The document describes various types and conventions of music videos, including performance, abstract, narrative, concept, and animated styles. It highlights specific characteristics of rock and indie rock music videos, such as visuals, lighting, and the role of performance in storytelling. Additionally, it offers insights into individual music video inspirations, demonstrating how elements like close-up shots and narrative balance are used to engage audiences.

1. Music Videos
Codes and Conventions

2. Types of Music Videos
There are 5 different types of music videos:
-Performance
A performance music video contains an element which focus on the artist, whether
that is performance from a real-life gig/concert, or a private performance just exclusively
made for the music video.
-Abstract
Most abstract music videos have no performance or story behind it.
-Narrative
A narrative music video is a collection of shots used to tell a story through them,
similar to a short film. They may also include a performance or have the actual artist of
the song acting, and some may not have the artist included in it at all.
-Concept
A concept music video is one where the artist has created a whole new
narrative/world specifically made for the song.
-Animated
An animated music video is purely art drawn out to create a story.

3. Rock Music videos
-There are many sub-genres of rock and many ways of making a music video for
each sub-genre.
-For example, metal/hard rock would have a more performance, edgy type of
feel to the music video moving away from a narrative or a concept type of music
video.
-Whereas indie/alt or softer rock could have many different types of music
videos from a performance music video to a narrative/concept music video and
maybe even in some cases an abstract music video. These music videos would
also have a sense of edge to it, but it would not be as strong as a hard rock
music video.

4. Mise-en-scene
-Most rock music videos, whether it is plain hard rock or soft rock have
a very lowkey lighting giving it and creating a dark atmosphere to it
making it look and feel sort of edgy.
-As for the actors/performers/characters in the music video they
would be in darker clothing and typically they would have heavy eye
makeup.
-Many rock music videos have a blend of performance and narrative to
them, where there is a large amount of performance in the video you
may get the occasional shots of narrative, storytelling scenes.
-Rock music videos normally have fast paced quick shots, and
handheld camera shots and close up shots.

5. Indie Rock Music Video Codes and Conventions
-Indie rock music videos often have some codes and conventions that set them
apart from other typical rock or mainstream productions.
-Most of them time indie rock music videos have DIY sense of aesthetics to it,
meaning they often have a low budget and have a very home made feel to them
. This really let audience engage with them more.
-One of the main biggest conventions is often they have the artist/band
performing in the music video, that being the whole music video or some shots
of it.
-Often, indie rock music videos have everyday mundane location settings.
-Clothing and makeup is a very important part in indie MV rather than plain
neutral clean makeup they often have very dark heavy eyeliner sort of makeup
and their clothings is often darker or vintage/thrifted.

6. Music video inspiration
Talk - Beabadoobee
https://youtu.be/hCw80xpI3k0?si=zpnLKeVOD0LQlnaM
Codes and conventions:
The music video is mostly performance based which is typical for a rock music video.
She uses a harsh bright white light throughout the music video. She has a sort of heavy
eye makeup, not too heavy but heavy enough that it wouldn’t be used in a pop or folk
music videos. She uses close-up shots of her singing and performing.
What I like:
I really like the close-up shots of her singing and performing. Although it is barley
narrative, I like the minimal shots of scenes relating to the lyrics and I would like to do
something like that.

7. Music video inspiration
Feels like – Gracie Abrams
https://youtu.be/ptznWGs4GKg?si=pvcBhZtbfTnQLzJG
Codes and conventions:
The music video is a performance focused video, where she is singing at the camera the
whole of the music video performing the song which helps connect the audience with
the emotions of the lyrics. It also has a loose narrative, so instead of providing a strict
storyline, leaving room for interpretation.
What I like:
I really like how it cuts into different clips while she is singing, I would like to do
something similar maybe but not for the whole music video like she has done maybe
just a couple of clips with that technique of singing the lyrics of the song
in different clips and cutting them making them into one clip.

8. Music video inspiration
Memories – Conan Gray
https://youtu.be/2lSyHZLzNYA?si=tvtkEW0FNo6u31m4
Codes and conventions:
Although the music video is mostly narrative, Conan mixes some moments of
performance shots, performing directly to the camera which connects his performance
to the viewer. The video uses a lot of close up shots of Conan’s face especially during
key moments of the song
What I like:
I really like the mix of the narrative feel and the lip synching of the video. I like how the
main character of the music video is the artists himself that is doing it. I also like the
parts where he is singing and playing the piano, I would like to do something like that for
my music video but maybe with an electric guitar. I like the fast paced shots and that
one shot isn't too long.

9. Music video inspiration
Ceiling – Lizzy McAlpine
https://youtu.be/2bpMSpFTdzM?si=xJqbkJbRUaVneVCD
Codes and Conventions:
The music video has natural familiar everyday settings like a forest/field and softly lit
indoor spaces which aligns with the artist's indie aesthetic. She uses a warm muted
colour pallet, nothing harsh to match with the stillness and softness of the song. She
uses a mix of narrative and performing, lip-synching straight to the camera.
What I like:
I really like the mix of lip-synching shots and the narrative shots how its an equal
balance, for every lip synching shot there is a narrative shot after it. I also like how its
fast paced, but you still can understand what it is going, it matches the song with how
fast paced everything is going.