1. What makes a successful music
video?
By Libby Nicholls

2. 1) Performance
• For a music video to be truly successful it relies massively on performance.
Famous videos such as Azealia Banks or Tyler The Creator only use on e
simple location; In a plain white room and a brick wall. They don’t sound
exciting at all but the performance really made the video interesting to
watch. The freestyle dancing and the use of props, the clothes they where
and there personality get well represented in there videos making there
videos the most interesting as you feel like you are watching them rather
then all the irrelevant action in the background.

3. 2) Originality/USP
• Its has to be something you don’t really come
across in average music videos. This can be by
using unique narratives that have never been
used before such as romance dramas.

4. 3) Good camera/Editing work
• Using a variety of angles such as extreme close ups, hand
held footage and technical editing strategies such as
panning and tracking the singers so it has the effect of you
following the musician rather than having static, boring
images that you lose interest in. Sometimes showing less of
the character at the beginning of the sequence can make
peoples attention get concentrated when it comes to the
pure singing and performance. This can be used to its full
potential especially is the choice of outfits are suitable and
extravagant. Variety also bring dynamic structure to the
video and keeps you excited to see what is next. If the
editing is fast paced and changes on the beat it will be
packed with energy and detail, this will keep viewers
interested.

5. 4) Unique mis en scene
• Artists such as Lady Gaga use unique and extravagant
outfits that are really out of the norm. This is part of
her character so her fans expect this, however with
more mellow singers, the use of excessive outfits can
make the video much more interesting as fans of the
singer want to see as such as there idol as possible
and see them in different positions that they are not
used to.

6. 5) Effective narrative
• Not all music videos have a narrative and merely
hold a performance by freestyle movements.
However some music videos such as Ed sheeran
the ‘A team’ hold a story of a prostitute that sells
herself for her drug addiction. This lyrics and
narrative match and hold the audience to see
how she deals with her life on an everyday basis
and end with a new equilibrium. Others singers
don’t use a narrative but use other aspects of
music videos such as performance and props to
keep the audience engaged.

7. 5) Effective narrative
• Not all music videos have a narrative and merely
hold a performance by freestyle movements.
However some music videos such as Ed sheeran
the ‘A team’ hold a story of a prostitute that sells
herself for her drug addiction. This lyrics and
narrative match and hold the audience to see
how she deals with her life on an everyday basis
and end with a new equilibrium. Others singers
don’t use a narrative but use other aspects of
music videos such as performance and props to
keep the audience engaged.