The key features of a music video

1. Key features of a music video
 It is also worth considering:
 Whether the video is primarily performance-based, narrative-based
or concept-based and how elements of each are
used in it.
 You can use Goodwin’s categories to analyse music videos
for yourself.

2. Relation of Visuals to Song
Music videos can
use a set of images
to illustrate the
meaning of lyrics &
genre, this is the
most common
This is similar to
repeatability.
Meanings and
effects are
manipulated and
constantly shown
through the video
and drummed
into our vision
This is where the
meaning of the song
is completely
ignored
There are three ways in which music
videos work to promote a song

3. Narrative & Performance
Songs fail to give us the complete narrative!
We only tend to get a gist of the meaning of the
song and then tend to make up our own idea of
what is being told. This gives the audience the
chance to apply their own interpretation.
Goodwin explains that music videos should ignore
common narrative. It is important in their role of
advertising.
Music videos should have coherent repeatability.
Narrative and performance work hand in hand. It
makes it easier for the audience to watch over and
over without losing interest.
The artist acting as both narrator & participant
helps to increase the authenticity however the lip
synch and other mimed actions remains the heart
of music videos. The audience need to believe this
is real.

4. Will young – Leave right now
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WbrSLLv0AlA
 Through out the video there is no is no story and we only get a slight idea of
what's going.
 There's repeatability incorporated as he keeps been pulled back but keeps
coming forward.
 Will Young addresses the audience singing while also being involved in the world
of the video making it more believable.

5. What makes it memorable?
 To make an artistic statement – e.g. Talking Heads ‘Once in a Lifetime’
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1wg1DNHbNU
 This music video incorporates the use of editing to the beat.
 Jumps cuts to make it disjointed and hard to watch which amplifies the message he is trying to bring across
in the lyrics that life is futile.
 The repetition in the video reflects how mundane life is , as he explains in the lyrics.
 Some of the movements such as puppetry are used to symbolise how he is feeling.
 Ok Go – “Here it Goes Again” “White Knucklers” - one million YouTube hits after six days of
initial posting.
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTAAsCNK7RA
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nHlJODYBLKs
 Disjuncture video with interesting trick appeals to a wide range of audience which then boosts sales of the song.
 Lady Gaga “Born This Way”
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wV1FrqwZyKw
 This is a concept video. It uses flashy and unique images , costume and makeup to catch peoples attention at the start.
 It then changes into the generic dance video for pop.

6. How a music video is made
 This is how the process works:
 A ‘Commissioner’ from a record label sends a track to 5-10 directors
 The directors then each submit a treatment
 This stage is unpaid
 The director who has submitted the ‘best’ treatment is then
commissioned to make the video
 Only then is the director paid

7. A Historical Perspective.
 Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” (1975) Dir. Bruce Gower.
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJ9rUzIMcZQ
The reason this Music Video is regarded as important is that it was the
first Music Video to:
Really have an impact on sales – after the video release the song went
to number 1.
Be regarded as a work of Art in its own right.
It was very different to anything that had ever been done at the time.