Music Video Techniques

Andrew Goodwins theory

A good example of music video technique would be Andrew Goodwins theory. Andrew Goodwin's theory contains six key aspects that the viewer should look for when they are analysing a music video.

Music videos demonstrate genre characteristics.(For example dance routines in boy/girl bands, the stage performance in heavy metal videos.)

There is relationship between lyrics and visuals. The lyrics are represented with images, these can be either illustrative, amplifying or contradicting.

There is a relationship between the music and visuals, the tone and atmosphere of the visual reflects that of the music. (Either illustrative, amplifying or contradicting.)

The demands of record labels will include the need for lots of close ups of the artist. The artist may develop motifs of which recur across of their work.

There is frequently reference to notion of looking (screen within screens, mirrors within mirrors ect.) Particularly voyeuristic treatment of the female body.

There are often intertextual references to films, T.V programmes, other music videos etc.


Genre

In music videos the genre of the song effects the content. If the song is heavy metal you cant have a dance type music video because the two wouldn't go together, whereas if you did a performance based music video it would go with the heavy metal genre. Some bands will normally do live music videos to give the viewers a feel of what they are like live and also to help promote the band.  

Intertextual reference

Some music videos contain themes similar to well known films or television programmes. This  is where a show for example will take bits from another film, programme or a book and add it into there show.

Conventions of a Music Video

Camera angles and shots

Many music videos are filmed and edited in a similar way, this also depends on the genre of music and the artist's style. The three main camera shots that are used in music videos are close ups, mid shots and long shots. These shots are to show the artist, location and emotions. The close up shots are also used to show the artist singing the song. An example of this would be the song Skyscraper by Demi Lovato.
In her music video its a song about her eating disorder and bullying, so the close ups show her emotion and how she feels when shes singing the lyrics and the long shots show she is alone.






Mise-en-scene

Mise en scene means everything in the scene this helps the viewer understand whats going on even if there isn't any characters in the shot. If they was a shot where the buildings were ruined and burning and you saw people in the background with dirty clothes on you, would get that its an Apocalypse without anyone having to mention it. This just helps the viewer get whats happening even if there are no charaters to tell whats going on.
 In Micheal Jacksons music video Thriller the grave yard and the zombies help show you whats going on. He is on a date with a girl when spooky things start to happen to her but then before something bad happens the scene cuts to another scene showing you it was just a dream or the film they were watching.



Editing and Effects

Editing is used in all music videos, cutting and editing all the shots together. Seamless cuts are used alot this is so that one scene can cut to another. They also use alot of transitions, these are mainly use to go from one shot to another. You use jump cuts for faster music videos and fades for slow music videos.

Styles of Music Videos

Narrative Based

A narrative based music video is where a story is told within the video, sometimes relating to the lyrics. Artist do this to show what the meaning to there song is about.




Adele's song Chasing Pavements is an example of a Narrative based music video. The story in the music video is about the relationship of a man and woman in the video. It shows them meeting, falling in love and then breaking up, these are stages in a relationship. The dull colours in the music video make the song more depressing and gives you the feeling its about a break up. Some of the shots are close ups this is so you can see her facial expressions and can see how she feels.



Performance Based

Performance based music videos are where its just of the artist/band performing there song either live or prerecorded. Bands do performance based music videos to show what they are like live, and how they are instead of what the song is about.





Owl city's song Dreams Don't Turn To Dust is an example of Performance based music video. The music video shows what he's like live and how he performs his songs on stage, and also shows he doesn't lip sync. It also gives the viewer watching the feel of watching him live, sometimes live version's of the song sounds better.




Concept Based

Concept based music videos sometimes don't really have anything to do with the song lyrics. It's just the band or the artist messing around and having fun in there video.





Light's music video is an example of a concept based music video. Her music video doesnt follow the lyrics or show what the lyrics are about. She's just in a white house with different colour paints and is painting the house as shes singing the song.

The Purposes of Music Videos

The purposes of music videos are to promote the artist, this is so more people find out about there music and this gets more people listening to them, this also helps them sell more of there music and this results to them getting more known. In some music videos the band has clips from a new movie, this helps promote the movie and also the band. Also the artists can raise awareness in there music video for example bullying, they can act out how bullying can affect someone and show people what bullying can make a person feel or do.




In linkin Park's music video for New Divide they have shown clips for the film Transformers Revenge of the Fallen. This helps promotes the film as well as the song. The song is also featured in the film, so when you here the song in the film you will think of linkin park.





Ok Go's music video for White Knuckles helps raises awareness for adopting dogs that need a home. With the release of the video, OK Go encouraged its viewers to assist in animal rescue efforts through their web site.






The band Rise Against song Make It Stop shows how bullying can effect someone and the consequences of bullying a person to the point where they want to take there own life. It also shows what the victim's life could be like when there older but because there being bullied if they take there life they wont be able to achieve it.

Introduction

Music videos are normally 3-5 minutes long. There are three main types of music videos, these types are:

• Where the main focus is on the artist or the band performing. (Performance)
• Where they act the song's lyrics in a short story style. (Narrative)
• Where the music video has a mild connection with the lyrics. (Concept)