This document discusses common forms and conventions of music videos in the indie pop genre. It notes that indie pop music videos typically have low budgets and are filmed in isolated locations like studios, empty cities, parks, and woods. They also commonly include live performances by the artist. While live performances are a convention, the author's music video challenges this by not including one. The document provides details on common narrative techniques, production elements like mise-en-scene, sound, camerawork, and editing seen in indie pop music videos.

1. FORMS AND CONVENTIONS OF
MUSIC VIDEOS

2.  Music videos are created to involve both the band and
the music itself. Furthermore, to ensure that a product is
successful, many of these conventions are followed, but
on some occasions they are also challenged.
 Forms and conventions are:
 Showing off the members of the band or artist.
 Making the song memorable.
 Showing viewers that the band is about e.g love.
 Representing the band in a certain light.
 Making the genre clearer through a video.
The following slides are related to my music
video and genre:

3. INDIE POP GENRE
 Forms and conventions:
 Low-budget.
 Main settings:
 Studios
 Empty cities
 Parks
 Woods
 Mysterious places.
These desolate,
isolated and lonely
locations make the
audience focus more
on the performer.

4. THEY INCLUDE LIVE PERFORMANCES OF THE
ARTIST/BAND
 This makes their career more about
their passion for the music they sing
rather than the money involved.
 I have challenged this convention by not including a live
performance to an audience, but a performance for an
audience to view on YouTube over and over again. This is
because the original artist had never done a concert that’d
been filmed by me or an audience member before I
finished my film.

5. NARRATIVE:
 This is used to tell the story of the song, no literally, but enough to
enable the audience to understand why it had been given that
narrative.
STORY LINE:
It starts off with Kezia going about her everyday life getting ready for her day, then leaving the
house and going for a walk to contemplate everything with constant flashbacks of her and Ryan
together. In addition it has her lip syncing the song all the way through the video in
different locations where she walks.

6. MISE-EN-SCENE
 Very simple with props, make up and costumes etc. The things
that are used help to define the age and type of character being
portrayed in the video.
Really simple
outfit:
•Coat
•Jeans
•Scarf
•Hoodie
•Wellies
Simple Props:
•Hair dryer
•Phone
Make up:
•Foundation
•Mascara

7. SOUND
 Indie Pop songs usually have dialogue either at the beginning or the end of the
video to tell or conclude a story.
 For example – Taylor Swift “I Knew You Were Trouble” She told her audience what she’d learned
from her previous relationship.
 “The Heart Wants What It Wants” Selena Gomez. Also, at the beginning of her video, she talks to
her audience explaining her feelings and how upset she is.
 However, I don’t exactly use this convention in my music video because I did not feel it necessary. It
wouldn’t benefit my music video or story line in any way therefore I did not include this. Although, I did
make Kezia write “Love” onto the shower curtain, which gives my audience the intention that the video
will be related to the word “love.”
 There is no diegetic sound in my music video except for the very end clip when “Love” rewinds back to
nothing.

8. CAMERA
Close-ups (and extreme close-ups) are
most commonly used in this genre to
express emotions and introduce the
main protagonist.
Hand held shots are often used
to show a memory (flashback).
Long shots and establishing shots are
used to show the setting and location of
the artist which helps the audience
understand the message behind the
video.

9. EDITING
 Filters are very often used over the top of shots or entire clips to give
a certain idea to the audience.
 Fast and slow editing may reflect the pace of the video.
Black and White
Slowed
Pace