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:
• Illustration – the use of litural relation ships to the song and
what the song is sung about .
• Amplification- amplifies the meaning and developes the theme,
also reinforces the meaning.
• Disjuncture- opperates odds to the song, creates an opposite.
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?
• Promoting- artists use music videos to promote them selfs and to sometimesshow a social
message through the video and song, a higher and more main stream artist would probably have a
larger budget for the video and also a wider audience where as a smaller artist may have a small
budget and the video would mainly only apeal to the target audience he/she is engadging.
• Entertain- to engadge there audience and to engage new audiences, for example, a song with a
video could be on an advert and most people skip these, but if the video and song work ell some
people might like it and check out more music, widening the audience for the artist.
• Sales- sales can be done through video from branding of cloths and sponsorships for wearing them
in it, this ties in to promoting quite a lot because promoting your self as an artist will improve sales
of songs and merchindice.
• Engagment- engament is how many people veiw or click on your video, this is used quite a lot on
social media such as instagram,twitter and facebook, a music video that can catch the
audience/veiwers eye is alsways good because then they will look into more depth and posibly end
up following and liking the artist.
• Collaberations- music videos for the artst is a good way to show collaberations with other artists
opening the target audience to both the artists, or this could be done through use of famouse
people(actors,dancers, ect).
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 where 2 or more media platforms come together to
create a promotinal video, for example many songs are fetured
in films, many music videos have scenes from films, this creates
a wider audience because people might wonder what song it is
or where the secens are from, leading them to do reasearch.
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.
• juice wrld - this artist is a modern american rap artist, his music vidoes are
quite creative and tell a story and a meaning, different in each, theres a lot
of pain and suffering in them but by the end hes on top, I think he is like
this because hes showing his audience that things get better, hes quite the
inspiratinal talker at concerts and he is a loving and polite guy to his fans.
He became quite main stream after he relased ‘lucid dreams’ in may 2018
and since then he has only got more influencinal and larger, his videos
show quite a creative side and there are quite a few animations in them. He
always presents him self quite well, in casual american clothing and his
aduience is around 15-19. Juices brand is quite repetative but I think he is
like this because he likes to send quite aclear message to his fans and likes
to think of himself as a down to earth guy.
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.
• 1 directon - are a more main stream act, meaning they have a much larger
budget and audience and there music videos and songs all follow the same kind
of mood(love), the message behind the video is a lot clearer and understandable
as there audience are young teens, also 1 d like to show themselves a lot and
show they are availible.
• Animal collective - are more of a smaller act with low budget videos, I can tell
that this act mainly focuses on the one audience they have because of the
artistic stylethey do there videos, they don’t really show there faces or
themselves at all and this kind of makes the watcher focus more on the music
then the video.The meaning is more confusing to understand and not as clear
are some ther mainstream acts.
• The two are quite opposite to each other, 1D is more main stream high end
looking to gain more audiene and sales where as Animal collective doesn’t really
bother with a big budget and is the kind of music only targeted o that genre of
fans .
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
• Juice WRLD - Lucid Dreams (Dir. by @_ColeBennett_)
Opening shot, quite close
up and smokey, the
contrast with the light on
the back and him infront
gives quite a smooky vibe.
Another close up put
only showing his head
what looks to be coming
out the floor, this could
show suffering as hes
low down and not able
to do anything because
hes only a head.
12. TASK 2 – STYLES, TECHNIQUES
AND CONVENTIONS
This shot is an animation,
showing a crative side to
his music and a romance
side as theres two hands
going for what looks to be
a wedding ring.
Final shot, close up of two
hands going together and
interlocking, then in post a
red love heart has been
edited in as an animation,
shos love and efection and
finishes of the creative video
on good terms.
13. TASK 2 – STYLES, TECHNIQUES
AND CONVENTIONS
Chris Brown - No Guidance (Official Video) ft. Drake
Long shot of car and the artist,
shows money and power that his
so high up and with the posh car.
The way the care is the main
focus creates the though of rich
and famous, maybe trying to
show his audience who he is and
to remind them.
Wide shot, looks like a face
off, shows the two sides
divided by a child, could
show love for the child and
hatred between the two
adults.
14. TASK 2 – STYLES, TECHNIQUES
AND CONVENTIONS
• There are many different types of shots, a lot more then I have show for
example;
• Over the shoulder shot
• Close up shot
• Medium shot
• Long shot
• Wide shot
• Semi close up shot
• But then theres also different types of them like flowwy and gental,
movements, stills, theres such a wide range and each shot can show a lot of
different meanings depending on how you use them.
15. 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
• Juice WRLD - Lean Wit Me (Official Music Video)
The old film type
theme reinforeces
the sinister look of
this music video.
Quite a sinister wide shot,
the black and white edit
adds to the spooky vibe
and creates a more in
depth sinister feel.
The way its spelt is
targeted to his
audience, maybe
underprivvlaged teens
expirecneing the same
as him…
16. TASK 2 – STYLES, TECHNIQUES
AND CONVENTIONS
The 3d styled colours
edited in look really well
because it kind of looks like
blur, this could refer to the
title “fast”
The lights and refelction
show the car is going fast, its
all edited in to reflect back to
the title fast and through out
the video it keeps refering
back to the title as
everythings quite quick and
fast.
