This document analyzes three genres of music video: pop, metal, and rap. For pop music videos, the technical codes include close-ups of the pop star with bright or dark lighting depending on the mood, while the symbolic codes feature revealing clothing for women and non-descript clothing for men. Metal music videos use low camera angles to make singers appear powerful with low-key lighting focused on the band. Their symbolic codes include dark clothing and settings depicting hell or war. For rap videos, low camera angles and lighting are used to make artists seem powerful and mysterious, while their symbolic codes include jewelry to appear wealthy and aggressive body language to intimidate.

1. 3 GENRES OF MUSIC VIDEO ANALYZED
By Lois Baker

2. POP MUSIC VIDEOS
Technical code:
• Shots- close up of pop star
• Lighting - Depending on the mood of the song there will either be bright lighting or dark
• Low key = moody high key = happy
• Focus- selective focus on the pop star
Symbolic code:
• Clothing-
• normally revealing clothing for women = showing they are promiscuous
• Normally non descript for men = the video is normally based more on there music
• Body language- open body language drawing listener in
• Settings- clubs, beaches and fancy house = youth quality and aspirational quality
• Objects- product placement = trying to advertise aspirational way of life
Conventions of pop music video:
• Normally 2 minutes to 3 minutes long
• Have a clear narrative
• Link between music and visuals
• References to the the artists name

3. METAL MUSIC
Technical code:
• Low angle shots- used to make singers appear more powerful
• Lighting- almost always low key
• Selective focus on the band and musical instruments- they are the main subject music video
Symbolic code:
• clothing- normally dark clothing
• Body language- normally open language showing power
• settings- basement, depiction of hell, war scene, hospitals
• objects- skulls, crosses, gore
Conventions of metal music videos:
• Normally the longest kind of music video
• Loud music
• Have a clear narrative

4. RAP MUSIC VIDEO
Technical code:
• Low angle shots- used to make artist appear powerful
• Low key lighting- used to make artist seem mysterious and dangerous
• Selective focus on the artist- they are the main focus of the video
Symbolic code
• Clothing- jewelry, to make appear rich and wealthy. Often wear their own brands of clothing to
self promote. Street clothing to appeal to the audience.
• body language- aggressive body language, used to make artist appear intimidating
• settings- basements, abandoned building, studios, clubs, roof tops.
Conventions
• Violent music
• Normally around 3 minutes long
• have a clear narrative