This document discusses the various conventions used in music videos. It identifies different types of music videos such as performance, narrative, and cameo videos. It also outlines common camera angles like close ups and tracking shots. Additionally, it details important editing techniques for music videos like jump cuts and split screens. Finally, it examines mise-en-scene elements like props, costumes, and locations that are chosen based on the music genre and video style.

1. Music video
conventions
By Kyren Beardsmore

2. Video types
There are many conventions used within music videos. These
conventions can be applied to the music video itself (Type of
video), camera angles, editing and mise - en - scene. Music videos are
categorized according to the type of video. There are a number of
different types of videos, these are:
• Performance based - Throughout the video the artist / band play to a crowd or
simply to the camera. This form of music video is used largely within the genre of
rock.
• Narrative - These videos act out the lyrics in a song by involving a narrative. This
video type is used in a wide range of genres.
• Mixture - In this type of video the camera cuts between a performance and
narrative but the artist / band is only singing. It is possible for the artist / band to
feature within the narrative also but this shall fit into a different category.
• Cameo - This video is the same as mixture with the performance and narrative. The
artist / band still performs but they also feature within the narrative.
• Animation - To create entertainment within the music video. Animation
scenes, characters and objects can be edited into music videos to attract the
audience

3. Camera angles
This is where the style of music video comes into play, they use this to
determine which camera angles to use. These different camera angles
are:
• Crane shots - Crane shots are mainly used within performance based videos
because it gives the audience a sense of watching the artist on stage.
• Close ups - To enhance certain words within a song close ups of the artist / bands
mouth are used. Close ups are also used during narrative videos to enhance the
characters feelings and emotions. Other close ups are used for focusing on
instruments and props.
• High angle shots - High angled shots are used to give a birds eye view, these shots
can be used to show a variety of things from towns / cities to a birds eye view of
the stage.
• Establishing high angle shots - These shots are mainly used to identify the location
of a performance or setting the narrative location.
• Pans / Tilts - During performances, pans / tilts are used to move between different
band members from one position. They are also used to show the location by
panning around and tilting to bring objects into view.
• Tracking - Tracking is used to follow an artist / band whilst there on stage, e.g. if the
lead singer moves across the stage the camera shall stay in front of him / her

4. Editing and lighting
A crucial part of all music videos is the editing, this takes a large amount of time to
perfect. If the editing isn't correct the lip sync may be out. putting all the different clips
together is also a long process as everything needs to be perfect for the lip sync.
During the editing there are several conventions that can be used to make a good
video, these are:
• Jump cutting - Jump cutting is when the camera jumps from one person to another
or from scene to scene.
• Footage - Footage has to be organised to match the lyrics (Lyric and visual
relationships), if the timing of clips isn't correct the lip sync may be out or clips don't
match together.
• Split screens - To create a collage of clips the editors use split screening which
allows several clips to be shown at the same time. This can be used to show what is
happening at different locations but at the same time rather than having to flip
from one to the other.
• CGI Editing - This form of editing is used to show outcomes at the end of a video if
there is a superhero element within the video. By using this they can show a
superhero flying or lifting an object that would be extremely heavy.
• Sound - The sound is important not only for the music but at the start and finish of
the video. In several cases to explain what is happening there is diegetic sound.
• Sound levels - To either show part of the narrative or to match what's going on, the
sound level can either increase or decrease.

5. Mise – en - scene
The mise - en - scene of music videos contains props, costume and
locations. Each of these aspects are determined through the genre of
music and style of video the artist / band wants:
• Props - The decision over which props to use is determined by the genre of music
and style of song, if the video is performance based there shall be equipment such
as amps, instruments and microphones. If the video is narrative based there is a
wide variety of props to choose from.
• Costume - This also relies on the music genre and the songs lyrics. Certain artists /
bands have their own image that they like to stick to but when there is a narrative
within the video it relies on the songs lyrics to give the costume designer ideas.
• Location - The location is immediately set once the video stars, location can also
rely on the genre of music. For example, performance based videos are more likely
to be set in a theatre or studio rather than in the middle of a field.