1. Research and Analysis
Codes and
Conventions
Music Video’s

2. NARRATIVE BASED VIDEOS
A narrative based music video is the term given to a music video that tells a short story or
anecdote through the progression of the video, the narrative tends to correspond with the lyrics,
mainly creating a visual interpretation of what the lyrics may mean or symbolise, for example if
the lyrics read “I love you” then the video may portray a person saying the words stated in the
lyrics, this is usually done for effect as it gives the audiences a better idea of what the
lyrics may mean leaving some sort of lasting emotional attachment to the lyrics of the song, it
may also grow as the narrative within the video tend to portray everyday situations that
audiences can relate to, for example a song based around love will stereotypically either tell
the tale of a couple that have maybe separated and the video will portray the story that led to
the break up and the other story being the discovery and blossoming of a “cheesy” relationship.
The simplicity of the videos that are narrative based adds to the appeal of the product as it is something
the target audience can relate to on a personal level making the video all the more successful and
symbolic.
However it is extremely rare to come across a video that is solely based around a fixed narrative as the
artist behind the song tends to sing along to the lyrics at several points within the song directly
towards the camera, the artist singing usually features within the narrative and the story that is
portrayed is stereotypically a distant memory that the artist is recalling whilst singing the song and
this is evident through words within the lyrics. The purpose of the artist singing directly to the
audience is manly based around the fact that “lip syncing” within a video is compulsory at some point or
another as it is a key code and convention that is required for a music video.
In addition there are music videos that interlink with existing films which successfully fuses both the music and film industry
together as both products promote each other. This is usually done through the piece of music being played at some point of the
film as Non Diegetic sound which is usually used as “Mood music” or “Reflective music”, this helps promote the single as audiences
may hear the song and find it appealing and will therefore buy the single helping boost sale figures, this scheme works vice versa
where the artist may include iconic scenes extracted from the film and include them within the music video having a similar effect
on audiences. There are many examples of this, however the most iconic would have to be “My heart will go on” by Celine Dion
[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmbw8OycJrE]. Within the video audience witness several significant moments from the film Titanic especially the
scenes where Jack and Rose’s love begins to develop and blossom , these scenes correspond with the song Celine Dion is singing as it is about love
therefore by using scenes it conforms to the fact that it is a narrative based video and that both express everlasting passion, love and desire.
In other cases the lighting of the narrative within the video may reflect the raw emotion and passion presented within the lyrics of the song by the
artist. This can be seen in many modern narrative based videos, one that I feel does this effectively is “Moving Mountains” by Usher
[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQr-HmfXZ-Q&ob=av2n]
The lack of lighting used symbolises the desire and love he has for his partner within the narrative of the video.

3. PERFORMANCE BASED VIDEOS
A performance based music video is a video that is based around some form of dance or drama based
performance, for example within the song there may be dancers dancing according to the lyrics or beat of
the song. In many videos there sends to be a small group of dancers performing in synch with each other,
in some cases the artist tends to also join the group of dancers and perform together. This is evident
through Beyonce’s “Single Ladies” [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4m1EFMoRFvY]
This technique maybe done to engage audiences as they may feel inspired by the artist
dancing increasing both the artists and the video’s profile. By creating a
performance based video it creates this visual interpretation of what the lyrics
signify for example if the lyrics are about partying then the dance or act is usually
a group dancing very upbeat and up-tempo, like some sort of break dancing act for
example. However despite the video being classed as a performance based video it is
very rare to find a video that dedicates its entire video to dance and performance,
this excludes any live video clips like live concert versions for example. This is
simply because there is lack of engagement when the video is entirely performance
based, this does not enable audiences to engage with the artist on a personal level
as they are not singing to the camera leaving audiences feeling estranged. Whereas on
the other hand when there is a slight narrative it leaves the audience intrigued as
to what will happen next in the progression of the video.
Despite the negativities of a video being entirely performance based some artists
ignore the convention, however there are some artist that combine both dance and
singing towards the camera by dancing and singing at the same time where there are
several close ups during the song where the artist s dancing but singing to the
camera and thus engaging with the audience at the same time. An example of this is
R&B’s princess Beyonce in “Single Ladies” where Beyonce has certain close ups whilst
dancing whilst singing. Despite having several close ups during the course of the
video she also sings throughout the entire video whilst dancing a very provocative
routine at certain stages within the video. By doing this it creates this instant
female icon to many female audiences as well as thoroughly entertaining the male half
of the target audience. The upbeat and consistent dance routine encapsulates
audiences to continue watching the video, Beyonce is also known as a talented dancer
within the music industry today, thus by creating a video purely based around dance
it adds to this instant appeal towards the larger target audience as it creates this
sense of excitement amongst audiences as they will be eager to view the video once it
is released increasing the popularity and views on say YouTube for example, this
works as an advantage towards the artist.

