This document discusses the conventions and genres of performance music videos. It defines genre as a system of repetition and variation that is recognized by audiences. Common music genres discussed include pop, rock, R&B, hip hop, and indie. The document also examines important elements of mise-en-scene in music videos like setting, lighting, clothing, and props that help portray the genre. Specific conventions for hip hop, indie/rock, and pop genres are provided through example music videos.

1. Genre and conventions of
performance videos
Unit G324.

2. Learning objectives
 To know how genre is relevant to
performance music videos
 To understand the differences
between different genres of music
video
 To be able to identify the conventions
of these genres in video still frames.

3. Genre
 How do music videos use the
concept of ‘genre’?
 Firstly, what is genre?

4. What is genre?
 A genre has characteristic features that
are known to and recognised by audiences
because the same formula is used over
and over again. These features are
repeated, but varied.
 Steve Neale, a music video theorist said
that GENRE was a system of REPETITION
AND VARIATION
 Music videos tend to focus on the genre of
the song when constructing the video.

5. Music Genre
 What music genres can you come up
with?

6. Music genres
 Indie
 Pop
 Rock
 RnB
 Hip hop
 Jazz
 Techno
 Garage

7. 7
What are the conventions of music
videos?
 What do you examine to determine
what kind of genre a music video is
in?
7

8. Construction of a performance videos
 Music videos are constructed using
certain well known mise en scene
details, (as well as camera and
editing techniques) in order for the
audience to identify and recognise
the genre.
 These are some of the conventions
of music videos. (aswell as camera
style and editing pace)

9. Mise en scene elements
 Setting
 Colour
 Lighting
 Clothing
 Props
 Body language and facial
expressions (including dance
routines).

10. 10
Conventions
 What conventions exist for different
genres?
 In 5 groups, identify the
conventions in three different music
videos from still frames of the
video.
10

11. 11
 Plenary
 Go round the room.
 One boy thinks of genre, the next
has to think of a convention.
 Boys to write down conventions of
all videos in their books.
11

12. 12
LESSON 2
12

13. How important is mise en scene in
portraying the genre of an artist?
 Setting – eg. industrial warehouse to
create underground feel, sleazy nightclub
or bedroom to create sexual allure.
 Lighting – Some music videos are black
and white which help emphasise a
particular mood and some videos have
artificial lighting which put the artist/s in
an enhanced look. eg. bright, harsh, spot-
lit, moody, sombre, subtle.

14. How important is mise en scene in
portraying the genre of an artist?
 Colour palette – Colours tend to set the
mood of the song through creating an
atmosphere.
 For example, dark colours are used more
in rock songs.
 Bright, colourful palettes are seen to be
used more in pop videos. Gold, silver and
glitter can be used for sex appeal.
 Hip hop videos tend to use dominant rich
colours.

15. Conventions: mise en scene:
 Clothing – This reflects the genre.
Costume is an important factor because
viewers are influenced by how celebrities
are dressed as they are role models eg.
stylish, revealing, sexy, , trendy, risque,
high teen fashion, nightclub wear, lingerie,
RnB style, hip-hop influenced, grungy,
casual, rock-style, lots of denim.
 Props - vital in aiding to add to the scene
and create significance on particular
objects or people

16. Music Conventions in Hip Hop videos
 Locations tends to be a party, club, expensive
location
 Use of alcohol
 Recognised brands and clothing
 Expensive cars and houses
 Camera shots tend to long and establishing to
show the money involved. Close ups to show the
jewellery and assets of the artists.
 Attractive women
 Does not follow a storyline, only follows the genre
 Artist(s) tend to be involved
 ***50 Cent – Candy shop ***
 50 Cent


17. Music conventions in Indie/Rock:
 The artist/band is shown performing throughout
the video
 Use of extreme close ups and long shots are
popular
 Artists often seen playing their own instruments, so
you realise they are proper musicians
 Dark colour palette
 Editing is fast paced
 Normally in their own clothes, but this can change
 Some use of special effects
 Can be mixed with elements of narrative /
concept.
 ***Kings of Leon – Your Sex is on Fire***
Kings of Leon

18. Music Conventions in Pop videos
 Bright and colourful
 Close ups to show the cheerful and upbeat
emotions
 Extreme close ups – these can show the purity
and innocence in the personality of the artists
 Long shots – can show the artist as one with
sexual appeal
 Artist often dancing with other dancers
 Aims at the teenage audience
 Very upbeat
 Often a parallel narrative with a simple storyline
 ****Britney Spears – Piece of Me***
 Britney Spears
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=brYTO6JHM

19. 19
LESSON 2
 The next lesson could be to look at
3 videos and concentrate on camera
and editing techniques.
18

20. TASK : compare the mise en scene conventions plus
camera shots and editing techniques in these 2
music videos and how they portray genre differently:
 Camera
 Editing
 Setting
 Colour
 Lighting
 Clothing
 Props
 Body language and facial
expressions

21. Conventions: camera shots
 Use long shots, close ups and mid
shots.
 To create emphasis on the artist,
location and emotions.
 Close ups are used not only to show
emotions but to reflect the words of
the song with the movement of the
lips of the artist.

22. Camera Movement
 The movement of the camera is
used to follow and trace the artist or
band.
 Camera movements include tilts,
pans, tracking and crane shots

23. Editing
 Jump cuts is the predominant
editing technique used in music
videos. This is because this allows a
sudden change from one scene to
another. Similarly, transitions such
as fade and dissolve are very
common in music videos as they
create a different effect to cuts.

24. 24
TASK
 To come up with the concept for a
video for a new hip hop artist.
 You will be given the genre, you
must style the video around the
genre conventions - camera, editing
and mise en scene.
 What will be your ideas for your
video?
21

25. Examples: Pop
 ****Britney Spears – Piece of Me***
 Britney Spears
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=brYTO6JHMHs
 Madonna http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=lWTDR6ztcnQ
 Alesha Dixon
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-
503QA6F08g

26. Examples: Indie /Rock
***Kings of Leon – Your Sex is on Fire***
Kings of Leon
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWhairF_DS8
The Fray http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=nY2INQnmRyk
Arctic Monkeys http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=30w8DyEJ__0
Mad Neyo
Mr Brightside the Killers
Coldplay – every teardrop ios a waterfall

27. Examples: Hip Hop
 ***50 Cent – Candy shop ***
 50 Cent
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=5qm8PH4xAss
 T.I. http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=xK082mbeBZ0
 T-Pain http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=Ui86peQZ74s