This document provides a history of music videos, describing what they are, key features, their importance, technical features, and important events. It notes that music videos are short promotional films that incorporate a song and imagery. They are mainly used to promote an artist and song. Music videos use various styles and key features include associations between lyrics/music and visuals, as well as genre characteristics and close-ups of artists. The document also discusses how music videos help artists and directors, and conveys meanings of songs. It outlines some technical features and provides examples of early influential music videos from Elvis Presley and The Beatles.

1. History Of music videos
By Liat Shamash

2. What is a music video?
 A music video is a short film incorporating a song
and imagery which is produced for promotional or
artistic purposes.
 They are mainly made and used as a marketing
device anticipated to promote the sale of the artist
and the song.
 Music videos use a broad range of styles, such
as: live performance, animation, narrative, non
narrative approach which makes it quite abstract,
studio based including a lot of the artist dancing
with lots of costume changes, ...etc...

3. Key features of music video
 There is association among the LYRICS and the
visuals, meaning that the lyrics you here would be
acted out on screen. However some music videos
contradict the lyrics and visuals and some amplify
them.
 There is also association among the MUSIC and
visuals, meaning how the music video is edited could
be that the beat of the music goes along with the cuts
of the visuals. However some music videos contradict
the music and visuals and don’t always cut to the beat
of the music.
In addition some music videos amplify the music and
visuals such as fast paced house music with lots of
beats. So by enhancing the music and visuals it
enhances the song.

4. Key features of music video
continued..
 Genre characteristics are revealed within a music video.
For example a live stage performance by an Indi rock band
or a dance routine in lots of outfit changes for a girl Major
R&B singer.
 Within a music video there are plenty of close-up shots of
the artist as this is to show that this is their song that
they're promoting. This is mostly demanded from the
record label and just enhances and brings more promotion
to the artist.
 In a lot of music videos not just female ones, a women is
being seductive and showing of her body this is highlighted
by the idea of voyeurism by Andrew Goodwin. The female
body is used to gain the male gaze. Female body’s are
also used in male music videos with girls half naked
dancing around the artist.
 Additionally in some music videos their are intertextual
references to films or people or other music videos..

5. How important are music
videos?
 The artist is given an opportunity to make an
impression on the public but not just with their vocal
talent but also with their looks and their creative ideas
or cool music videos doing something others haven't
done.
 There are people who become immediate fans just
from seeing one music video so a music video could
be a big break for an artist for a more wider audience
 Music videos don’t only help the artist it also helps the
directors get credit for there work they did which then
gets them more work on other projects.
 Most music videos aim to convey the meaning of the
song. Therefore when the audience watch it they
understand it more and can relate to it more easily.

6. Technical features of music
videos
 Fast editing and cuts
 Digital effects
 Camera movement
 Close up of singers face
 Cuts to go to the beat or key rhythm
 Lighting and colour highlights live performances
or using both colour and black and white to
highlight changes in the songs beat
 Mise en scene – the setting, lighting, props

7. One of the first music videos (in a
film)
 1957 ELVIS PRESLEY – JAILHOUSE ROCK

8. The Beatles – Strawberry Fields
Forever
 1967 -

9. History - Important events
 1927 – first sound film – ‘the jazz singer’ USA
 1964- Top Of The Pops TV programme begins
 1967 - the Beatles - Strawberry field
 1975 – Queen: Bohemian Rhapsody
 1977 – Saturday night fever
 1981 – MTV starts
 1983 – Michael Jackson – Thriller
 1984 - MTV video music awards launched
 1990 – Madonna – Vogue
 2000 – launch of jackass
 2001 – launch of MTV dance

10. Comparing music before to
now
 How music has changed and developed through
people and technology so quickly is just amazing.
 When music videos first started coming out it was
more about the artist and now I feel like in some
music videos its more about who can produce the
best dance performance or has the nicest
costume changes, etc...
 Music videos are becoming more and more
creative with some amazing ideas and narratives
 There aren't only simple videos there are also
animated and really clever thought out ones.