Analysis of Music Video Conventions

Task to be done in lessons on Friday 14th September

Pick one of the three videos – all of which feature different female artists. Identify and discuss the conventions of the music video evident in your chosen video. You can present your work as you see fit, e.g., a video voiceover, screengrabs with essay style answers, etc.  

The questions below will guide you:

-          What camera shots are used and why? Long shots? Mid shots? Close ups? ECUs? Try to identify different shot types but also explain why you think these shots are used.

-          Does the camera move? How does it move? Why? Can you identify tilts? Pans? Whip pans? Tracking shots? Crane shots? What is the overall effect of the camera movement? How does the camera movement interact with the music?

-          Is there an overall concept or theme (or even a colour scheme) in the mise-en-scene? Are there any patterns in terms of props, costumes, setting? Is expressive lighting used? What is the overall effect of the mise-en-scene?

-          What kind of editing is used and what effect does it have? Can you identify montage editing, wipes, fades, dissolves, jump cuts, etc.? How does the editing interact with the music? The lyrics? Does the editing give a sense of narrative continuity or not? Why?

-          Is the sound of the song always foregrounded? Are there any changes in the levels of the sound? Is the sound diegetic or non-diegetic?

-          Are there any special effects? What are they? What impact do they have?

-          Is the video intertextual? (In other words, does it contain references to other texts? Other videos? Other musicians? Films? Novels? TV shows?

-          Does the video feature any voyeurism? Does it feature any screens or pictures? At any point do we climb inside the picture or screen or do the characters in the picture or screen climb out?

To complete for next Thursday

- For those who haven't caught up, catch up. See previous posts (below) to see breakdown of tasks, including artist's website analysis. Failure to do so will result in a Cause for Concern letter, I'm afraid, and catch up on Friday.

- You need to complete your Goodwin analysis started in class. See your packs for the details but here are the headings you can use:
Conventions of music Video/Promo (Goodwin)

• There is a relationship between the lyrics and the visuals (with the visuals either illustrating, amplifying or contradicting the lyrics)
• There is a relationship between the music and the visuals (again with visuals either illustrating, amplifying or contradicting the lyrics)
• Particular music genres might have their own music video style and iconography (such as live performance in heavy rock, urban settings for rap)
• There is a demand on the part of the record company for lots of close ups of the main artist/vocalist, and to sustain the established or ‘required’ star-text (see below) – videos must sell the music
• The artist may develop their own star iconography, in an out of their videos which over time becomes their star image.
• There is likely to be reference to voyeurism, particularly in the treatment of women, but also in terms 'in looking' e.g. screens within screens.
• There are likely to be intertexual references, either to other music video, films or TV texts, either in the form of pastiche, parody or homage.

- You must write a post explaining the pros and cons of your top two or three potential tracks. Embed the tracks. Post lyrics or at least bring them to the lesson. See previous posts for links to exemplars or just flick through last year's students' blogs. We will finalise track choices and groups next week.

EXAMPLES: Hasina's post on possible tracks

Frankie's post

NB: You can use bullet points instead - pros / cons

Conclude with your winner.

To prepare for next lesson, you can read through your pack of reference materials, focusing on what Carole Vernallis says about music videos conventions.

Aim high; work hard.

Home Learning set 21st September due in week beginning 27th September

1. Complete the required reading. We will be discussing key points over the next two weeks.

2. Complete the research task on Audience (sheet distributed in class) - TO BE COMPLETED FOR TUESDAY LESSON

3. Complete a couple more detailed video analyses using Goodwin's ideas and post on blog. Look into 'similar products' or at least distinct music genres, preferably the one you've chosen. Alternatively, you might want to deconstruct a video which contains visual ideas you'd like to replicate...

REMEMBER THAT AT LEAST ONE OF YOUR DETAILED ANALYSES MUST BE COMPLETED AND POSTED BY NEXT TUESDAY.

4. PLANNING: Update your group blog (individual if you're working on your own) about decisions made, spidergram of initial ideas, stills from other videos which are inspiring your group, etc...

Key features of Music Video - Starting points for your analysis of music videos

The points below should help you to analyse your chosen videos in a more focused way. Use them to get started. Start building up marks.

• Music videos work around 3 codes - music, lyrics and iconography. The relationship between these codes is key to understanding how music video work. Take some time looking at whether the video illustrates the lyrics or not, and in which ways, as well as whether the video helps you to understand the lyrics better or not, and in which way. Does the song belong to a particular music genre and does it come across in the video?
• Music videos are designed to provide pleasure in order to keep the viewer (particularly the intended audience) watching and to encourage repeat viewings. How is it achieved? How are the performers shown? What do YOU LIKE about the video? Can you screengrabs favourite shots and comment?
• Explain whether the video is primarily performance-based, narrative-based or concept-based, or is it a hybrid? Explore how it is done and presented. Look at Lauryn Hill's Everything is Everything for example.
• Does the video refer to / draw upon other texts (book, film, other video, advert...)? Is it a parody or tongue-in-cheek video?