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
• You are expected to submit each section on a weekly basis during your remote
learning weeks.
• If you get stuck, talk to/email your tutor for guidance.
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.
4. TASK 1 -
PURPOSES
Y O U S H O U L D O P E N T H E M U S I C L E C T U R E
P O W E R P O I N T A N D L O O K AT S E C T I O N 1
B E F O R E D O I N G T H I S TA S K
5. TASK 1 - PURPOSES
The three main purposes of music videos are entertainment,
branding and sales. Entertainment is an important factor because
it keeps the viewers interested and can also create a wider
audience. Many artists create their music video based around a
narrative which is a good method for keeping it entertaining.
Branding is also important because is allows the artist to create
an identity for themselves, this could be by having a specific way
they film or perform. Lastly, sales is important when it comes to
music videos, the artists will try to make sure it is perfect and is
something that will bring in a lot of new people in order to make
money.
6. TASK 1 - PURPOSES
One broader purpose of music videos is to promote a brand, if the
artist has done a brand deal or something similar, they could be
helping to promote it in their video. This can be seen in Focus by
Arianna Grande where she and all the other people on set are using
Samsung Galaxy Note 5’s, which is obviously promoting a new
Samsung phone.
Another purpose for music videos are entertainment, entertainment
is an important factor because it keeps the viewers interested and
will also create a wider audience. Many artists create their music
video based around a narrative which is a good method for keeping
it entertaining.
7. TASK 1 - PURPOSES
Looking at the music video for American Badass by Kid Rock, I think
that he is trying to target his music at young children/ teenagers in
the southern area of America. His music and the videos add to his
representation of the white, stereotypical Americans with the use of
the American flag and the motorbikes, he is also dressed very
cowboy-ish to appeal to the American theme and to maybe fit in
more with the area he's in. This also encourages more people to
listen to his music so he can make more sales. It does this since these
topics will most likely interest the people around him. The video also
contains a lot of lower angled shots which could be used to show
power/dominance since it makes him look tall/ bigger than anything
else in shot and makes him the key focus.
8. TASK 1 - PURPOSES
One direction’s video was clearly mad to appeal to a younger
audience like teenager and pre-teens. The video for “you and I”,
like their other music videos, were simplistic and easy to follow
and was made to fit into mainstream media. It also clearly has a
high budget due to their larger audience. This is different from
Animal Collective’s video because it has a very eccentric style and
was designed to be creative and different. Animal Collective also
has a smaller audience so there was a low budget for the video.
9. TASK 2 – STYLES,
TECHNIQUES AND
CONVENTIONS
Y O U S H O U L D O P E N T H E M U S I C L E C T U R E
P O W E R P O I N T A N D L O O K AT S E C T I O N 2
B E F O R E D O I N G T H I S TA S K
10. TASK 2 – STYLES, TECHNIQUES
AND CONVENTIONS
Big close up- these are generally used to get up close to the artist and show
thoughts/feeling or even just for lip syncing
Close up- used to show the artists face or something they are holding. It can also be used to
focus closely on something.
Close shot- used to show the importance of the people in videos or to portray characters in
a certain way
Medium close shot- used also to help the audience understand the artists emotions but it
also shows the background at the same time
Medium shot- shows the artists from waist to head and includes the background setting too
Full shot- used to show the artist and the surrounding area. It tells the audience who is in
scene, where the scene is and when its set.
Medium long shot- shows the artist knees upward, also known as a ¾ shot. Can be used to
make the viewer feel included
Long shot- a shot from a distance away so that people looks smaller/ aren't the focus of the
photo anymore
Extremely long shot- used to show the landscape or a big image / area.
11. 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 and what the
effect of this is/meanings that are created/etc
12. TASK 2 – STYLES, TECHNIQUES
AND CONVENTIONS
Visual kei:
Visual kei is a genre of music that easily allows its fans to recognize it, the
style of music/ music videos are aimed to shock people , hence the word
from the name, “visual” As much as it it just a band or a singer they
characterize themselves by wearing surprising/ interesting things. This
can vary from hair, makeup and costumes all a mix between goth, Lolita,
glam rock, punk and newer subcultures.
Slipknot:
Slipknot, along with many other nu-metal/ metal bands are all easily
recognizable too. Their music videos always contain scenes of the band
performing, which ninety nine percent of the time is drums, bass and the
lead vocalist. Almost all videos also contain some sort of dark, smokey set,
the musicians also add to the ’dark’ theme by usually wearing sleeveless
tops/ spikes/ dark makeup and tattoos.
13. TASK 2 – STYLES, TECHNIQUES
AND CONVENTIONS
Intertextuality is where different artists make slight references to
movies or things along that line. An example of this is in Thriller by
Michael Jackson. In the music video he is in a scary looking
American street/ alley with a bunch of zombies around him. This
links to horror movies that were released in the eighties.
Intertextuality can also be when artists/bands within a similar
subculture/genre make similar music videos since they are all
usually about similar topics. This can be seen with Slipknot, Korn,
Deftones, Cattle Decapitation and loads more metal/ nu-metal
bands.
https://youtu.be/V3ADK6gsDGg
https://youtu.be/2s3iGpDqQpQ
https://youtu.be/uUjTTVkwlY8
14. TASK 3 – CASE
STUDY
Y O U S H O U L D O P E N T H E M U S I C L E C T U R E
P O W E R P O I N T A N D L O O K AT S E C T I O N 3
B E F O R E D O I N G T H I S TA S K
15. TASK 3 – CASE STUDY
• For your individual case study, you must study an artist of
choice, 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]
16. MAXIMUM THE HORMONE
What’s up People?
“What’s up people?” is one of Maximum The Hormone’s more well-
known songs as it is the second ending for the anime “Death Note”.
The music video is set in a dark area with yellow toned lights to add
to the unnatural effect the music gives. The main angles used are
medium shots and medium long shots, this way you see all the band,
they are also shown to be headbanging an frantically making strange
faces. I think this is to further add to the eccentric theme.
Throughout the video the screen is made to be bright/flashing and it
also cuts between different shots very quickly, I think this is to make
it difficult to follow and to make it appear “cooler”.
18. TASK 3 – CASE STUDY
• You should include a video link for the videos used
• You should include illustrative stills from the videos chosen
• 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
• Add slides here as appropriate – DO NOT SHORT CUT THIS
SECTION, IT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT
20. LINKING FORWARD…
• Now it’s important to think about how you can use some of what
you’ve learned in your investigations for your own work.
• Summarise in this section the key techniques, styles, conventions
and genre you prefer and what you think you could use in your
project.
• Think of this as a place to put all those loose ideas for your music
video and how you intend to apply the things you’ve enjoyed
looking at.
• Remember, music video is a medium that has a lot freedom in
terms of form and style. It is also the medium that steals,
incorporates and re-integrates all the things you have seen and
experienced.
• Add slides as necessary, it will make the next section of the
much easier
