that expressed similar purposes, we attempted to adopt elements of
each where we deemed it appropriate to the gravity of that individual purpose. Ultimately, this allowed
us to develop a video that felt synergous and equally forceful amongst it’s three primary elements;
music, lyrics and visuals.
GOOD ARTISTS COPY, GREAT ARTISTS
STEAL:
HOW OTHER MUSIC VIDEOS
INFLUENCED OUR PRODUCTION.
3. Likewise, Andrew Goodwin and Steve Archer’s music video concepts do much to illustrate the typical
codes, forms and conventions as laid out within many successful music videos, and are widely used in
the industry as formulae for creating the general consensus of a “successful” music video. In such,
these theories also provided a basis for our own, aspiringly “successful” music video. Particularly,
their theoretical constructs of Thought Beats, Narrative, Performance, Visio-lyrical relationship and
Star Image allowed us to bring an element of veritas to our own video, through a definitive
understanding of music video forms and conventions. After all, whilst case studies (other music
videos) can clearly provide points of visual reference, they cannot provide us an understanding of the
processes that dictate these visual decisions, as Goodwin and Archer do. Therefore, we recognised the
importance of using both case studies and respected theories as a means to devise the most successful
music video that we can.
A BASIS IN THEORY:
THE APPLICATION OF GOODWIN AND
ARCHER’S THEORIES TO OUR MUSIC
VIDEO.
4. The conventional use of thought beats in music videos, in order to accentuate a rhythmic relationship
between audio and visuals, and as illustrated by Goodwin and Archer’s studies, find noticeable
validation throughout our music video and the creative decisions that we took during the production
and construction process. The purposes of these formats is to distinctly cement the triangular
connection between the music, visuals and lyrical content. Our video utilises this technique
throughout the progression of it’s narrative, in order to achieve maximum synergy between all three
elements. If our visual element, the only variable to which we can control within the production, is
proven to have an imbalance to the patternistic and rhythmic nature of the audio and lyrical context, it
works to remove the audience from the immersion and thus forth invalidates the purpose of our video
to provide a collective convergence of emotions, themes, musical appeasement and visual
entertainment. In essence, a failure to adhere to Thought Beats can ultimately rob the video of any
verisimilitude.
THEORY AND VIDEO: THOUGHT
BEATS OVERVIEW
5. Jump cuts layered upon a patternistic drum beat, within the context of a shot in narrative motion, is a
common practise within industry music video construction; a simplistic, yet effective, technique to provide
the sequence with a sense of chronological extension, narrative progression and complex emotional
dissection, whilst further illustrating a musical purpose as a structure to bind the preceding, present and
future sequences together. We firmly understood this in certain sequential elements. Take the initial
“Tunnell Sequence” from Day 3 of filming, for instance; the rapidity and synchronised nature of the thought
beats reflect the emotional complexities of our protagonist, underlined by the anti-chronological approach
to the sequence; he does not walk exclusively forward, the thought beats correspond to different and
random points of his journey. However, there is a seemingly chronologically fixed start and ending point;
meaning to illustrate the concept that; while his journey is complex and uncertain, it still is a finite and
passable venture. This likewise corresponds to Archer and Goodwin’s concept that Thought Beats act as a
paralinguistic communicative device.
THEORY: THOUGHT BEATS
EXAMPLE
Click the boxes for examples
6. In regards to intertextuality and the relationship between our video’s thought beats and others within
industry Music Videos, much correspondence can be observed in relation to the works of various
other music video producers. For instance, we took the concept of subtle piano thought beats,
influenced by Adele’s “Hello” (2015), to elevate the concept of subtle emotion and the progressive
nature of time, as well as linking specific imagery and match cuts together. Continuously, we expanded
on the construct of expressive drum thought beats as a means to convey traditional expressive
emotion, as in our old favourite case study Oasis’ “Wonderwall” (1995). Furthermore, we also used
online tool www.visual-beat.com in order to develop a taste for the convergence of visuals and music
in the construction of videos.
MUSIC VIDEO: THOUGHT BEATS
EXAMPLE - SEMIOTICS
7. It was important, within the construction of narrative and performance, to adhere to
Arhcer’s theories on the matter, as this would give our music video a clear sense of validity
on a wider playing field of industry videos. In courting a level of repetition and
replayability through performatism and voyerism, we constructed the stage-based band
sequences as the vertebrae of our piece – semiotically signifying the importance of
collectivised visuals over singular performativity. This notion, therefore, once it is broken
via the disjointed and singular narrative, creates a dichotomy that is unconventional
between the elements of most atypical music videos; a synergy between narrative and
performance akin to Darius Ruckers’ “Wagon Wheel”.
NARRATIVE AND PERFORMANCE
8. In regards to the relationship between visuals and lyrics, we once again sought
influence from conventional videos such as Bruce Springsteen’s “Atlantic City”,
associating the crumbling nature Atlantic City’s fanciful and glamourous past,
lyrically, with the literal imagery of collapsing buildings and demolition teams
juxtaposed with this. Therefore, this partnership works together in order to
provide synergy and total sensory appeasement. These elements work to validate
the Goodwinian thesis that the consolidation of these elements promote a strong
and immersive atmosphere. Within ours, our use of imagery of the protagonist
sulking helped to validate this.
VISIO-LYRICO RELATIONSHIP
