Chloe McDaid discusses the forms and conventions used in her music video project. She explains how she employed various camera shots, angles, and movements. She also focused on elements of mise-en-scene like lighting, locations, costumes, and makeup to develop her character's identity. While her video breaks some typical dance music conventions due to its narrative focus on drug use, she links the visuals to the lyrics and music. Chloe aims to edit the video to match the tempo and pace of the dance song. Overall, she balances adhering to key conventions of the genre with differentiating her video through its unique storyline.

1. e, ns
us t i o
ct en
du nv
ro c o
p
a nd
di a
e s
m
y rm
m o
s ef ?
oe ng cts
d
s alle du
a y c h ro
t w or ia p
ha p ed
w lo m
In eve al
d f re
o
Chloe McDaid

2. What are forms?
Forms are the elements I used to construct my video such as:
Camera work:
Editing:
Mise-en-scene:
Shots, Angles,
Movement and
Composition
Transitions, Effects,
Pacing and Onscreen titles
Lighting, Locations,
Set, Costume, Hair
and Make-up
Chloe McDaid

3. Camerawork
I used a variety of shots in my video to make it stimulating for audiences.
Close up
Extreme close up
Chloe McDaid

4. Camerawork
Mid shot
Medium close up
Chloe McDaid

5. Camerawork
Long shot
Eye line match shot
Chloe McDaid

6. Camerawork
Point of view shot
Two shot
Chloe McDaid

7. Camerawork
I also used various angles when shooting my video such as:
•High angle
•Low angle
•Canted angle
•Eye level
High angle recorded standing on a table at
a gig.
Chloe McDaid

8. Editing
To construct and edit my video I used a software called ‘Final Cut’.
•
I used lots of colour and flashy effects to give off the idea that it’s a club and
there are lots of flashing strobe lights
•
I used lots crazy effects and transitions to make it obvious to my audience
when the performer is hallucinating
•
I used slow motion and fast motion effects to show the effect the drugs have
on the performers mind
•
I used slow cuts before the beat drops, once the beat dropped the cuts became
much more rapid and match the music
•
The transitions are very quick to represent the madness of the night
•
The pacing of cuts builds up as the beat drops,
Chloe McDaid

9. Editing
Distortion effect in the hallucination scene.
Chloe McDaid

10. Editing
Cartoonize effect used in all of the hallucination scenes.
Chloe McDaid

11. Editing
Example of a cross dissolve transition.
Chloe McDaid

12. Mise-en-scene within my video
Lighting
For the gig scenes, the lighting was the strobe lights, this created the effect that my performer was in a club. For
most of the scenes a plain background was used such as a white wall however for the hallucinations scenes I
filmed in font of a well lit white screen, this is effective as it makes the footage look less realistic.
Locations
• Gloucester town
• White screen
• Friends House
• 2 pigs
Set
To create different sets I used props including:
• Animal masks
• Party clothing
• Lighting
• Alcohol
• Tablets
Chloe McDaid

13. Mise-en-scene within my video
Costume
As my performer was supposed to be portrayed as a girl lost in the world and caught up in the wrong scene she had ripped tights and cheap
clothes.
Hair
Messy hair to show the effect of staying out all night with random strangers.
Make-up
Messy eye makeup again because she had stayed out all night and crazy lipstick to match the madness of the video (half purple and half
red).
Chloe McDaid

14. What are conventions?
Andrew Goodwin’s 7 music video conventions:
•
Genres
•
Star iconography
•
Lyrics and visuals
•
Music and visuals
•
Intertextual references
•
Voyeurism
•
Close ups
Chloe McDaid

15. Influences on my work
Martin Garrix – Animals
Conventions
I would say this video is very niche although it sticks to most it does break typical conventions of a dance video. The conventions of dance videos are dance
routines, male and female gaze, strong bright lighting, very colourful scenes, variations in camera shots and angles especially a lot of close ups of the artist
singing and some narrative but a lot of performance. This particular video is very crazy and has no real story line. the purpose of it is to show the mental
nights out some people have and the things they get up to. So, although it breaks conventions it’s still obvious it’s a dance video
Chloe McDaid

16. Martin Garrix - Animals
Camerawork
Various angles used to show the craziness of the night. Mostly medium shots are used so you can fit all of the madness into one shot. A few large
close ups are used to highlight some of the craziness going on for example close ups of the animal masks worn by the performers and close ups
of the performers in the club licking each other, this highlights what happens when people take drugs and drink excessively in a clubbing
environment. Zoom’s in are used a lot to show the masks up close to the audience, it kind of freaks them out a bit. I think a steadicam was used
because the camera is moving around to create the madness within the scene however the scenes are still clear and not erratic. The movement is
rapid to present to the audience how the people in the video would be seeing things, due to drink and drugs their vision would be affected so
everything would be happening quickly. But also, in clubs everyone is dancing and the music is quick so generally the movement is quick.
Chloe McDaid

