music video, conventions, media studies

1. CONVENTION
OF A MUSIC
VIDEO
BY ALICE VENARD

2. CONVENTIONS IN MUSIC VIDEOS
• Camera shots
• Camera movement
• Mise-en-scene
• Editing
• Lighting
• Sound
• Props
• Costume
• colour

3. CAMERA SHOTS
• The main shots which are used in music videos are long,
mid and close up shots
• All of these shots are used in order to create emphasis of
the artist and promote them throughout the video or they
are used to create the narrative throughout the music
video
• Conventionally, long shots are used to establish locations
whereas close ups and mid shots are used to display
emotions or to show the artist lip syncing.

4. CAMERA MOVEMENT
• The camera movement is important as it appealing for the
viewer to watch but allows the viewer to know where to
focus.
• The most common camera movements are:
- tilts
-pans
-tracking
-crane shots

5. MISE-EN-SCENE/PROPS
• The mise-en-scene is a fundamental aspect in the creation
of a music video
• It’s what represents the narrative of the music video as it
gives us the props and performers
• Mise-en-scene also allows us to identify the genre of the
music video for example pop videos would have backing
dancers whereas rock videos would have band/concert
scenes
• Mise-en-scene is also used to emphasise certain aspects.
For example in Rihanna’s ‘Umbrella’ music video, she is
seen to be dancing with an umbrella which adds emphasis
on the title.

6. EDITING
• It is important is music video that they edit it to the beat
which allows the music to be emphasised but also makes
the video more look appealing to the viewer.
• A lot of artists use special effects such as green screen
and CGI to make their music video look more unique.
- green screen is usually used when the artists is in a car
and they want to make it appear that they are travelling
somewhere.
• Without editing the video would look bland and would not
interest the viewer. For example The Beatles’ ‘Hello
Goodbye’ video.

7. LIGHTING
• Lighting is also a convention is music videos. Lighting
allows the viewer to understand the mood and tone they
are trying to achieve.
• Madonna uses black and white for her video for ‘Vogue’ to
create the illusion of a 1930s-40s film star. Black and white
also connotes to glamour, which would fit the title ‘Vogue’,
as ‘vogue’ is a high fashion magazine.