Music video conventions typically focus the camera on the artist to emphasize their emotion and lip syncing to the song. Different editing techniques like jump cuts are used to transition between locations at a pace that matches the song. Mise en scene, lighting, sound, color, costumes, and props are all used to reflect the mood, theme, and genre of the song and appeal to the target audience. Camera movements like panning and tracking follow the artist's movements while close-ups illustrate the emotion in their performance.

1. Key Music Video Conventions
What are the typical music promo
conventions, and do different genres have
specific conventions?

2. Camera
• Camera shots vary but mainly concentrate on making
the artist/band the focus of the video, and also emphasis
the emotion of the song
• Close-ups are used not only to illustrate the emotion of
the song: but also to reflect the words. So major lip
syncing!
• The camera normally follows the movement of the
artist/band. A range of techniques can be used such as
the most common: panning and tracking etc

3. Editing
• The pace of the song will ultimately effect the pace of
editing, for example a upbeat pop song will have a faster
pace of editing compared to a ballad
• Jump cuts are quite common in music videos, this helps
the transition from one location to the next
• You can use other editing techniques too such as
fades/dissolves etc

4. Mise en scene literally means ‘placing the objects
within the scene.’ It is very visual and important in
the representation of a theme/mood/concept
Mise en scene is vital in reflecting the meaning and
tone/feel of the song
MISE-EN-SCENE

5. Lighting
• Lighting can be used to emphasis a certain mood, for
example in Pixie Lott’s ‘Cry me Out’ there is low-key
lighting to emphasis the black and white shots as well as
the sombre mood
• In contrast an upbeat video will use flashing lights and
even coloured lights like in LMFAO’s ‘Sexy and I know it’
• Lighting helps to emphasis the artist and ensure they are
the centre of attention

6. Sound
• The video of course will focus on the song but
sometimes there could be background sound. E.g. The
sea, wind, rain etc
• Sound effects can also be added
Caption from ‘Stan’ by
Eminem

7. Colour
• This helps to set the mood and tone of the video
• Pop and hip-hop songs tend to use more bright and
vibrant colours; whereas a rock music video will use
darker colours
Cheryl Cole ‘Call My Name’
Hugo ‘99 Problems’

8. Costume
• Reflects the genre of the artist, a glam rock artist will
have a flamboyant costume and big curly hair: however
an hip-hop artist will be dressed in urban clothing
• Costumes need to be on trend so that they appeal to the
target audience and so their fans aspire to be like them
Lady Gaga ‘Bad Romance’

9. Props
• Props add significance however bold or little they are
• Used correctly they can reflect the tone of the video
Aaron ‘U-Turn (Lili)’
Julian Perretta ‘Wonder Why’