17. Martin Garrix - Animals
Mise-en-scene
The lighting is very bright, various colours are used and a strobe light it used to create a clubbing effect. There are two locations within the video, a
underground scene where the performers are causing madness, this is typical of the dance genre as you tend to link with hardcore party animals
with causing havoc. The other location used is a club, this is also very typical of the dance genre as dance music is mostly listened to by clubbers.
The costumes within the video are girls dressed provocatively and glamorous with heavy makeup as one would dress when going clubbing, the
hair is messy due to sweat from dancing in the club. The main reason why this dance video is different is it uses animal masks to create madness,
the performers wearing the masks are obviously drunk as you associate clubbing and dance music with drink and drugs.
Chloe McDaid

18. Martin Garrix - Animals
Editing
Slow cuts used before the beat drops, once the beat drops the cuts become much more rapid and match the music. The
transitions are also very quick to represent the madness of the night. The pacing starts of slow, a lot of slow motions
shots when building up to the beat dropping, once the beat drops the pacing becomes a lot quicker.
Star iconography
This video breaks this convention as seen with much dance videos, a lot of dance videos are more about the beat itself
than the artist. If you think artists with high star iconography such as Rihanna they have many music videos and all of
their songs are slightly different for example some may be up beat and some may be very slow. With dance videos, they
are always up beat and the aim of the video is to show this by often having a club scene and crazy, random things
happening. Dance artists are not very well known, they care more about the music and the effect it has on their
audiences rather than their star iconography. At the end of the song the writer Martin Garrix removes his mask and
reveals his face, I like this idea and am tempted to use it in my music video. It doesn’t create star iconography in this
video but if he makes other videos it may be something that becomes regular
Chloe McDaid

19. Martin Garrix - Animals
Lyrics and visuals
There are very few lyrics within this song which is typical of dance songs. The main lyrics is ‘animals’ which is used repeatedly
throughout the song, the link with this lyrics is the animal masks. This is a clever link as it is used to create madness within the
video.
Music and visuals
There is a constant link between the music and visuals for example there is a DJ in the club scene who is shown to be dropping
the beat, the camerawork matches the tempo of the music for example when the tempo increases so do the cuts.
Intertextual references
There are no intertextual references, they are not needed as the song is more about the beat than the lyrics, there is no real
meaning to the song so there is no need for references to other media.
Voyeurism
Too an extent there is voyeurism, there are half naked women licking each other for the men to gaze at and there are scenes of
a mans body covered in tattoos that a female may gaze at.
The close up
Lots of close ups are used, but not like you would typically see in a dance music video, the close ups are not of the artist, they
are of the crazy random scenes to highlight the madness caused by the song and the beat.
Chloe McDaid

20. Breaking of conventions example
Ed Sheeran – A Team
Chloe McDaid

21. Breaking of conventions example
Ed Sheeran – A team
Is it typical of music video conventions?
No, it is just a storyline, although there is a main artist, she isn’t portrayed as being the
singer. She is female so typically you would expect her to be portrayed by voyeurism as a
sex symbol but she is in fact represented as the opposite.
It is typical of its genre?
Too an extent yes as it’s based on something random and not typical of songs to be about
however no as the scenes make sense together and tell and story whereas a lot of indie
videos are random clips that together make no sense
Chloe McDaid

22. Breaking of conventions in my video
Genre
My video appeals to a niche market. Despite being dance music my video breaks a lot of typical dance
conventions. This is due to the unique story line that gives my product a unique selling point. Using
drugs as a theme meant taking my music video seriously and making it realistic this involved a lot of
research into the effects of drugs.
The conventions of dance videos are dance routines/moves, male and female gaze, strong bright
lighting, very colourful scenes, variations in camera shots and angles especially a lot of close ups of the
artist singing and some narrative but a lot of performance
My video has an edge over typical dance videos as it is mostly narrative, there is a small amount of
performance such as my performer lip singing but the performer is an actor and not the artist of the
song. There is also no voyeurism or dance routines.
Chloe McDaid

23. Breaking of conventions in my video
There are no intertextual references in my video as it is based on a
unique topic that no other music videos have touched upon. Even the
media in general rarely publicise mental health
Voyeurism was not appropriate in my video due to the storyline.
Star Iconography is not evident in my video as dance music artists as the
artist is a DJ and tends to stay out of their videos. However there is a
storyline that becomes evident throughout my video which creates a
sense of identity of my performer.
Chloe McDaid

24. Conventions I used
There is a link between the lyrics and visuals as the song is about drugs and
audiences will clearly see the performer take drugs
There is a link between the music and visuals as the camerawork matches the
tempo of the music for example when the tempo increases so does the cuts.
Chloe McDaid

25. Conventions I used
I used lots of close ups of my performer to to highlight her distress and to get audiences to
sympathise with her
I also used close ups not like you would typically see in a dance music video such as close ups
of the crazy random scenes to highlight the madness caused by the song and the beat.
Chloe McDaid

26. In conclusion
Forms
I believe I have used various camera movements, shots and compositions. I have
created a sense of identity for my character with clever use of mise-en-scene and
can say I confidently edited my video to match other dance videos. I struggled with
editing at first as the tempo of the song was upbeat however over the process of
making the video I developed the skills needed. This will be further explain in how I
used new media technologies.
Conventions
Overall, I have stuck to the most significant conventions as I did not want to lose the
sense of the dance genre. However due to the storyline I was trying to portray I have
challenged some conventions. This makes my video special and appeal to a niche
market.
Chloe McDaid