This document discusses different types of music videos and their defining characteristics. It identifies performance videos, narrative videos, thematic concept videos, symbolic concept videos, and idea based concept videos. Each type is defined in terms of its conventions and codes. Advantages and disadvantages of each style are also provided. The document expresses a preference for narrative videos, which tell a story directly linked to the song lyrics in an entertaining way through editing, shots, and sometimes featuring the artist.

1. - MUSIC VIDEOS -
CODES AND CONVENTIONS
Charlie Potter

2. WHY DO WE HAVE MUSIC VIDEOS?
• The most common purpose for a music video is to tell
a story, they also help the audience to interact with
the song/lyrics and allows the artist to express their
thoughts. Music videos also act as a form or
entertainment but can also include intertextual
reference to Tv and film meaning they can be used as
a form of promotion. As well as this it helps to create
a brand image for the artist and generate greater
income.

3. PERFORMANCE VIDEOS
• Performance videos are videos which include a performance to the song, this is
usually done by the artist as a part of the video. These types of music videos are
where music videos originated from, but they have become more diverse and
performance music videos are more common with the rock genre, for example 'You
Give Love A Bad Name' by Bon Jovi.
• Conventions:
• Multiple shots of the artist, normally performing to the camera or in front of an
audience
• lots of close ups of the artist and band
• Through Performance videos a particular visual style can be shown which is
developed throughout their work

4. AC/DC -THUNDERSTRUCK
The music video to AC/DC’s thunderstruck is an
exemplar of a performance based music video. It
follows the majority of the codes and conventions
and is of the rock genre, the most common genre
of performance music videos. This video shows a
performance of the song to an audience in a
concert setting. There are multiple shots of the
band performing to the camera and in front of an
audience, most of these shots are close ups. Also
the visual style of the band and the genre can
clearly be seen throughout the video.

5. ADVANTAGES & DISADVANTAGES
• Advantages;
• Record labels demands, audience can see artist meaning they can get an
understanding of their image and style
• Audience interaction, the involvement of the audience making them feel
part of the song
• Audiences are able to feel as though they are watching the artist live
• Disadvantages;
• The artist may not be able to demonstrate a particular message which
they wish to get across with a song
• Visual styles may be sacrificed to get a better performance for example

6. NARRATIVE VIDEOS
• Narrative style videos are videos which tell a story which is linked to the
lyrics or is mentioned in the lyrics, making it like a mini-film with a
beginning middle and end. Or it can be used as a promotion for a film
where clips from the film are used to tell a story.
• conventions:
• Fast paced editing, with many shots and cuts
• Intertextuality references to TV and film and they often mimic film and
TV genres
• Sometimes the artist is part of the story, other times they are completely
separate from the story

7. TAYLOR SWIFT –
LOVE STORY
Love story by Taylor Swift is a very popular narrative
style music video. This music video tells the story of
two young adults falling in love. Throughout the
visuals are directly linked to the lyrics making it easy
for the audience to follow the narrative. It also show
the key conventions of the beginning middle and end
like a film and has intertextual references to film
(Romeo and Juliet). On multiple occasions throughout
the video
fast paced editing along with many shots and cuts are
used.
Finally, the key convention which this music video
follows is the fact that Taylor Swift herself actually
plays the main character in the story, this can also be
seen across her work.

8. ADVANTAGES & DISADVANTAGES
• Advantages;
• Provides entertainment for the audience as they can watch the story
unfold while listening to the song
• The story behind the song may provide individual messages to the
audience
• It allows the artist to be creative in they way they tell the story through
the characters and mise-en-scene
• Disadvantages;
• The artist may not be featured in the music video, not meeting the
demand of the record label and Goodwin's theory
• The meaning of the story may be lost if not told clearly

9. THEMATIC CONCEPT VIDEOS
• Thematic Concept Videos are music videos which follow a specific theme
or idea, from this the producer links all the images to that theme. The
theme is dependent on the genre of music.
• The theme of 'street’ is used in rap videos, for songs including female
performers dance routines are commonly used and the rock genre is
usually performace style videos. These are only three examples of
thematic concept but there are many more.

10. ADVANTAGES & DISADVANTAGES
• Advantages;
• This video type enables themes to be developed throughout artists work, making the
genre of the video instantly recognisable to the audience.
• It allows artists to set a specific image which shows them either following or going
against specific themes.
• Disadvantages;
• The themes of some music videos may not always be clear which could distort the
initial messages
• If an artists sets out to go against a theme it may not be done successfully, potentially
ruining their music video
• Stereotypes and stereotypical themes may not prove successful

11. SYMBOLIC CONCEPT VIDEOS
• Symbolic concept music videos are videos which hold a deeper and
more meaningful message. This message may not always necessarily be
obvious but lots of symbolism is used to build up the meaning, this is
often done by the use of montage and fast paced shots. The shots
commonly include specific lighting which also helps to build up the
meaning.

12. ADVANTAGES + DISADVANTAGES
• Advantages;
• These types of music videos allow the artists to express more complex
ideas and issues.
• They involve a lot of time and planning often making them very clear
• It allows the audiences to make their own assumptions about the
meaning of the videos as well as think about the meaning what the artist
was intending.
• Disadvantages;
• The artist may choose a very complex meaning for their music video and
with complex meanings it means the audiences may not necessarily be
able to understand the actual meaning, instead interpreting it in the
wrong way.

13. IDEA BASED CONCEPT VIDEOS
• This style of music video is a artistic and visually stylish videos. They are
normally very fast paced and frequently break most conventional rules
of music videos. They are often seen as very experimental and contain
the use of elaborate camerawork along with mise-en-scene.

14. ADVANTAGES + DISADVANTAGES
• Advantages;
• The artists can be very creative when it come to idea based concept
videos, helping to engage their audience
• There are no limits to what can be put into these music videos
• Stereotypes and conventions are often broken in these videos
• Disadvantages;
• The video my not accurately represent the lyrics or the song, as a result
this can make it hart for the audience to properly understand the music
video.

15. OVERALL ….
• My favourite style of music video is the narrative style video, this is
because the narrative style videos tell a story which has a direct link to
the song and lyrics which helps to clearly show the meaning behind the
video. They can also be used as promotion for Tv and film but I don’t
feel they ate as effective as the ones which just tell the story. I feel the
aspects which make narrative videos appealing id the use fast paced
editing, with many shots and cuts and the occasional use of the artist as
part of the story, other times they are completely separate from the
story