The document provides information about completing a case study on music video production. It is split into 3 tasks concerning the purposes of music videos, styles and techniques of music video production, and a case study analysis of 3 music videos. The notes section encourages adding images and links from video examples and expanding the response beyond the template if needed. Task 1 questions cover the core purposes of music videos, broader strategies employed by artists, and examples of synergy and convergence. Task 2 addresses techniques like camerawork, editing, technical developments, and genre conventions.

1. MUSIC VIDEO PRODUCTION
CASE STUDY
YOU R N A ME H ER E

2. MUSIC VIDEO PRODUCTION
• We will look at Music Videos from a number of perspectives, this
template is for you to write up your notes and to complete your
case study.
• The document is split into 3 different tasks, each with separate
questions to answer.
• Task 1 is concerned with the purposes of music videos and the
strategies employed by labels and artists
• Task 2 is concerned with the styles, techniques and conventions of
music video production
• Task 3 is your own case study into a minimum of three music
videos where you can unpack and discuss the videos considering
everything you have looked at in Task 1 and 2

3. NOTES ON COMPLETING THE
CASE STUDY
• It is often easier to show something you are discussing than to
take time describing it. With this in mind, feel free to add lots of
illustrative images from your chosen video examples. Links to
YouTube/Vevo/etc are also encouraged.
• Remember, when you make a point or define something, you
should follow this with an example, an explanation of this and
then link to further texts/videos where possible.
• If you don’t think there is enough room to add your full response
to a question, don’t just reset the font size to really small, add an
extra slide wherever necessary.

4. TASK 1 -
PURPOSES

5. TASK 1 - PURPOSES
• Q1 - Outline the 3 core purposes of music video with a short
explanation for each:
• Entertainment- Give those who enjoy your music the ability to have a visual gage on
the production, rather than just solely through audio. This also increases the enticing
properties of the production for many listeners, including those new to that specific
group and/or artist; with many people being drawn in by the visuals over the sound.
• Branding/Identity- This will give the artist and/or group a platform to stand upon and be
seen by a wide spread audience, whereas a festival or concert restricts masses of
people from seeing you live in person, from where you can express your identity.
Furthermore a music video allows for the artist and/or group to give their stance on
sensitive topics through artistic means, allowing for the audience to feel a connection
to said artist/group on a deeper level.
• Sales- Music videos allow for a wide spread audience to view your production, due to
the free streaming on YouTube. Meaning that audiences who are new to that particular
genre can sample the product and then make up their mind on whether they want to
purchase the music for listening on the go; almost like a gateway drug, but in the music
world.

6. TASK 1 - PURPOSES
• Q2 – What are some of the broader purposes of music videos? Think about
some of the strategies employed by artists in their videos and how they
represent themselves, you could consider where the artist is on a major
label, independent label of unsigned, is there a difference between them?
• allow the band the availability of not having to play live
• allow the audience the advantage of interpreting the song through the use
of the video playing in the background, without actually turning up to the
real life performance.
• To endorse products to make them more popular and to increase sales
• reinforce a particular political view or social message
• feature other artists for promotional purposes

7. TASK 1 - PURPOSES
• Q3 – Describe what is ‘synergy’ is and how it has been used in music videos
[min. 3 examples of synergy and convergence]
• Synergy is the interaction or cooperation of two or more organizations,
substances, or other agents to produce a combined effect greater than the sum
of their separate effects.
• The artistic licensing of an artist or group join forces with a music label (looking
to make a profit off of an up and coming and/or established artist/group), who in
turn fund the ideas of said artists to create a music video alongside the already
produced music.
• A company may acquire a similar firm, allowing it to expand its product offering
and, as a result, increase its sales and revenues.

8. TASK 1 - PURPOSES
• Q4 – Branding; select an artist you like and look at how they present
themselves in their music videos. Explain what their ‘brand’ is, who it
appeals to and why they might have done this.
• Eminem brands himself as a rebel (as evidenced in the picture above)
and he doesn’t care for the bad media reputation surrounding his
personality.
• These personal traits Eminem possesses appeal to those similar to
himself, especially rebellious teenagers, who tend to do what they want
and hate being told what to do.

