This document provides examples and descriptions of various styles, conventions, and techniques used in music videos. It discusses genres like indie music and live footage. It also covers animation, narrative, surrealism, pastiche, parody, referencing, homage, interpretation, impressionism, influence of commercials, lyrical interpretation, extension of meaning, allusion, links to other artists, and technical techniques like cutting to the beat, effects, miming, use of multiple images, camera work, green screen, and lighting. Examples are given for each category to illustrate common music video styles and approaches.

1. Styles, Conventions & Techniques
Sam Rogers

2. Popular music genres
• Indie music – I think that Indie music has recently become more popular, such as Manchester Orchestra,
Kevin Devine, Ryan Adams and Grizzly Bear…
Often the genre of the music will affect the way the bands image is created.

3. In-concert and ‘as live’ footage
• I think that people like this sort of genre of music video’s some people cannot afford to go and see their
favourite bands, but with this genre we can see what the band is like ‘live’
An example of this is the documentary “Hiemá” in this film we follow Sigur Rós around Iceland while they play
live music to their fans in their home country.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8LeQN249Jqw

4. Animation (stop motion, Digital)
• Some videos are animated to get their point across differently, people may watch this as a parody message
or some thing more serious... For instance Kevin Devine’s Brothers Blood
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O1sXLzGj3C4

5. Narrative
• This is when a music video also has a small story for the Audience to follow!
A good example of this is Sigur Ros’s Seaglopur
Another video that has a narrative is Hoppipola by Sigur Rós

6. Surrealist
• Surreal images are often surprising and unconventional. They are often described as ‘absurd’
A good example of this is Kevin Devine's new musical direction.

7. Pastiche
• Pastiche is a light hearted imitation of another's style usually respectfully.
For this I have chosen Ryan Adam’s ‘So Alive’ because he is doing his ‘best smiths impression.’

8. Parody
Parody (It is created to Mock. It’s soul aim is to make fun of an original piece of work through either the subject
matter, the author or the style)
Weird al yankovic –
This video is a parody, not just for the video, but for the song. The song is keeping the same tune and style as
the original song but changing the lyrics and making it more funky and comical. The song is basically taking the
mick out of the original song, ''Another One Bites The Dust'' by Queen.
Here is an example of a, ''Parody'' music video:

9. Referencing
• Music videos sometimes reference other subjects. Soundtrack videos often have references to the films
themselves in the video. The videos may also allude to an event, person or any other historical or cultural
reference.
Telephones non-musical/music ratio rivals Martin Scorsese's 18-minute music video for Michael Jackson’s
“Bad”: the thing is nine-and-a-half minutes long, with about three minutes of highly stylized female prison
drama and Lady Gaga naked-making before you hear a single note.
But then… there’s the stylization itself. Lady Gaga said that “There certainly is a Tarantino-inspired quality in
the video”

10. Homage.
• Artist use music videos as a way of showing respecting others!
For example the wanted payed homage to the Beatles with; “I Found You”
Here we can see not only a musical homage but a ‘retro’ styled homage to the beatles.

11. Interpretative
Interpretive (It is a visual interpretation of the lyrics)
Here is an example of an, ''Interpretive'' music video:
This video is an interpretive video as the video uses the lyrics to create plot and style of the video.
Perry opens the video gazing down upon the city from a balcony. As she sings into the night, fireworks burst from her chest and
soon inspire young people throughout the city to overcome their fears and insecurities, in the process igniting their own
fireworks. A shy overweight girl, playing the role of wallflower at a pool party, finds the courage to shed her clothes and jump in
the pool with her friends. A leukemia patient at a children's hospital proves to herself that she can show herself out on the street
and in public despite her loss of hair. A teenage boy approaches his friend at a party and kisses him on the mouth. A struggling
young performer walking home in a dark alley uses tricks from his magic act to win over a group of street toughs who were trying
to rob him. A boy confronts his fighting parents and pushes them apart because their shouting is upsetting his little sister. Soon
the youth of the city are converging upon the courtyard of Buda Castle, dancing and lighting up the night with their fireworks.

12. Impressionist
Impressionist (An artists take or ‘’impression’’ of a style/genre or theme)
Finally, here is an example of an, ''Impressionist'' music video:
The video to. ''Dani California'' by Red Hot Chili Peppers is impressionist as throughout the music video, all members of the band
are dressing up as different artists from over the years such as, The Beatles, Prince and Kiss. At the end of the video the video
ends with the band starring as themselves on the stage. the video is a quasi-chronology of the evolution of rock music; the band
performs the song on a stage, but in a variety of outfits representing important figures and movements in the history of rock.

13. Influence of commercials
Influence of commercials (Uses advertisements strategies to carry the narrative)
Here is an example of an, ''Influence of Commercials'' music video:
The video to ''Gold Digger'' is using an influence of commercials as the video features girls, posing as if on the front of a magazine
from the 50's era. Shot in a widescreen letterbox format, using stylized art direction with few props, the video features
performances shots of West interspersed with footage of Williams' trademark female video models depicted as "pin-up" cover
models from fictional vintage magazines. The titles of the magazines on whose covers the women appear reflect the correlating
verses in the song. Foxx is also present, lip-synching both his own parts and the Ray Charles vocal sample. John Legend makes a
brief cameo.

14. Lyrical interpretation
• Lyrical Interpretation - Using visual meanings to interpret the lyrics. In the Rihanna video, we can see the
visual being interpretive with the narrative. The lyrics say, ‘’Just gonna stand there and watch me burn’’
and in the video, she and the house are on fire.

15. Extends songs meaning
• Extension or consolidation of song’s meaning - The video extends the meaning of the song. For example, in
‘’Sabotage’’ by the Beastie Boys we can see the use of text to extend the meaning of the song. The video
features text of the song name.

16. Allusion
• Allusion - An allusion is simply a reference to something. For example, ‘’Walk’’ by the Foo Fighters alludes
to the film ‘’Falling Down’’ and also, ‘’The Kill’’ by 30 Seconds to Mars alludes to, ‘’The Shining’’

17. Links to other Artists
• Links to other artists - The Tinie Tempah song, ‘’Pass Out’’ links to another artist, Labrinth and also the
Eminem video, ‘’Love the Way You Lie’’ links to Rihanna.

18. Music video techniques
• Cutting to the beat - Every time a beat occurs, there is a different shot. The editing will have to keep up with the beat.
• Effects - Effects are used in music videos to add to the narrative. The Major record labels will use effects in these videos. In
the music video, ‘’I Need A Doctor’’ Dr. Dre crashes 3 Lamborghini cars.
• Miming and Lip sync - In every video Artists mine and lip sync their songs. However, in Feeder’s video, ‘’Just A Day’’ they use
homemade fans videos in their video, with the fans miming their lyrics.
• Use of multi image - A multi image is just using multiple images throughout the video. An example would be, ‘’I Bet That
You Look Good on the Dance Floor’’ by the Arctic Monkeys.
• Camera shots, angles and movements - A tracking shot is where the camera moves along with the subject and a panning
shot is where the camera moves on the shot. These will be used to cover movement. Close ups will be to capture emotion,
an establishing shot is used to set the scene, a high angle shot will be used to show somebody’s innocence and a low angle
will show importance and respect.
• Green screen - A green screen is used to protect images onto the back of the screen to show as if they’re at another place.
An example is the ‘’Buddy Holly’’ music video by Weezer.
• Lighting - There are two different kinds of lighting, High key lighting and low key lighting. High key lighting will not show
shadows of the people features, it makes everything lighter. Low key lighting will be used to capture a darker and more
moody video.