Juice WRLD - Fast
17. 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
• Some technical developments in music videos could be
autotune, midi, looped tracks and loop pedals, better recording
softwear, more sfx equitment and edits.
Musical Instrument Digital
18. 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
Music genre – Indi – all of the music
videos are qute smooth lightng, not
that fast, dul an dnormaly through
out the video there will be a main
colour theme like in these examples
it’s a blue kind of colour. This is for
most indi music videos but not all
some are very different and stand
out a lot from other videos with light
vibrant colours and long shots of
sceenery and things.
19. 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?
• Intertexuality essentially means for a type of
media(film,television,music etc) to pay homage to another
media text and to relate them both to each other rather clearly.
21. 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]
22. 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
23. HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=X4YK -DEKVCW
The killers - Shot At The Night (Official Music Video)
Camera/edit- Through out the video these type of scenes keep
showing, it shows that the song is about someone he loves, and hes
remebering the past memorys they have together, the way its edited
shows a lot of happiness and love and creates a real hart warming story
for the song to fit to nicely.
Intertextuality- throught out the killers
video, they are driving and moving
round las vegas, this shows how fun las
vegas is and links them toegther
throught media.
My Critical Approaches- I personally thing the song and the video
are amazing, theres a good posoitve story to it and everything flows
nicley, the video was released in 2013 and the quality looks not too
bad tlling me they had a rather good budget for this, I know they
used to be mainstream and now they are a little old but still have a
wide audience!
Most there music vidos are quite movie like, this creates an intresting
video because not olny does everything flow and seem nice but the
old styled movie graffics makes the skin and cloths look rather
Styles/techniques- There is aloy of moving shots and action
shots of people walking ,running ,smiling and having fun. This
engages the audience because it shows a clear happy
meaning, it makes the watcher listen and watch and helps
them feel how the video looks. This is smart because the song
then creates the audience to think of it when there down or
upset and is usefull for sales and making money.
The clothing is quite vibrant and posh looking and the setting
is vegas showing they have money and they are happy, this
could kind of say that money is happiness but then also also
says love is happiness.
Genre conventions- Not all of the killers songs are the same pace and style
but all the videos that are not as new, all follow the same old style smooth
film graffics and styled like an old movie to tell the story, this works really well
because of the lyrics and everything flows and looks really good.
24. HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=GGDGFTWCNBE
• THE KILLERS – MR BRIGHTSIDE
Styles/techinques- In this music video there is a lot of costumes and old fashioned
styled cloting,dreses, even stage.just like the video for ‘shot at night’ you can clearly
tell there is a high budget within the killers music videos. It is also quite cleary about
love and relationships and a female. The rich gold and red colours on the stage
show that there quite popular to be preforming on such a rich stage, and they way
people are dressed is quite old fashioned and posh showing they are worth it and
making there audiene know they are quite good.
Camera/edit- there is wuitee a lot happening in this video, quite a lot of different
shots and angles, theres a lot of movement in evryone in the video and the lead
singer has a lot of long shots that end in a close up, the frame switches quite a lot
to different people and these are quite fast as the tune gets faster, this creates
intreste in whats going out and the way it has been edited creates a story in its self
about been in love. The sharpness of the cuts show how everything in the lead
singers head is changing so fast and how his mind I going crazy.
Intertextuality- through out the video there is a old rich theme, and everything
looks like something like a 1880’s ball, this could create a older target audience
around 25-40 year olds.
Most of there music vidoes (not the most recent) all follow the same kind of old
movie style video quality, I think they have done this o be a more artistic act and
show real difference to the other acts in that genre of music.
My Critical Approaches- This song and video has stayed in the top 100 charts for
the last two years, this just proves it’s a good song with a good message and a
wide audience, the killers have such a wide audience that is growing still, the way
the videos create another story and corralate with the acctual song makes
everything make sence that they isng and play.
Similar to the video’ shot at night’ the theme is rather old and film like making the
skin and costumes look nice and smooth, the smooth lighting on the faces adds
nice detail making everything look so perfect in the video.The fact the endingthe
lead singer(flower) leaves the woman he was potentinally singing about creates
quite a different and good mean like ‘ do whats best for yoursel’ .
Genre conventions- The general genre of music doesn’t really all carry the same
style videos, a lot are different but all the kills older ones all follow the smooth
lighting and old film like edits, they all seem realastic but in and old fim kind of way.
25. HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=W3XCYBDIS1K
The killers- the man
Styles/techinques- In this video there a a lot of changes, not in character but in life
style. This is one of the killers recent songs and videos, you can quite clearly tell
with the difference in styles, although its not got so much the smooth skin and
lighting there is still the rich red and gold theme on a stage for high end people,
just like the other videos iv analyized. There is a more rough and rugid look to some
of the clips in this video witch works well as its very ego based song and can show
hes grown up a lot. The contrast between rich and poor is show very well in this
video, as the camera switches through three phase like situations in flowers life.
