BTEC Level Three (Units 1, 16, 29)

1. How...? What...? When...? Where...?
Which…? Who...? Why...?
Making Music
Videos
Conference
26.11.2014

2. Content
What was involved…
- History of the music video
- Analysis of music videos
- Top tips for making music videos
Speakers:
Pete Fraser
(OCR Media Studies Chief Examiner)
Jake Wynn
(Director, Editor)

3. A History of
the Music
Video

4. History of the Music Video
What is a music video?
- A music video is a visual representation of a
musical / lyrical track.
- Typically, a music video will last the length of the
track – sometimes longer.
- A music video can show and tell a specific story.
- It will [usually] feature the artist(s) who sings or
has created the track.
- A music video should be visually memorable.

5. History of the Music Video
Timeline
1930s
The first [unofficial] music video began with Len
Lye’s A Colour Box (1935), in which colours were
painted onto the celluloid film and made to move
around [in synch] to a Cuban beat.
BFI link:
http://www.screenonline.org.uk/film/id/442234

6. A Colour Box by Len Lye (1935)

7. History of the Music Video
Timeline
1940s/1950s
Nat King Cole’s Frim Fram Sauce (originally written
in 1945) was a breakthrough for musicians at the
time, as the music industry began using motion
picture technology to help express their song’s
meaning(s).

8. Frim Fram Sauce by Nat King Cole (1945)

9. History of the Music Video
Timeline
1960s
Developed in France in 1960, the Scopitone allowed a jukebox
to play a music video, as well as the music. This technology
quickly became popular around Europe and North America
amongst all musicians, as well as the public. These music videos
began using early versions of the Male Gaze theory to attract
[mainly male] audiences.
In 1964, Top of the Pops was introduced by the BBC a music
show set in front of a live audience that featured the best selling
artists of that week.
Links:
Scopitone Archive Top of the Pops Archive

10. Pussy Cat A-Go-Go by Stacy Adams and the Rockabilly Boys (1964)

11. History of the Music Video
Timeline
1970s
The music video to Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody (1975) was
revolutionary, as it utilised a fair amount of special effects. It
also helped to bring the Rock genre to a more mainstream
audience.
It remains the third best-selling single in the UK (to date), with
more than 2.44m singles sold.

12. Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen (1975)

13. History of the Music Video
Timeline
1980s
The 1980s saw the introduction of MTV, which made music
videos extremely popular with mainstream audiences.
Producers and musicians saw the potential marketing power of
MTV and began to invest heavily in creating music videos, which
acted as effective promotional material for individual songs (as
well as albums as a whole).
The early part of the 1980s saw the music industry dominated
by British artists, such as Duran Duran, Madness, Pet Shop Boys
and Iron Maiden.

14. History of the Music Video
Timeline
1980s/1990s
The 1980s also saw representatives of minority groups (female
artists and black artists) become more widely recognised as
icons of music, including Madonna and Michael Jackson.
Music videos also became longer in length and began using
production elements similar to movies.
By the 1990s, industry-acclaimed music video producers also
became more desirable for artists and their producers, such as
Hype Williams.

15. Thriller by Michael Jackson (1983)

16. Open Your Heart by Madonna (1986)

17. The most expensive music video (to date), with a $7m budget, is Scream
by Michael Jackson and Janet Jackson (1995)

18. California Love by Tupac ft. Dr. Dre (1996)

19. History of the Music Video
Timeline
2000s
The early 2000s saw the introduction of broadband, which
helped to create what is now known as the ‘online age’.
Major labels began to reduce the money and budget spent on
music videos, focusing more on the music and the artist as an
icon or sex symbol.
The online age created a plethora of issues for artists and major
music labels, such as piracy. However, the independent artists
and labels benefitted from such technology, as they were able to
use the Internet to their advantage when promoting their music.

20. History of the Music Video
Timeline
2010s
By the 2010s, the online age was at its peak, with artists from
all around the world using new media technologies to produce,
market and distribute their content.
Audiences were also using these platforms to consume music
content.
By the end of 2014, the music industry was under attack by
governments and the public for their use of explicit videos.
Artists such as Miley Cyrus, Nicki Minaj, Rhianna and Robin
Thicke were criticised for consistent promiscuity, especially in
regards to the female image.

21. History of the Music Video
Timeline
2010s
Due to the easily-accessible, provocative materials available
online, the UK government announced a trial period of a new
age rating system for online music videos.
All three major music labels (Sony, Universal, Warner) have
signed up to the scheme, which will be overseen by the British
Board of Film Classification (BBFC). Only artists signed to UK
labels will be affected by the classification.
BBC News on music video age ratings:
Story One Story Two

22. Top Tips for
Making
Music Videos

23. History of the Music Video
Step 0
 Conduct in-depth research into your chosen artist and genre, as
well as music videos in general.
 Learn to lip synch before you begin filming.
Step 1
 Choose an unknown artist, or a track that hasn’t yet got a
music video. That way, you can create your own interpretation
of the record.
Step 2
 Write an in-depth treatment that explains and justifies your
choices and aims.

24. History of the Music Video
Step 3
 Create a storyboard that acts as a visual interpretation of your
ideas.
 Organise actors, costumes, props, lighting and locations well in
advance of filming.
 Make time for rehearsals.
Step 4
 Before filming, make sure that you know how to use your
equipment (i.e. camera, tripod, dolly, etc.).
 Play the music during the rehearsals and performance in order
to lip synch effectively.
 Experiment with the editing software prior to the final edit.

25. History of the Music Video
Step 5
 Shoot the performance over and over, using a variety of shot
types, angles and movements.
 Use cutaways for more interesting shots.
 Use a lot of close-ups of the main artist(s).
 Try to enthuse your actors during their performances.
Step 6
 During the edit, make sure the performance and the music are in
synch.
 Use a lot of cuts.
 Add any video filters or other corrections at the end.
 Get feedback along the way.

26. Exemplar
[Student]
Music Videos

27. Run the World by Harley Lough (2012)

28. He Wasn’t There by Ava Ruskin (2013)

29. No Sleep Tonight by ATG (2014)

30. Pete Fraser’s Media Blog
Music Video Presentation:
Part 1 Part 2
Jake Wynn’s Home Page
Web Pages