9. TASK 1 - PURPOSES
• Q5 – Compare One Direction and Animal Collective music videos [find them
on YouTube!], what can you discern about each act from their videos? What is
the main aim? Explain why.
• The one direction video have a much larger budget to fund their video,
whereas Animal Collective obviously perish in comparison, in terms of both
funds and popularity.
• The Animal collective videos appear to have a deeper meaning behind them,
both contextually and visually, with their odd design choices and outlandish
visual effects, of which are up to the viewer to interpret. Whereas the One
Direction videos are fairly basic imagery wise, with little to derive from it other
than the music itself.
• The main focus of the One Direction videos are the boys themselves, with their
target audience being predominantly girls ranging from older children to early
teenagers, therefore the main eye candy of the whole production needs to be
these boys; whom of which are considered more alluring than their actual music.
On the other hand, Animal Collective’s videos tend to tell more of a story layered
over the top of their music, with very few of their videos actually featuring any of
the band members, seeing as their appearance isn't the main puling factor of
their work.

10. TASK 2 – STYLES,
TECHNIQUES AND
CONVENTIONS

11. TASK 2 – STYLES, TECHNIQUES
AND CONVENTIONS
• Q1 – Describe and explain the use of camerawork in music
videos, i.e. the types of shot used with examples to illustrate this
• Most artists and/or groups regularly use close up shots of
members in music videos, seeing as they tend to be the main
focal point of the entire production (visuals wise); with the music
appearing like a secondary asset. An example of this method
being put into action are in most of the one direction music
videos, with a large majority of their young, impressionable
audience tuning in to watch them and admire their good looks
over any of their music, which if actually enjoyed can be played
through streaming services like spotify and apple music.

12. TASK 2 – STYLES, TECHNIQUES
AND CONVENTIONS
• Q3 - Describe and explain some of the technical
developments in music videos, i.e. the types of shot used with
examples to illustrate this
• In the modern day due to technical advancements, music videos
have become an art in their own right, with many of them
showcasing the talents of future directors and producers,
leading to more and more effort and money being put into them
over time; with each one trying to better the previous production.
TASK 2 – STYLES, TECHNIQUES
AND CONVENTIONS
• Q2 - Describe and explain the use of editing in music videos,i.e.the
types of shot used with examples to illustrate this
• With regards to editing in music videos,they tend to break the rules of continuity
(unlike what would be seen in a tv show or film).For example,bands and artists will
usually do things such as change their clothes multiple times in music videos and
include different settings and stage locations,therefore disrupting the typical rules of
continuity.An example of a music video which breaks the rules of continuity is Katy
Perry’s music video for her song‘This is how we do’,as it keeps going to different shots
where the artist is seen in different outfits and locations each time,along with different
people.On top of that,music videos tend to be cut in a very specific ways as to keep in
time with the beat which in turn keeps the production flowing smoothly for satisfying
viewing experience.Whereas a video which is poorly strung together,will cause an
irritating viewing experience.

13. TASK 2 – STYLES, TECHNIQUES
AND CONVENTIONS
• Q3 - Describe and explain some of the technical
developments in music videos, i.e. the types of shot used with
examples to illustrate this
• In the modern day due to technical advancements, music videos
have become an art in their own right, with many of them
showcasing the talents of future directors and producers,
leading to more and more effort and money being put into them
over time; with each one trying to better the previous production.

14. TASK 2 – STYLES, TECHNIQUES
AND CONVENTIONS
• Q4 – Genre conventions; often music videos adhere to genre conventions within
their visual style and production techniques. Select a recognizable genre and use
illustrations to explain what their genre conventions are…
Heavy metal is a bleak genre of music based around death, darkness and
pain. Every single heavy metal based artist wears predominantly black
colours, as to symbolize their shear thirst for death and/or lack of caring.
On top of that, all the music is extremely similar; its loud, intensely violent,
aggravatingly screechy and barely audible to a standard person like
myself. Furthermore most heavy metal music videos tend to be very fast
paced both audibly and visually, so keeping track of anything going on is
almost an impossible task, due to all the quick cuts and strange visual
effects trying desperately to sync up with the equally rapid music.

