A2 Media

3. What makes a good music video?
Some basic points:
• Matches the song & genre well
• Interesting narrative, unless it is abstract – in that case, it needs to include
wide range of and more complex editing and cinematography techniques
• Relatable (especially to teenagers, as they are the main audience)
• Edited to the beat
• Wide range of cinematography
• Well thought out mise-en-scene
• Follows conventions  most importantly

4. What main conventions form a music
video?
• Band/artist features in it
• Lip sync or performance incorporated
• Edited to the beat
• Use of colour and lighting to create meaning, and reflect mood and/or
genre
• Wide range of cinematography – different angles, shot types, etc.
• Mise-en-scene links to genre
• Conventions can depend on the genre, e.g. pop may heavily rely on
performance (such as dancing) and use bright colours, etc.

5. Existing Music Videos
Artist Narrative Techniques & Conventions used which
make it successful
Blink 182 – ‘After Midnight’ Narrative & Performance – 2
children in a mental institution
• Wide range of cinematography
• Fast paced editing – matches beat
• Effect use of lighting
Lana Del Rey – ‘Young and
Beautiful’
No narrative (abstract) – Lana
performing with an orchestra
• Edited to beat (slow paced)
• Lots of coloured lighting
• Lip sync
• Very simplistic
• Connotations provided through mise-en-scene
Beyoncé – ‘Pretty Hurts’ Narrative – Beauty Pageants –
so much effort and pain put into
being beautiful – is it really
worth it?
• Wide range of edits, e.g. slow motion, rewind,
etc.
• Relatable for women, especially teenagers
(main audience)
Haim – ‘The Wire’ Narrative – Break ups with
stereotypical roles reversed –
the men are the emotional ones
which makes it humorous
• Edited to match beat
• Lip sync
• Linear format
Rihanna – ‘only Girl’ Narrative – literally only girl in
the world
• Mise-en-scene links to lyrics
• Special effects
• Lip sync/performance based
• Heavily relies on mise-en-scene
• Lighting adds to meaning
Coldplay – ‘Fix You’ No clear narrative – it is not
made definite
• Shot at night to reflect the mood song
• Mise-en-scene matches song
• Lip sync  live performance