Narrative Structure: Music Videos

A music video can be a narrative or non-narrative genre as well as music genres.

This means the clip either follows a story line or simply is a visual representation of
the song.
Non-narrative music videos are the most common because what it looks like is more
memorable than what happens.
Many music videos are hybrids/multigeneric texts (meaning they follow more than
one genre).

Narrative music videos:
o A simple or complex narrative can determine whether a music video becomes a
short-film
o Simple narratives have a basic situation for a fantasy with a collage of imagery in
between- these spaces make room for the audience to create their own fantasy.
o Complex narratives often demonstrate genre divisions of full-length films. There can
be horror clips, melodrama, film noir etc. These videos move the song towards the
ballad.
Non-narrative music videos:
o A fantasy can also be created by images and music combined without a narrative and
produces an emotional effect.
o Cuts are quick and we see lots of different images/shots in just about 3 minutes-
constant shifting of topic/subject resembles a dreamlike structure.
o Follow a loose theme rather than a story- like dreams
o Use of images with powerful mental associations to create similarity to dreaming-
work like symbols that call thoughts to mind instead of having to express them.
Examples
1. Thriller- Michael Jackson
This is a complex narrative
music video and can be classed
as a short-film. As you can see
from the screenshot the video
includes titles- there is an intro
before the music begins similar
to that of a movie which starts
the narrative which makes this
complex as opposed to simple
narrative which would start with the track playing at the same time. When the music is
playing however it returns to a regular music video as there is just the theme of the
story left and the video becomes a performance and sells the artist. The video is very
long for a music video 13 minutes- it has credits at the end also further resembling a
short movie. We are taken through the story with breaks for music and performance
since it is mainly a music video, as written above these breaks allow for the audience to
create their own fantasy.
Mise en scene- this showcases the genre of the video as a horror or as the title suggests
a thriller. It does this as it is set in dark, secluded locations with mist/fog around to limit
vision and therefore create a more eerie environment. Also costumes and make-up
visually represent the horror which the lyrics are talking about. This makes the video
similar to a short-film since this is usually done in other media texts rather than a music
video suggesting these parts of the video are less about the music and the artist but
instead are focusing on the film aspect; however later on the monsters begin to take
part of the performance side of the video.
Camera work- The camera work changes throughout the video- in the intro it is
stationary and is focused on the setting as well as the actors using mid shots and over
the shoulders just like in a movie; later on the camera begins to pan and more close ups
are used as it becomes more like other music videos where the artist is shown more. A
long shot is used occasionally to show the dancers in the background as well as some
mid-shots. The cameras are also stationary here otherwise the performance would be
disrupted.
Editing- At the beginning the cuts are much slower while there is no music to drive the
editing and the actors must be shown for dialogue and reactions. When the track starts
the cuts begin to follow the beat and tempo and then more shots are used to make it a
dreamlike world.
Due to the fact that the narrative is complex and is a short-film there is a plot structure.
Exposition:
Rising action:
Climax:
Falling action:
Rising action again:




2. Toulouse- Nicky Romero








This is a simple narrative music video- The music starts after a couple of seconds and as
the audience we begin to follow a character to a bus stop with the music playing.
Mise en scene- The video is set in an urban environment- there are lots of people
around in a realistic world but with unusual events happening in relation to the Guy
Fawkes masks, all costumes are usual urban clothing and everything else in the video is
normal and real. However the story with the masks seeming to make people dance and
become captivated once worn over their face creates the dreamlike situation and
atmosphere and it juxtaposes the environment around them. Other members of the
public seem to react as a person would in the situation. This video does turn out to be a
dream however but then leaves us feeling like it might have been real very similar to the
Thriller video as rising action is apparent at the end after the resolution of waking up
from the dream/nightmare.
Camerawork- Camera follows certain characters and cuts to the beat of the music at the
beginning- throughout the video only the characters/dancers/actors are featured and no
one else is ever shown. When more people are dancing the camera begins moving more.
Editing- Slow motion is used several times when they are dancing together to make a
dreamlike fantasy surrounded by a normal world. The beat is very prominent in this song
which makes it easy to cut on the beat of the song; each cut is always in time with the
tempo. Sometimes there are very quick cuts resembling strobe lighting which are on
each beat- this is done to show the height of the song and also represents the genre as
house or electro/dance and makes you feel like youre involved in the video or in a
rave/dance party.



Plot structure-
Exposition:
Rising action:
Climax:
Rising action:
Resolution:
Rising action:









3. No Such Thing- John Mayer
Non-narrative music video; the video is classed as a performance to showcase the artist.
This works as advertisement and is meeting the needs of the record label.
Mise en scene- It is set on a stage with a crowd, this video was actually shot during a live
show but the sound was taken out and replaced with the album version to make it a
music video. The band also features in the background of the video but are not on
screen that much as they are not the focus. He is dressed casually as are the rest of the
performers and the crowd too.
Camera work- this video seems to not create a surreal fantasy world as other non-
narrative videos do but instead make it seem slightly realistic despite the constant
changes of camera angles. These different angle and the fast movements of cameras
every once in a while are the only aspect of a dreamlike reality; it could still seem normal
since nothing strange is going on and there are no shots included of strange mental
associations. Camera zooms are used quite frequently to disorientate the audience and
also show the lyrics and further promote the artist; pans are also used for a similar
reason but towards the instruments so the audience get a chance to see what is playing
played.
Editing- A filter is used throughout the entirety of the music video which makes
everything look more vibrant and hypnogogic. Towards the start of the music video a
crash zoom is exaggerated which creates a fictional atmosphere. The beat somewhat
drives the editing but only cuts to a different angle.