Music videos are short visual stories used to promote artists. They typically give the artist the most screen time as they sing to the audience, helping viewers become familiar with them. Music videos may have simple narratives or hardly any narrative at all. They are edited to sync with the song's beat, using many cuts in fast songs. Jump cuts are also used to speed up the video. Camera angles and shots are chosen deliberately to convey meanings that relate to the artist and song. Close-ups of the artist's face help develop their fan base by associating the face with the lyrics. Product placement in videos can further an artist's image and financial support.

1. The Function of a Music Video
Kris Erice

2. Music videos are short,
condensed stories used mostly
to promote an artist.
In a typical video, the artist is
given the most screen time
whilst breaking the fourth wall
to sing to the audience. By
doing this, the audience
becomes familiar with the
artist.
Music videos also tend to be
one-off stories. With some
having hardly any narrative at
all.
‘Breaking the Fourth Wall’ is a
trope commonly used in the
visual arts that brings together
our reality and the reality that
the story is set in.

3. From an Editing perspective,
music videos are edited to the
beat which could mean that for
a fast paced, Grime song such
as Lethal Bizzle’s, ‘Pow’, there
could be well over 30 cuts in the
space of 30 seconds.
Furthermore, Jump cuts are
employed occasionally to fasten
the speed of the video which is
important as most videos do
not last for more than 4
minutes.
There are jump cuts of Kano
rapping from different angles
and distances. This is most
evident when there are about
4 cuts in the matter of several
milliseconds.

4. The way the camera is
established can also bring more
meaning to the video. The
example we did in class, ‘Do You
Really Like It’ by DJ Pied Piper,
had a lot of low angle shots on
top of a roof.
The connotations given off by
this (and the sexually dressed
ladies) are that the artist and
possibly his crew are successful
and are now bragging about it
through the music video.
This video like ‘Pow’, features
a lot of cutting and movement.
This one however, features a
panning in room with the girls
in it, insinuating how much of
a good time they are having.

5. Close ups and Match cuts are
good tools for promoting a
product.
A Close up can put focus on the
artist’s face where they will be
singing the words. The audience
will now associate the words
with the artist’s face which will
help develop a fan base.
Close ups and match cuts are
sometimes used by directors in
order to promote merchandise
known as Product Placement.
Product Placement in a video
helps contribute to an artist’s
image. An example would be
Beats Headphones appearing on
the artist which signifies that the
artist is being endorsed, implying
financial support. Controversy and
product endorsements in music
videos instates an artist’s image
that reminds fans of who they are.