Camera/edit- again the camera never really sits in one place or is still, this gives it
quite a realastic look, the camera is always moving about from angles and differet
people. Just like ‘mr brightside’ the shots are changing every few seconds making it
engadging to watch as theres so much going on, in most of the killers videos this is
quite familiar, telling a story with the song and showing what the song is about and
it works rather well.
Genre conventions- The killers music videos as time progresses do get a lot
better, this is probably from a higher budget to spend now they are more main
stream, we still see some similarities like how the camera shots are moving a lot and
the frames changes, also the rich colours (red/gold) but other then that they are
getting more realastic graffis and starting too look more like real life and not a
movie.
Intertextuality- in this video we see the late 1880’s theme again witch the rich
colours but then the dancers are more 1900’s now, this shows he has aged and
expirenced more in life, the contrast between that and the more modern night
bars show a past and a future in music.
My Critical Approaches- In this video you can clearly tell they have a higher
budget as the graffics and general look s a lot newer then the older videos, I like
this one because of te phases of life it shows and the struggle, how he starts off
with a lot of fame and and then the final few shots are him putting his costume
away and lots of people leaving then the final shot is him walking away, although
it is hard to try undertand the general meaning to this video it is still good and
does show what the song is about and works rather well with the rough look and
how u can see hes older and expierenced more.
It does have similaritys to the other killer videos like the camerashots, theres lot of
movement within them , and the rich red and gold colours just like ‘mr brightside’
.
26. HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=QOK9IALEI4C
• The killers – miss atomic
bombStyles/techinques- unlike all of the killers music videos, this one relates
directly back to ‘mr brightside’ using the same characters, but in
animation, there are some parts where it converts to real life. Perhaps
this is flower remebering things and his memorys or dreams.
The way it relates back to mr brightside is pretty clever because then
the people that enjoyed that song will ant to listen to this as a sort of
continuation.
Camera/edit- in this video most of it is animarion and made on a computure, but
there are a few shots of real life like flower is older and remebing his past. Most the
shots are close up showing facial expressions and where he lives showing he still
loves the woman.
The editing in this is really good, The animations are amazing and clearly tell the
story and the cuts to new clips and pieces of the video go really well with the song..
Te way the real life footage blends into animation like hes dreaming is creative and
artistic. The way its edited shows sadness and gives the song a negative vibe.
Genre conventions- this is quite weird for the killers but this video is animated and
doesn’t really follow within its genre or style of music.
Intertextuality- in the video everything is animated, kind of showing us its a
game or some kind of cartoon and not real life, shows flower may be dreaming
about wha he wants ormaybe remebering whate had/lost in the past.
It also relates directlyback to ‘mr brihtside’ using the same characters and same
kind of stage set up and costumes in the animations.
My Critical Approaches- Upon many aproaches film in music can be quite artful
andThis is quite a good example of that, not all music videos have to be acted out,
this one has been created, although it doesn’t really fit in with the killera tyle of
videos it it artistic and different. You don’t really see this too much in the genre of
music im focusing on and I think this is beacsue the music doesn’t really fit the
style of video too much, but that’s my personal oppinon.
27. HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=IYY3YOPXL2K
• The 1975 - Robbers (Official Music Video)
(Explicit)
Intertextuality- in the video there is a scene with the two lovers commiting a
robbery, this relates to the famouse ‘bonnie and clyde’. It also shows a few issues
from todays world; crime, drugs, poverty and alchol. This makes it a more realistic
video and it just visually looks real in this aspect.
Camera/edit- there is a lot of movement in the shots and the camera doesn’t stay
still, this is quite like most of the killers music videos where the frame is changing a
lot and showing different events. Theres quite a few shots in a misty room of both
lovers not really showing there faces just siloets, this kind of shows a private life and
they are happy with it like that.
The way the camera looks like its hand held and always moving about makes the
video seem more relatable, it also just helps express the video and whats happning
abit more because your having to give that little bit more attention to understand
it.
Styles/techinques- In this video there is a lot of probleme’s in todays society
(drugs, alchol, guns, small crime) which the watcher can relate too.
The video and song go really well as its more b-role then a-role because theres not
actually any singing its more of a silent video creating a meaning and story for the
song. Looking back at the killers videos, there are a few similarities with the camera
shots and style its recorded in but nothing much else, theres a lot of movement in
both the people and the camera its self creating the feel like your there expierncing
it, its engadging and done reaally well. Here is a lot of pain in this video, you can
hear it in the voice of the singer but u can also see it on the faces of people in the
video.
Genre conventions- 1975 are in the same genre of music s the killers, alternative
rock/indie, there videos follow quite a simular pattern with a lot of fast frames and a
lot of movement in the videoing, almost like its just hand held. This is done so the
listener can watch the video and get a real feel for the song and fel like they are
there expiencing what they are and can really relate to the music.
My Critical Approaches- Upon many aproaches film in music can be quite artful
and create a story to go wit hthe lyrcs making it easyier to understand, in this
video its verry clear to se the patter and meaning about love is dangerous. The
video shows a lot of present issues like drugs, crime and alchol this helps the
listener/watcher relate to the song and feel the emotions.
