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
• You are expected to submit each section on a weekly basis during your remote
learning weeks.
• If you get stuck, talk to/email your tutor for guidance.
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
Y O U S H O U L D O P E N T H E M U S I C L E C T U R E
P O W E R P O I N T A N D L O O K AT S E C T I O N 1
B E F O R E D O I N G T H I S TA S K
5. TASK 1 - PURPOSES
• Q1 - Outline the 3 core purposes of music video with a short explanation
for each:
• Entertainment: Providing some sort of entertainment for the audience to
enjoy.
• Branding: What the artist is promoting, What the artist stands for and
what their identity is. These promotions can also be a product
which increases that products sales.
• Sales: Making a music video to make the song more visual for the
audience because more money will be made, and more views will
be generated from visual platforms. A music video will also make selling the
song through things like DVDs and music platforms like Spotify easier
because the song will become more recognizable
6. TASK 1 - PURPOSES
• Q2 – What are some of the broader purposes of music videos? Try
and outline a minimum of 3. (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?)
• A music video makes it, so the band don’t have to be available for
live performances of their new song.
• A music video also makes it far easier for the audience to learn the
narrative of the song.
• A music video also promote the band/artist itself and can
encourage people to listen to more of their songs.
7. TASK 1 - PURPOSES
• Q3 – Branding; select an artist you like and look at how they
present themselves in their music videos. Explain what their
‘brand’ is, who is appeals to and why they might have done
this.
• The Beatles:
• In the early era of The Beatles their music and
videos were very lighthearted, and they present themselves as
very likeable and approachable men who were trying to make
everyone else happy. They stood for love and giving people
hope for love with lyrics like "don’t worry" and "here comes
the sun" They all wore similar clothes and didn't over dress in
expensive clothing as they were humble and didn’t want to
feel any different to their audience as this would ruin who
they were presented as. They also all had the same haircut and
kept it simple.
• However later when the Beatles were big names their songs
consisted of drugs and crime. They wore expensive clothes
and separated themselves from their audience and didn’t feel
equal to them anymore. The also had mad and messy haircuts
8. TASK 1 - PURPOSES
• Q4 – 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.
• One Directions music videos have a narrative, but
Animal Collectives video is just them singing and playing their
instruments, there is no story.
• Some of One Directions videos have a skit at the start of
them but Animal Collectives video goes straight into the song.
• One Direction are also presented in the video, but Animal
collective just have black Sila wets of themselves.
9. TASK 2 – STYLES,
TECHNIQUES AND
CONVENTIONS
Y O U S H O U L D O P E N T H E M U S I C L E C T U R E
P O W E R P O I N T A N D L O O K AT S E C T I O N 2
B E F O R E D O I N G T H I S TA S K
10. 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 and how this creates
meaning
Main Camera Shots:
• Big close up ( BCU )
• Close up ( CU )
• Close shot ( CS )
• Medium close shot ( MCS )
• Medium shot ( MS )
• Full shot ( FS )
• Medium long shot ( MLS )
• Long shot ( LS )
An extreme close up
might be used during a
stand off and shows the
persons true emotions
An close up might be
used during a 360
degree shot as the
subject can follow the
camera round ass it
moves
A medium shot is used
as it shows the subject as
well as what is in the
background which shows
you the location.
A long shot shows the
entire
background/location an
thee subject normally
look really small in these
types of shots
11. 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 and
what the effect of this is/meanings that are created/etc
• One thing normally done in the editing of a music video is
changing how the shot looks to make it look lighter or darker.
This creates meaning because you can change the atmosphere
of the shot depending on how it looks. For example, a rap song
talking about drugs wouldn’t be a light Board daylight song, But
it might look like that before editing depending on where and
when it was shot. So, making it look dark and gloomy gives off
that vibe.
12. TASK 2 – STYLES, TECHNIQUES
AND CONVENTIONS
• Q3 – Genre conventions; often music videos adhere to genre conventions within
their visual style and production techniques. Select a recognisable genre and use
illustrations to explain what their genre conventions are…
Pop Genre Conventions:
• Themed with bright and bold colors
• Positive atmosphere
• Repeated Choruses
• Hooks
• Structure that is stuck to
• Consistent melody and beat
• Songs Consist of love/relationships
• Follow similar trends
13. TASK 2 – STYLES, TECHNIQUES
AND CONVENTIONS
• Q4 - 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 intertextuality is and find a minimum of 3
examples of it in music videos?
Intertextuality in music videos is creating references to a similar type
of art e.g. Music videos, drawings, animations etc.
Intertextuality/ Similar genre conventions in songs
• Taylor Swift- Love Story.
• Katy Perry- Last Friday Night (TGIF)
14. TASK 3 – CASE
STUDY
Y O U S H O U L D O P E N T H E M U S I C L E C T U R E
P O W E R P O I N T A N D L O O K AT S E C T I O N 3
B E F O R E D O I N G T H I S TA S K
15. TASK 3 – CASE STUDY
• For your individual case study, you must study an artist of
choice, 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]
16. TASK 3 – CASE STUDY
• You should include a video link for the videos used
• You should include illustrative stills from the videos chosen
• 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
• Add slides here as appropriate – DO NOT SHORT CUT THIS
SECTION, IT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT
17. MAROON 5 (CASE STUDY)
GIRLS LIKE YOU HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=AJOTLE1K90K
• Styles and Techniques/Camera work The transitions of the shots
are cut to the beat. For example, as the camera moves around
every time it is facing the artist and he girl behind him is out of
view, it transitions into the next one hence why the girl changes.
But it's so smooth that you don’t notice the switch. The change
also happens on the beat of the song for an extra effect
Camera moves around as
girl is standing behind
the artist.
Camera faces head on
with the artist ad girl
goes out of shot.
Camera keeps moving
and a different girl
appears in shot.
18. MAROON 5 (CASE STUDY)
GIRLS LIKE YOU
• Intertextuality:
This song is similar to others as it talks about relationship and is kind
of like a love story but it's mainly about women and showing
different types of people and suggesting that they can do anything,
and they can be whoever they want to be despite the challenges.
Lots of Maroon 5's songs try and encourage people and spreads
positivity. One song like this is "Sugar" also by Maroon 5 where he
goes to as many people's weddings that he can in one day and sings
at them. This music video shows both the love relationship and
spreading positivity to others.
19. MAROON 5 (CASE STUDY)
GIRLS LIKE YOU
• Genre conventions:
In this song it mainly follows the pop genre conventions.
• There are lots of bright colors used mainly through clothing as its
only shot in one location.
• There is a repeated chorus which is a bit of a no brainer as pretty
much every song has one.
• There is a consistent beat and melody the whole way through the
song.
• Songs consisting of love and relationships
• Follows the standard pop song structure
21. LINKING FORWARD…
• Now it’s important to think about how you can use some of what
you’ve learned in your investigations for your own work.
• Summarise in this section the key techniques, styles, conventions
and genre you prefer and what you think you could use in your
project.
• Think of this as a place to put all those loose ideas for your music
video and how you intend to apply the things you’ve enjoyed
looking at.
• Remember, music video is a medium that has a lot freedom in
terms of form and style. It is also the medium that steals,
incorporates and re-integrates all the things you have seen and
experienced.
• Add slides as necessary, it will make the next section of the
project much easier
I really like the idea of cutting the beat of the music to the action so I think I
will do that in mine. And an idea I have for that is to press the button on an
elevator and when I press it have the beat of the chorus kick in. I also think I
want to use the pop genre conventions with lots of bright colors and following
a similar structure. So, like I want the main bit of the video to be during the
chorus and the less main bits in the verses.
