What i s a mus i c vi deo?

Why do mus i c vi deos exi s t ?

What are t he c odes and c onvent i ons ?
Music Videos
What are your expectations of music videos?
Conventions
Narrative
(how the story is
told/ the order)
Characters /
Representation
Mise-en-scene:
Lighting, costume,
make up, setting
Camera
work
Editing: pace/
sequences/
rhythm
Sound
Visual
effects
What are music videos?
Short films or videos that
accompany a piece of
popular music.
Genre conventions
The video is editing to the pace and rhythm of the
song
An element of performance is present in the video
A lack of diegetic sound or ambient sound
A connection between the narrative and themes of
the video and lyrics of the song
The artists presence in the video
Purpose?
Taskcreate a list in pairs of the purpose of music
videos
The purpose of the Music Video

Promotes a single and, normally, an album (marketing!)
Promotes the artist or band
Creates, adapts or feeds into a star image
Entertains the audience
Sets the meanings of a song by the use of images
To promote the director many film directors began in
music videos
To represent the ideology of the institution, and
deliver a message to the audience.
What is Ideology?
An ideology is a world view, a system of values,
attitudes and beliefs which an individual, group or
society holds to be true or important; these are
shared by a culture or society about how that society
should function.

Consumerism dominant ideology in western world
Person has more self worth if they have more
materialistic possessions and we will be happier.
Representation:
Music videos display a certain ideology.
Mainstream genres will often reinforce dominant
values and display stereotypes in order to have
mass appeal.
While more alternative artists may feature
shocking or unconventional imagery and
messages in their videos in order to appear anti-
establishment.

Leftfield
Strong ideological message

Via codes and conventions

Constructs a particular representation

Which effects the viewer
Madonna
Mainstream

reinforce dominant values
and display stereotypes
in order to have mass appeal
Screen Grab
low angle/ panning shots show
of a very tall building amongst the
mist/clouds
This is a daunting/ imposing/
depressing feel/ mood
Oppressive tone (throughout)
The low saturation and the
industrial feel establishes the
urban genre and the overall feel
of the video in the first shot
setting the scene for the rest of
the video
creates prophetic irony due to a
contemporary audience knowing
that the twin towers were
destroyed in the 9/11 terrorist
attack on New York,
therefore along with the fog, low
key lighting and dark mise-en-
scene the dystopic reality of the
video is shown to the audience
imminently - creating a
impending sense of doom.
The shot of a skyscraper represents the
wealth and power of New York (or
western societies),
video is set in New York by the
iconography revealed in the upcoming
shots, which show yellow cabs, skyscrapers
and their traffic lights
Ground Level alleyway/
rubbish (mise en scene) Low
key lighting creating shadows
The use of a handheld effect
presents to us that this man is
disorientated and needs help.
Wearing military green/ dog
tags maybe representing
American army/ Vietnam
represents more than black
people?
The chain-link fence the man
is shown holding onto is similar
to that of a prison, this could
represent the protagonists
imprisonment however it could
also suggest that he is unsafe
and needs to be locked away,
due to his ethnicity.

The protagonist falls to the ground in front of
the WALK sign in the big white letters
which is ironic as the black man cannot walk.
It is also ironic because it is a
representation of society telling him to
do something however he cannot obey
as he has been oppressed.
Car could represent
the corruption within
the area,
as police are meant to
be enforcers of the law
however the rest of the
video shows poverty
and someone in need
yet they do not help.
subtle hint at the
genre of this piece of
music as the lights
could be interpreted
as strobe lighting
Electro / dance
The use of a Handheld camera
effect presents to us that this
man is disorientated and
needs help, but everyone
around him either doesnt
acknowledge him or ignores him,
which demonstrates the
extent of racism in countries
where black ethnicities are a
minority.
when the white man looks up
from his newspaper at the black
man who is evidently struggling
and is then shown, by a close up
shot that he is uninterested as he
continues to read his newspaper,
this reflects the white superiority
in society and that the man
believes he is above the black
man and therefore does not need
to help.

Middle Class Males clue to target
audience?
Represent?
Soooo.
Represents the central character as being weak and
vulnerable.
He seems separate from the world nobody notices
him
Not meant in a negative way? It is the characters
who dont show any desire to help him who become
the villains. Businessman negative representation

Message?
The treatment of other races

Condemns any form of racism

Suggest that more tolerant and helpful
behaviour is required in order to aid race
relations.
Poster/ mindmap
In pairs create a poster/ mindmap about

1. Madonna
2. Leftfield
3. Like a Prayer - Madonna
4. Afrika shoxs - Leftfield
5. Music videos Aim/ Purpose
Task
Band/ Artist info
British/ American
Genre
Other work
Changes
Standpoint/ beliefs/ values
Key dates
background


Music videos: star persona
In groups: pick 3 music artists.
Define their persona: character what do you
think they are like?
How is this established through their star image
album covers, lyrics, public appearances and music
videos.
Conventions of a music video
Narrative: There are three types of music videos:
Narrative - Performance - Concept / Abstract

Mise-en-scene: Heavily constructed. Consider how the star image is constructed.
Think about costume / set changes and symbolism. How are fantasies/ desires
portrayed?
Atmosphere created by lighting? Key light on who?

Cinematography: The gaze is important in music videos = Laura Mulveys the
male gaze. Consider references to looking, camera angles and segmentation of
the body. [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Ac3XAjq82E]
Also how is the star framed?

Editing: usually fast paced, short takes, montage sequences.
MTV-style editing (80s/90s) famous by music videos
Music videos use computer effects, digital manipulation and transitions
much more than narrative film. Consider how this adds to the sense of
spectacle and stardom and how it adds to the symbolism of the video.