This document discusses conventions used in music videos and how the author has incorporated and challenged some of those conventions in their own music video. It provides examples of music videos that use flashbacks (e.g. "Love the Way You Lie"), dancing as a main element (e.g. Lady Gaga's "Judas"), and an artist lip syncing to the camera (e.g. Coldplay's "Yellow"). The author's music video uses flashbacks in color and black and white scenes, has a protagonist dancing and stretching alone, and shows her walking towards the camera singing. By using a mixture of conventions and new ideas, the author aims to make their music video feel unique while still like a conventional music video

2. This uses conventions of a real
media product because the
effect being used here is
dream-like. This implies that
there is a flashback element to
this scene, which is what we
can see in many music videos.
I have tried to recreate this
in my music video as I have
used flashbacks of my
protagonist sat with her
friends. However I have
For example ‘Love The Way You challenge the forms of
Lie’ by Eminem and Rihanna uses convention because the
flashbacks of another girl’s life in ‘now’ parts of my video is
order to emphasise the song lyrics. black and white and the
‘then’ parts of the video is
colour. This is to show a
happier time for the
protagonist and that her
dancing is her only alone
time and where she can
express herself.

3. Here is the example for the
flashback. This is a flashback for
the protagonist where she is sat
with some friends and she is
singing the song. This shows that
she was not in a happy place then
and so is wishing she was home
again.
It also uses the conventions of
a music video by having the
protagonist lip sync the song.
You see this done in many
Challenging the conventions of
music videos in the present
a music video by having the
day and so I decided to use
flashbacks in colour as
this convention. And apart
explained before.
from a few places, this has had
a positive effect.

4. Here I have challenged the
conventions of a music video by
having the ‘now’ parts where she is
expressing her feelings by dancing in
black and white. I think this gives a
good effect as it balances the
mixture of black and white.
However I have also used the
conventions of music videos today
by having a dance routine as the
Although it is not quite the same, main aspect.
Lady Gaga’s ‘Judas’ is a good example
where dance is used as the main part
of the video. She dances in most o
her videos.

5. Similar to Beyonce’s song
‘Countdown’ where she is dancing
and warming up I have decided to
use the same technique. However
with my music video the audience
can clearly see that the protagonist
is warming up for ballet because of
the pointe shoes.
This is developing the conventions of
videos such as Beyonce’s because it
is clearly showing that the actress is
stretching rather than leaving it
down to imagination. This gives a
good effect because it shows the
audience that there is likely to be a
dance number in the video. It also
goes with the rest of the song and
the story. She is alone most of the
time and unlike Beyonce’s dancing,
she is stretching on her own.

6. As with Coldplay’s ‘Yellow’ I
have decided to have my
protagonist walk towards the
camera singing the words. I
think this gives a good effect
because it shows that the
artist connects with the
audience and that they are
singing their own song.
This is using the conventions of a
music video as you see a lot of
videos that have the artist lip-
syncing to the camera. It shows
that the artist knows their song and
can sing it to an audience. It also
helps for the audience to
empathise with the character.

7. Overall I feel that I have used the conventions of a music video to ensure that
my final product looks like a music video. I also feel that in some places I have
challenged the conventions of a music video by doing something different
that may not have been done before. This gives the effect that both the artist
and the producers of the music video are unique. Lastly I have developed
some conventions by changing conventions to suit my genre.
By having a mixture of conventions and new ideas give my music video a
different ‘feel’ and by the audience feedback, it would help to sell the CDs
and concert tickets.