Conventions of Music

Videos
Devyani Tailor

Camera

Most music video predominantly use eye-level shots at close-up, medium and
some long shots. These shots can be used for a variety of reasons. Close-ups
tend to be used to emphasises the appearance of the singer or props (the
props may be used for product placement). Medium shots tend to focus on the
action and appearance of the performer because quite often the action may
be lip syncing. Long shots are used to capture the location of the music video.

Often there are tracking shots, crane shots, or panning and tilts used which
keeps the shot engaging, and can help to intensify the action happening.

Editing

Editing can be minimalistic or complex. Most music videos do not use intense
transitions, but stick to simple cuts or fades or sometimes cross dissolves.
Often there are different filters or colourisation used for music videos
because can helps to emphasise different colours with in the shots to help
communicate the genre or mood of the song. This can be done subtly to indie
videos or reasonably strong in pop videos. Some videos may be entirely
reversed (Alt-J Breezeblocks) or shot in one take (Ah Trees Team Sports).
Most videos use some form of editing to the speed of the shot. Most shots are
slow motion to intensify the action or look of the performer.

Narrative Structures

Most music videos use narratives. Often they can be shown in linear forms
which helps to engage the audience so they can find out what happens. A
good example of this is False Alarm The Weeknd because all of the action is
taking place whilst it is filmed and it is all taken in one shot. Non-linear
videos can be used too, but this is less frequent since there are usually
montages in music videos of the performer either performing or natural shots
of them which can be difficult to incorporate into non-linear narratives.

A considerable amount of music videos tend to use realist narrative, so these

narratives follow events that do/can occur in real life. Others can follow an
anti-realist story line which has absolutely no relation to real life events. An
example of this is in Maroon 5 Dont Wanna Know

Costumes

Costumes in music videos follow a wide range. They generally fit in with the
location, mood, narrative and character.

Costumes can be domestic/understated and follow mainstream fashion.

They can also be elegant, expensive and sophisticated.

Females/males can be dressed in minimal clothing which can objectify them.

Locations

The location of a music video is dependent on the narrative, genre, budget

and meaning of the song.

They can take place in fields, houses, sets, mountains, streets, studios,
deserts, beaches, trains, cars, mansions, schools and many more.

High budget music videos tend to be set in more extravagant locations

studios, mountains, mansions etc. Some high budget videos may not choose to
always spend lots, they may pay more attention to the mood of the song and
the narrative of the video, so only choosing appropriate locations based on
that. For example may hip-hop videos take place in one or two low budget
locations, but if they are run down and dark it may help them to look
tougher. An example of this is Low Life Future ft. The Weeknd .