The document discusses various forms and conventions used in music videos. It notes that forms depend on genre and include elements like performance to showcase artistic skills or use of narrative to engage audiences. Conventions discussed include keeping videos around three minutes, using artistic camera work and lighting to attract viewers, and close-ups of artists to emphasize their image. Examples provided include the author's video using a dream narrative and lighting similar to Jason Derulo's "Swalla," as well as both being around three minutes long.

1. Form and Conventions:
- The forms and conventions used are dependant on the genre, each genre has its own
forms and conventions
- A form is like a theme and a conventions are elements the theme contains.
Forms
1
- Performance is often used to showcase the artist/s and his/her skills. The use of
demonstration can also used to create a marketable star image or/and brand.
- In my video and in Camila Cabello’s music video of ‘Havana’ the artist sings to show off
their singing abilities and remind the watcher that they are in the fact the artist.
- The artist in my video also plays the piano/keyboard similar to Vanessa Carlton’s ‘A
Thousand Miles’.
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Use of narrative:

2. - Narrative is often used to help keep the audience engaged. If an audience member
takes an interest in a video then this means they may recommend it to friends or watch it
multiple times which would help spread awareness and means more views for the artist.
The point of a narrative is to tell a story in a short amount of time.
- In both my video and in Rex Orange County’s video they have a narrative. The narrative
in Rex’s video is that he is being chased by a group of African-Americans. He escapes
them and then gets along with them in the end and has fun with friends.
- In my video the narrative is that he goes into a dreamworld of icecream and sexy girls.
This is because he is miserable with his job and dreams of girls because he is lonely.

3. Three Minutes Long:
The majority of music videos only last about three minutes long. This is because if it were any
longer than the audience member would lose interest.
- In both my video and in NF’s video ‘No Name’ they both last 3 minutes.
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Conventions:
Artistic Camera Work

4. Artistic Camera work is often to use the music video eye-catching and to help keep the
audience member engaged by showing a variety of shots. It is also to help make the audience
member take interest in the video which then may lead to more views and clicks for the artist. In
my video an artistic camera shot would have to be when the artist and the girls all look up to the
camera.
This is similar to…. I am yet to find a music video that has this shot……
Conspicuous use of Lighting
- Lighting is extremely important especially in music videos as the artists needs to be lit at
all times for the audience member to see them clearly and get an idea of who they are. If
you have poor lighting then an audience member might not be able to get an idea of the
artists star image or who they are if they can’t see them. Lighting is also used to set the
tone, mood and atmosphere. In both my video and in Jason Derulo “Swalla” music video
there are tubes of light to help illuminate the audience and reflect of reflective surfaces.

5. For example in Jason’s video Nicki Minaj is wearing shiny futuristic sunglasses.
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- The poles of light reflect of this effectively which creates a ‘cool’ effect similar to my
video where the white blocks which the dancers sit on reflect the neon lighting. There is
also some more simlar lighting in Jason’s video here
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6. -
Importance of Artist Close Up (CU):
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- Close Ups are important in music videos to emphasize the star image so the audience
can identify with the artist. Closeups help the audience remember who exactly is the
main artist.
- In both my music video and in Enrique Iglesias ‘Heartbeat’ there are closeups.
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