15. TASK 2 – STYLES, TECHNIQUES
AND CONVENTIONS
• Q5 - John Stuart’s description of the music video “incorporating,
raiding and reconstructing” is essentially the essence of
intertextuality [something asserted by Andrew Goodwin]. Can you
explain what intertexuality is and find some examples of it in music
videos?
• Intertextuality is the way in which one media text is referenced in
another, much like an Easter egg in a video game.
• For example in Imagine Dragon’s song ‘on top of the world’, there
are countless references to Stanley Kubrick's adaptation of Steven
King’s horror infused novel ‘The Shining’, with one of the countless
references being the hexagonal wallpaper in the background
behind Dan Reynolds.

16. TASK 3 – CASE
STUDY

17. TASK 3 – CASE STUDY
• For your individual case study you must study an artist or genre
of music, focusing on a minimum of 3 videos [ideally 5+ videos]
• This should provide discussion on the usage of the following:
– Style[s] & Techniques employed
– Intertextuality
– Camerawork/editing
– Genre conventions
– Critical approaches [you should be applying some of the critical
approaches from your lessons and some of your own, to your
selected videos]

18. TASK 3 – CASE STUDY
• You should include a video link for the video
• You can include as many illustrative stills as you like
• Be creative in your approach, it is suggested you use the
heading on the previous slide a guide on how to structure your
response to get you started
• Remember, make a point, use a specific part of the chosen
video as an example, explain yourself and then link to another
video where possible
• Compare and contrast your artist/genre to other artists/genres
• Remember to consider differing contexts

19. TASK 3 – CASE STUDY 1
In this controversial production based around the horrors of modern
day America, Glover uses a lot of single-take shots with there being
very little cuts, to signify that they are showing the entire situation
and not just cutting away to try and cover it over with over elaborate
transitions. Furthermore the song also includes countless examples
of intertextuality based off of horrific real life events, to have
happened in the U.S. Just several of these events include the black
choir, which references the awful shooting to have occurred in 2015
by a white supremacist, or when Glover himself executes a man in
the pose of the old racist caricature ‘Jim Crow’ from the 1820’s. On
top of that Donald Glover even adorns old timey confederate army
trousers throughout the entirety of the video, whom of which have
been known for committing heinous racial crimes over the last 200
years and more infamously known for establishing the Ku Klux Klan.
The song also uses a great deal of editing techniques in both the
music and the video itself from which I can take huge inspiration
from, with the video transitioning from one single-shot take to
another by having it move quickly towards the right, as if Donald
Glover has miraculously appeared in another section of the
warehouse. On top of that, at the beginning of the video, the music
starts out as this old African inspired folk melody, of which slowly
morphs into Glovers very own song. This is likely another link to the
African roots of American society and how a lot of crime seems to
circle around African Americans, either with them being the victim or

20. TASK 3 – CASE STUDY 2
Rag’n’boneman’s “Human” is a song expressing the
angst of the human condition and the inability of
humans to be perfect or even fix many of the “real
problems” in life. It has a very simple theme
throughout the entirety of the video, people, or
humans as the song is called. The editing style
appears very simple, yet affective, as it quickly
moves from person to person using examples of
stop motion and other simple transition effects.
Through this, Rag expresses that not everyone is
perfect, nor does everyone has the same
appearance, but we are all of the same species and
none of us are faultless, meaning judgment of
others shouldn’t be a social normality. Furthermore
through the use of in-depth camera work, they
focus on these many flaws we as humans possess,
as a means of praising those who may or may not
figure into our general term of beauty; because as
we can see there are no super models in this video,
just normal people expressing their own unique
form of perfection.

21. TASK 3 – CASE STUDY 3
• This song is a representational video with the
main purpose of entertaining the viewer while
not distracting from the song itself, the video
only really consists of following the artist as he
walks down a street casually interacting with
the people around him.
• The main technique used in this video is that
of the travel camera and close up jump shots,
but other that that there are barely any other
post production techniques used in this video.
However this editing style fits the genre of
casual pop, as it doesn’t go over the top like
similar pop bands, but at the same time it
keeps its up beat tones.