Codes and Conventions of a Music Video/Short Film

Within a music video there are many codes and conventions that must or would
be followed. For example the key elements involved in such a production would
be:
1. Music
2. Lyrics
3. Genre
4. Mise En Scene
5. Camera Work
6. Editing
7. Intertextuality
8. Performance and Narrative
9. Star Image and Brand
10.Voyeurism
Music
Typically, the music within the video would be used to create the tempo within
the speed of editing. For example, the tempo of the music would determine how
the cuts are edited, and the pace of which they do so. The editing to the music is
also very often used to put emphasis on particular sounds from the track itself.
This might be to make the sound of a guitar, drum, piano etc. more prominent or
obvious it would be highlighted for a reason.
Lyrics
The lyrics within the video are one of the most important. This is because they
must create a mood or feeling of which matches the subject and shots of the
video. The most obvious code to follow is subject matter over a typical coherent
meaning. Its also very important that the key lines within the lyrics match up to
and play a part that can be associated with the song. However, this does not
mean that the video should translate the lyrics fully most songs will take a
broader approach and representation of them.
Genre
In this aspect music genres can vary from pop to rap to house, and whilst some
can be harder to transcend than others most are easy to put into a category or
genre. Most music channels within TV tend to concentrate on specific genres of
music to meet the viewers needs and wants. All the different genres will have
different features within the videos that characterise them into the right
category. These will almost always range from mise-en-scene, performance,
themes, camera and editing style.
Mise-En-Scene
The mise-en-scene within a music video changes dependant within the genre of
music. For example, if it was a pop song, the lighting and colours are most likely
to be bright and vibrant. A lot of the time the female characters would be
sexualised within this and wear closer to little clothing and be dressed in a sexy
manner. As for the male characters, they too can be sexualised in order to gain
appeal by being topless however most of the time they use to women to make
this appeal.
Camerawork
The way that the camera is used and how the images and shots are put together
creates a very significant influence on the meaning portrayed. The movement,
angle and distance of the shot all come into play as important parts within
making a music video. For example, these can very easily decipher the mood,
importance and appearance of a character.

The camera movement will very often be used to show or complement the
movement of performers, such as dancing walking or running etc.) However, on
the other hand it could also be used to produce a more dynamic ambiance to the
stage performance. For example, circling the band or performer whilst they are
on stage. A close up shot would prevail, like it does in most TV, due to the size of
the screen and to create a sense of closeness between the artist/actor and the
viewer. However, for someone like a record company the use of a close up is
most important in being able to sell the image of the band, which the voice is
also seen as a perfect way to be sold.
Editing
The most common type of editing used within the promotion of music is a fast
cut montage of images, of which would be cut in place with the beat to the
music. However some videos (for example slow songs and ballads) use a slower
pace, alongside gentler shot transitions that arent as harsh. This therefore helps
establish the content or mood of love that is most likely present in these types
of songs.
Intertextuality
The music video is most often described as being post-modern. This is a difficult
term to use to describe but its theory is about music videos and how they draw
upon texts in order to highlight a recognition from the audience. In the 1980s
Madonna and her video Material Girl drew inspiration from Diamonds are a
Girls Best Friends a film made in the 1950s. Another example for a video
which shows an example of taking inspiration from a previous text is The Beastie
Boy[s with Sabotage an honour to the 1970s cops of Starsky and Hutch.
Narrative and Performance
Narrative in songs, like it can be in poetry is usually unfinished and often
disconnected. The same can be seen in music promos, which on most occasions
suggest a story line or an array of complicated fragments in a non-linear order.
This therefore leaves the audience with the desire to see these sections and clips
again.
A quote from Steve Archer shows this:
Often, music videos will cut between a narrative and a performance of the song
by the band. Additionally, a carefully choreographed dance might be a part of
the artists performance or an extra aspect of the video designed to aid
visualisation and the repeatability factor. Sometimes the artist (especially the
singer) will be a part of the story, acting as narrator and participant at the same
time. But it is the lip synch close up and the miming of playing instruments that
remains at the heart of music videos, as if to assure us that the band/singer
really can kick it.
The video therefore is able to allow the audience to have a more varied access to
the performer than a stage performance would be able to. The close up is then
able to provide eye contact to the audience with their idol. The close analysis of
this and of the facial gestures, as well as the role within the narrative framework
shows the artist in a series of ways. These are ones of which would not be
accessible in a concert or live performance.
Star Image/The Brand
Music videos have a tendency to allow the record label to allocate their
property in a busy market place. Ultimately the appearance of the music video
and the band or artist allows the audience to decipher whether they like what
they see. Fans likewise, have a similar role as they will be holding expectations of
what they will want to see within the video itself. This furthermore means that
the record label has to be very aware and careful about the content, as giving
fans what they want plays a huge part within the video and how they succeed.

As well as this they have to be positive that the video appeals to the wides
demographic as possible as this is what will make the artists music sell.
Voyeurism
Voyeurism is a very simple idea that as humans we gain an erotic pleasure by
looking at something of a sexual nature (it is preferred that this sexual object is
unaware of its observance). When addressed to a music video it is harshly
argued that this theory can be used to describe a relationship between what we
are seeing and why it is we desire to watch as many films/music videos as we do.
This particular theory is developed in such a way that the range of pleasure we
take a never a huge part in being over sexual.
Voyeurism has become a big and crucial part of music videos today, and on most
occasions this is a theory that most artists will include within their videos to
make it popular and more available to an audience. The theory behind being a
voyeur are simply to give the pleasures to be aspirational (live a lifestyle similar
to the band or artist) or to be in lust with the star.
Laura Mulvey is an example of someone who reflected the idea that because
most directors within the industry are male, the role of women within a film or
music video as a result it aimed at the showing to a male audience. The woman
within the film is most usually shown to be passive again often sexualised with
the use of broken up close ups to make her desirable to the viewer. She is not
respected as a fully realised human and so shots of the bum, legs and breasts
are focused on as a target to show her as vulnerable and needed.
We can take a main example from many 50 Cent rap videos as they very easily
suggest the role of these women to be perceived as a sexual object of who
swarm around this male star giving the implication of his big ego.
However, in the 1990s and today the theme of this idea became rather more
complicated due to the rise of boy bands. Because of this, it lead to the male
body also being sexualised within this area of the media, and something that not
only a female audience would enjoy but also a gay audience. This meant, that
due to being gay was much more/becoming widely accepted it now had an
appeal to a wider demographic. Furthermore, using voyeurism within the media
as an approach can now target both a male and female audience however it is
more broadly and typically used to target male audiences with the sexualisation
of women.
Overall, these represent the key areas that most short films and key areas that a
short film or music video would entail. However, with the focus being in music
videos this gives a more in depth explanation of how each one would be used.
Some show more importance, and some others a little less. However, it is our
aim to follow as many of these as possible. Furthermore, in doing so there are
also some that we may break, or target to break with the intention of creating
something new and unseen before.