a2

1. Codes and Conventions: Key Features of
Music Video
Observations: Does this follow, develop or
challenge?
Narrative:
 Visual Response
 Lack of Balance
 Partial/Fragmented Narrative
 Disjointed Structure
 What drives the video forward? (resolution? poses
questions? theme?)
The music video ‘ Thinking of you – Katy Perry’ is a pop style music video.
This means that the video consists of usually a performance based, or
narrative based with Katy Perry performing throughout the video. This
video is a narrative based video although Katy Perry is playing a character
her singing the song is shown throughout the video. The narrative style
video is used to draw the viewer in and make them follow the story while
listening to the song and getting it stuck in the viewers head.
Editing:
 May match musical phrases or beat
 Video breaks rules of continuity editing
 Editing becomes 'foregrounded'
The editing matches the pase of the track, with the transitions flowing. A
fade-in and fade-out effect has been used throughout the video. There
are many jump cuts throughout the music video, this helps the viewer to
see the visuals as well as listening to the soundtrack. At the very end of
the video there is a fade out, and a fade back in, a common characteristic
of pop music videos.
Camera Movement & Framing:
 Extremes are common
 Style of framing or movement is consistent and
distinctive to that video
 Camera may move in time with the track
 Camera may move on the lyrics
 A master shot is used frequently, as are close ups
The video includes past, present and future of the female’ s life. Creating a
relationship with the lyrics and the visuals. The video shows panning shots
of the female’ s new love, while the lyrics of the song relate to not being
able to replace her past love. Katy Perry’ s line ‘ And bust in the door’ is
sung the same time she is shown closing the door, creating a link between
the lyrics and the visuals.
There is a range of close up’ s of the artist singing her song, showing the
relationship between the music and the visuals. This helps bring the
audience closer to the artist. Close up shots are used to show emotion, as
well as to help reflect the words of the song with the movement of the
artist’ s lips.
Diegesis:
 May be revealed quite slowly
 Actions are not necessarily completed
 Characters may move to the music
 May be gaps in the audiences understanding of the
diegesis
 Some frames may be more important than others
 May be many repetitions
The character in the video moves to the music, through her actions. The
lyrics relate to certain things she has done. There are many different
frames of Katy Perry singing as well as the narrative to help relate the
two together. Some frames are needed more than others to help emphasis
the lyrics through her actions.