Code and conventions of a music video
- 2. WHAT IS A MUSIC VIDEO ? A music video is a short film that helps show a song off better and sometimes the selling of a song. The music video helps the public like the song because it shows them not just about their vocal ability but their film making skills as well. Also in the music video they could use a iconic dance move which could help them sell their music. For example: Michael Jacksons moon walk.
- 3. MUSIC VIDEO THEORY The codes of a music video is how they show off the use of equipment they have such as cameras. How the person in the song is feeling and how that is portrayed to the audience. Music conventions are they way things are done in the music video. However some general conventions are - The editing fits the pace of the music - The lyrics show the music video - Costume reflects the pace of the song. Lyrics show in general the mood/sense of the subject rather than the meaning. The meaning is more shown through visuals. Tempo of the music drives the editing. Camera work impacts the meaning. Movement, angle and shot distance all play a part in the representation of the artist/band. Editing is done is fast cuts to show the pace of the song and helps with showing the meaning.
- 4. STYLES OF MUSIC VIDEOS There are three different types of music videos. Performance – which means you see the band playing their whole song with the use of the shots of their instruments and the main singer. Narrative – which means that there is a story to the song and you watch the main singer act out the song. Mixture – that is a mixture of performance and narrative so you see a story but also what the band or singer sing.
- 5. CAMERA SHOTS There is a variety of shots they use in a music video. In different genres they have different shots they use. For example rock videos would use a lot of close ups on the singers face singing into the microphone, in rap videos you would see a lot of wide shots to show the main singer surrounded by girls. The most shots used in a music video is, mid shots, wide shots, close ups and crane shots. They are the most common shots in music videos.
- 6. MISE EN SCENE The mise en scene of the music video can determine what people think of the song plus it determines the meaning of the music video through the costume they wear and the props they use. - - Props – they equipment they use to represent the song - - Costume – they clothes the artist wears - - Location – they places they film to help the message come across - - Facial expressions
- 7. EDITING AND SOUND There are many different editing techniques that they use to show the music video. The use of jump cut can illustrate a story being told, or the use of a fade can indicate a slow song. The footage is normally edited to fit the beat of the music. Examples – - Diegetic sound - Non-Diegetic sound - Split screens - Change in levels and sound