Music videos are short films that integrate a song with visual imagery, typically lasting 2-5 minutes. There are different types of concepts for music videos including thematic, which uses visuals related to the song's theme, and symbolic. Common codes and conventions include the video's style (performance, concept, narrative), camera work, editing techniques, sound effects, and mise-en-scene elements. Pop music videos tend to be avant-garde with bold designs while rock videos often express rebellion and independent thinking through their visuals and storylines.

1. A2 Media Studies
Codes And Conventions Of Music Video
Nikoleta

2. The Definition Of Music Video
A music video is a short film or video, of variable length, that integrates a song or album
with imagery that is produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos
are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music
recordings.
The average length of a music video is 2-5 minutes.

3. Concept
There are usually two types
of concept music videos,
these are: Thematic and
symbolic. Thematic videos
are themed based videos,
so for example: If the music
video was an old-folk
country song, there would
be fields, and farms, and so
on.

4. Different
Types of Music
Video
There are five main types
of music video:
Performance
Narrative
Concept
Lyric
Animation

5. Live footage

6. The most general codes and conventions within music videos include:
The style (performance, concept, narrative)
The camera.
The editing techniques (transitions, fast, slow)
The sound effects (non diegetic, diegetic)
Mise-en-scene (props, lighting, costume, hair, makeup, locations, setting, colours)

7. Conventionally a video will last the
length of a song, although more
narrative videos will have added
scenes to tell more of a story.
Moreover, is makes sure that a songs
message and lyrics are represented in
the video, so a heavy rock song will
have relatable, stereotypical themes in
the video, instead of something that
would be completely unexpected.

8. The reason we have codes and conventions in music videos is to create a foundation or
structure that the audience can understand, as well as allowing them to familiarise
themselves with a specific genre.
So codes and conventions of music videos are generally the style, camera, sound (both
diegetic and non-diegetic), mise-en-scene, editing and stereotyping. However,
depending on the genre and style of the video, these conventions can shift slightly.
While going through several music videos of different genres of music I picked Pop and
Rock to further research on and to list the codes and conventions:

9. Pop
They have a good rhythm, a catchy
melody, and are easy to remember
and sing along to. They usually
have a chorus that's repeated
several times and two or more
verses. Most pop songs are
between two and five minutes long.
The style should be close to the
avant-garde, and the artistic design
should be bold and trendy. For
example, Taylor Swift as a pop star,
she used a lot of trendy elements in
her music video.

10. Rock Rock 'n' roll is a popular music genre that combines elements of
rhythm and blues (R&B), jazz, and country music with the addition of
electric instruments. Originally associated with youth revolt and
transgression, the genre is known for energetic performances, catchy
melodies, and often insightful lyrics.
The music video of rock should express the spirit of fighting injustice,
rejecting mediocrity, having the ability to think independently, and
express your own views bravely.