The document discusses codes and conventions for indie/folk music genres that can be seen in music videos. It analyzes videos by Mumford and Sons, Show of Hands, and Seth Lakeman to identify conventions like performance shots of the band, close-ups of instruments, black and white filters, isolation, and exaggerated lighting/shadows. Key conventions were compiled to incorporate into the author's own music video and relate it to the indie and folk genres.

1. Codes and conventions of indie/folk
Every music video has some links to codes and conventions that relate back to that genre of music. For example, for a
rock genre the ideology that you would expect to see would be, perhaps, a performance video of the band filmed at a gig.
When creating my Music video I had to two main genres to look upon. One was the indie genre of music and the other is
folk. From the music it is clear that the sound is much more based towards the folk genre. Although I still included
aspects of indie conventions such as the use of an acoustic guitar that feature in my music video, digipak and magazine
cover. Whilst looking at the folk aspects there were many conventions in which I could relate to. Here I have found key
aspects from other artists that I have chosen to look upon and use within my music video.
This is a list of my personal favourite folk artists:
Here is a screen shot from m the music
• Mumford and sons
video “Little Lion Man”. Here, you can
clearly see a shot of the band. This is one
convention that is featured in many music
videos. The reason for this would be
because it allows the passive audience to
spectate the artists within performance
aspects of the video. This is used for
advertisement and promotion of the band.
The lighting that is represented in this shot
also signifies ideology of a washed out, old
fashioned nostalgic effect. This is a very
common convention with folk music as they
way in which folk is presented represents
the music, From having an old sound and
an old look the folk genre becomes
vintage. The second shot is of an
instrument. Having the use of a close up on
the acoustic guitar helps to signify
conventions of an indie music video from
the instruments used. This is done to help
the passive audience relate the music to
the visuals.
• Show of hands
These screen shots were taken from the music
video 'Country life’. The key convention that is
portrayed throughout this video is the aspect of a
black and white filter. This would be done to help
portray the emotion of the characters and reflect
their feelings, but at the same time it helps to
connote ideology of depression and portrays a
bleak setting. They constantly show shots of the
band for advertisement and promotion purposes.
This will allow the band to use it in their auxiliary
texts. This is one key feature that is used with
many bans. By allowing a passive audience to
spectate the band, visualising them, the
audience can then make the link through the
digipaks and magazine covers in relation
towards the music video

2. • Seth Lakeman
These screen shots were taken from the
music video ‘Lady of the Sea’. During this
performance you look upon the convention
of isolation. This is portrayed in the video
with the singer ‘Seth’ in an abandoned
warehouse. Having an isolated area keeps
the focus upon the character but also
connotes ideology of depression. Seth
Lakeman’s video emphasises the fact that
folk has its own genre codes and
conventions that are specific and unique to
this genre.
Looking at these three videos I have managed to find genre conventions that are shared and used by each one
band/artist.
• Dark shadows
• Heaving lighting
• Exaggerated shadows
• Exaggerated music playing
• Close up shots of the artists
• Close up shots on Instruments
• Black and white
• Small areas
• Camera titling
• Variation of angles
From looking at these videos I was able to get a range of different conventions that look upon both
the indie genre but also the folk. By allowing myself to look into these videos I can now take these
conventions and include some of these into my own music video. That way it would ensure that I
have thought about the conventions and passive audiences are able to notice the similarities to other
folk/indie music videos but at the same time using inventive and creative ideas to portray on screen
only using these conventions as a bases.