Codes and conventions are techniques used in music videos to convey meaning that relates to the music. They include technical elements like camera angles, shots, editing, and sound, as well as symbolic elements like facial expressions, gestures, and mise-en-scene. Codes and conventions help audiences recognize genres, understand how the video fits the song's feelings and lyrics, and follow what is happening in the video. Common codes and conventions are camera angles, sound, editing techniques, mise-en-scene, notions of looking, and different video styles like narrative, performance, and concept videos. These elements are carefully crafted to match the song's emotion and engage the target audience.

1. Amber Townsend

2. Why are codes and
conventions used?
Codes and conventions are used in music videos for
different reasons.
Firstly, they are used so that the audience can become
familiar with the genre of music and can recognise it easily.
Secondly, codes and conventions ensure that the video
produced fits in with the feelings of the song and the lyrics
which are sang.
Thirdly, codes and conventions provide a structure within a
video that help the audience member to understand what is
happening.

3. What are codes and
conventions?
Codes and conventions are the techniques used to
show a meaning within a music video that can relate
to the music.
The techniques which are used come under two
headings
- Technical
- Symbolic

4. Technical techniques
Technical techniques - Technical techniques are
how a meaning is conveyed by using technical
means such as camera angles, shots, sound,
editing and genre. An example of this would be
showing a close up camera angle of a persons face
to show the emotion they are feeling which
relates to the current song lyric.

5. Symbolic Techniques
Symbolic techniques are ways of showing
meaning through things on screen such as facial
expressions, gestures, poses, props and mise en
scene. This is useful during Narrative videos as
the story of the video will be relative to the lyrics
making what is on screen symbolic.

6. Codes and Conventions
Codes and conventions include;
Camera Angels/Shots
Sound
Editing techniques
Mise en Scene
Notions of Looking
Style

7. Camera angles/shots
Camera Angles are important to think about in
music videos as different shots show different
meanings and can create different feels
throughout the media. For example if someone is
crying, the shot may be close up to show the
emotion on their face. The camera angles should
be considered carefully so that they are relevant
to the emotion being shown.

8. Sound
Sound is important as it is the main piece of the
video which is focused on - the song. The song
should be synced perfectly with the video along
with any lip-syncing or beats. Music videos now
often come with cinematic beginnings and ends
where the actors in the video talk before or after
the song. This adds a narrative effect to the video.

9. Editing Techniques
Editing techniques are important for the music
video as they need to be carefully considered and
used to make sure they look professional. Editing
is important for different camera angle changes
to ensure that they fit the lip-syncing or specific
images that relate to the lyrics in on time with the
music. Editing techniques can including
functions such as cross cutting or jump cuts.

10. Mise en Scene
Mise en scene is extremely important within a
music video as it adds meaning to what the
audience sees. This is the arrangement of the
scene in the video. The scene needs to be relevant
to the emotion of the video and needs to be
carefully considered to make sure it fits the song
or that there is nothing in the scene which
shouldn't be there. Mise en scene includes things
such as location, lighting, costume, make up and
props.

11. Notions of Looking
Notions of looking is how the audience member
views the artists/actors in the music videos. For
example, In Kylie Minogues music video for ‘Can’t
Get You Out Of My Head’ there are angles where
Kylie keeps direct eye contact with the camera but
dances seductively with a long angle shot looking
up towards her legs. This shows sex appeal to the
audience to attract them and a specific target
audience. Notions of looking also elaborates
stereotypes by showing in videos what people
expect of certain people.

12. Style
Style includes narrative, performance and
concept videos. These are different types of music
videos that can be used to get the song across to
attract the target audience.