Here are a few key points about voyeurism in music videos: - Voyeurism plays with notions of looking/being looked at and private/public spaces. Music videos often feature scenes that seem intimate or private but are being watched by the audience. - As the theory goes, the "male gaze" is dominant in many music videos, with female subjects being objectified or presented as passive objects of desire. However, some videos subvert this by featuring active female gazes or empowered female subjects. - Elements like peepholes, mirrors, windows, screens within screens are commonly used to suggest voyeurism - the subject is unaware they are being watched. Angles and framing can also make the audience

1. Prior teaching:
Watch a range of music videos and decide on which type they are. Explore the option of a
mixture/ merge of these (Archer).
Look at genre and the common style of music videos within a specific genre.
Music videos can be characterised by 3 broad Narrative and Performance
typologies, Firth 1988 Steve Archer 2004
Performance: to convey a sense of in-concert ‘Often music videos will cut between a
experience narrative and a performance of the song
‘Performance oriented visuals cue viewers that the by the band. Additionally, a carefully
recording of the music is the most significant choreographed dance might be part of
the artist’s performance. Sometimes the
element.
artist will be part of the story, acting as a
Narrative: linear stories- love stories are the most narrator and participant at the same
popular time. But is is the lip synch close up and
‘Action is the story is dominated by males who do the miming of the playing instruments
things and females who passively react or wait for that remains at the heart of music
something to happen’ (Schwichtenberg 1992) videos, as if to assure us that the band
Conceptual: metaphors to create a mood, offer really can kick it”
multiple meanings

2. Concept: NARRATIVE STYLE Theory:
(1988) Firth’s typologies:
Task: Exploring style Performance
Spend 5 minutes listening to your track and deciding Narrative
which style suits that particular track. Conceptual
Archer (2004)
Brief: Create a 3 short storyboards one for each Mixed narrative styles
style, using the post it notes as background to
identify each style.
e.g.: green narrative/ blue performance/ yellow Reflection
concept
Use the Lego characters and pieces as artists and How does narrative aid the
props to help you explore framing and camera interpretation of the lyrics/ music?
movement. Mix your narrative styles as you feel
appropriate for your track to form your final Is there an equal ratio in mixed
storyboard. styles or does one style tend to still
be the base of the video?
Think about:
• Media Language: Is there a dominant generic style for
Mis en scene- Props and costume choices which different music genres?
help give meaning to the narrative and also define
Camera shots- framing and movement which best
suit that style and genre

3. Todorov’s Narrative theory
Equilibrium: everything is normal
Disruption of equilibrium: something
upsets the normal balance of life
Recognition of the disruption: something
effects the hero
Attempt to repair the disruption: the hero
goes on his quest
Equilibrium is restored (however, not
exactly back the way it was): the hero
defeats the villain
Other narrative features
Multi-stranded: different ‘strands’ of narratives woven together
Fragmented: different parts of narratives that may not necessarily be woven together in
any order
Flashbacks: a segment that portrays something than has happened in the past

4. Concept: NARRATIVE STRUCTURE Theory:
Equilibrium = balance/ stability/
symmetry
Task: A Story Shot Two Ways
Spend 5 minutes coming up with a quick pitch for a
Prior teaching- analyse narrative
short narrative to use within your music video. Make structure within Music Videos. Look at
sure everyone in your group knows the story. You Music videos which subvert the
must consider the basic narrative structural conventional structure and have
elements- started with ‘dis- equilibrium’ or even
Beginning: Introduction. Who are the characters? ‘new equilibrium’
(Equilibrium)
Middle: What happens to them? (Dis- equilibrium)
End: How do they resolve this? What happens in the
end? (New Equilibrium) Reflection
Which of the two did you feel made
Brief: Create two visual pitches showing two the narrative clearer to the
alternative structures. Each pitch should consist of audience?
at least 8 shots using the Lego characters. Explore
the idea of opening your film at the beginning, Was one more effective than the
middle or end of the story. other?
Think about:
• Camera shots (framing) and movement Which best suited your genre of
• Media language and codes which will help tell music?
the story for you

5. Concept: Links between lyrics and visuals
said
that there is a relationship between
TASK: Make a 20-40 second section of a music video the lyrics and the visuals (with visuals
where you match your visuals with the lyrics in using illustration, amplification or
various ways disjuncturethe lyrics) in most music
videos.
Read the lyrics of the song you have been give, read
Illustration:where the visuals are a
them along to the track.
literal interpretation of the lyrics
Choose a short section to interpret through visual Amplification: where the visuals are
images. Spend time thinking of visual images that a different ‘twist’ to what the lyrics
either ILLUSTRATE and AMPLIFY what is being state
shown.
Disjuncture: where the visuals have
As you start filming, look out for opportunities to no connection to the lyrics
create a sense of disjuncture – find something that is
random, disconnected or juxtaposes with the lyrics. Consider: which type of image
works best? Are some images more
If you have time, add titles (illustration, successful than others? Can you use
amplification, disjuncture) or leave it black to test all 3 types in the same video or not?
your peers. Try and explain your ideas to the rest
of the group

6. Concept: GENRE IN MUSIC VIDEO Theory: Iconography & Repetition and
Difference
Task: Table Top Music Video Iconography can be defined as the visual signs
we associate with particular genres. To become
You are going to make a Music video of the part of the iconography of a genre, a pattern of
Rap/Hip Hop genre visual signs must remain constant in that genre
over a period of time. Some of the things that
make up genre iconography include: costume,
Use the “characters” you have been given. setting, props.
Start by listening to the track and Steve Neale said that “Genres are instances of
brainstorming what the iconography is for this repetition and difference; this is what
genre. What expectations do the audience pleasure for the audience is derived from”
have? (1980)
Reflection
You must ensure your video uses instances of
repetition (sticking to the generic conventions Test your video on a real life audience. Show
and iconography) and difference (doing your video to a friend or family member with
something your target audience might not the sound muted.
expect
Ask them if they can guess what the genre is
through the iconography used. See if they
can identify where you have tried to subvert
the genre to pleasure your audience.

7. Concept: Voyeurism Theory
Task: MAKING A VOYEURISTIC VIDEO
There is frequently reference to notion
Go out and about around the BFI and look for of looking (screens within screens,
opportunities to film things that suggest “looked – mirrors, stages, etc) and particularly
voyeuristic treatment of the female
at-ness” or voyeurism.
body.
Laura Mulvey’s “Male Gaze”
You might consider filming your subject (it doesn’t
theory:
have to be a girl if that feels too weird) through "In their traditional exhibitionist role
mirrors, windows, reflections etc. women are simultaneously looked at
and displayed, with their appearance
You might also use shot distances and angles that coded for strong visual and erotic
give the viewer an intimacy with the artist (looking impact so that they can be said to
at them close up or watching them when they don’t connote ‘to-be-looked-at-ness,’ (from
know they’re being watched) Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema,
1975)
THEN: How did your
Come back and edit together a montage of images subject feel being watched? How
to one of the 3 songs you have been given. (This can did it feel filming them? What
be done as a group or in pairs.) issues does this raise for
representation of women in music
videos?