4. PERFORMANCE AND NARRATIVE
BASED VIDEOS
After reading the previous slides you may have noticed that I had
mentioned that it is extremely rare to find a video that is purely based
around either performance or entirely narrative, so it is logical for me
say that the normal convention of a music video is a combination of both
performance and narrative which includes the artist singing towards the
camera. Stereotypically a performance and a narrative based video will
feature the artist singing to the lyrics of the song and the lyrics will
usually tell the tale of an event or occurrence thus the video will
visually portray the lyrics through different videos placed together
when the artist is not shown on screen lip singing.
This style of video is the most successful as it not only enables the
audiences to connect with the artist on a personal level but also gain a
better understanding of what the lyrics symbolise and mean to the artist
personally along with why and how the lyrics were originally written.
This is clearly exhibited in most conventional videos however the most
effective and recent example that personally I found appealing would
have to be “Call me maybe” by Carly Rae Jepsen which follows the trials
and tribulations of the artist who is trying to get the attention of a
new neighbour who has just moved in next door, through the progression
of the video we see the artist attempting to get the attention of the
male actor leaving audiences “hooked” and eager to know more about what
she will do next in a desperate attempt to “woo” him.
However near the end of the video she finally gets his attention and
moves to write her mobile number on a piece of paper to give to the male
only to return and find him giving his personal number to one of her
male band members who is left bamboozled, this not only adds humour to
the video but leaves the larger target audience in shock and “smiling”
in the end despite the artist being “almost rejected”. This sort of
narrative keeps audiences amused for longer in comparison to a video
that is entirely based around one type, it also allows audience to feel
connected on a personal level as it may be something they may have also
personally experienced making the video all the more appealing and
therefore successful.

5. NOTION OF LOOKING
Notion of looking is often described as a technique where an
artist continually looks towards the camera singing in order to
connect with the target audience on a personal level, this works
successfully in the sense that it creates this instant link
between both the audience and the artist within the video. This
notion of looking may be used for several different reasons some
of which may include to seduce audience or maybe even feel artists
pain on a personal level, this is most commonly achieved through
facial expressions and movement. This technique is used quiet
frequently, and is sometimes used to elaborate on the fixed
stereotypes and labels that are usually used to associate with for
a particular artist or group. This set stereotypes are usually
taken advantage of and marketed in many videos within the music
industry in order for the particular video to appeal to the larger
target audience. This semiology is carried through in a recent
example which is, rapper Lil Wayne’s video “Mirror” featuring
Bruno Mars.
The video itself manages to successfully enhance and elaborate on
this idea that no body can be trusted other than yourself, this
ideology that despite an individuals success and fortune being at
a pinnacle height, this matters very little when it comes to
realistic fortune which may include friends and family, that when
all this materialistic fortune disappears you will realise you
have nobody left other then yourself who is always there for moral
support regardless of what position you may be in within society.
Lil Wayne establishes this raw emotion and theory through several
significant scenes within the video, some of which include when
Lil Wayne is singing towards the camera as if he is looking into a
mirror and explaining his sorrows however at the same time he is
also addressing the audience, making them also feel his pain. His
emotions are also established through many different camera angles
some one which include close ups which clearly portray the meaning
of the lyrics being sung.

6. MISE-EN-SCENE
Within media the term Mise-en-scene focuses mainly on five key areas,
lighting, props, setting, characters, costume and colours all of which
are essential elements when it comes to creating a successful ambience
and atmosphere amongst the audience consumers in any music video
regardless of what genre the video may be. Mise-en-scene is often one
of the most vital elements along with contributing the most when it
comes to audiences differentiating videos of one genre to another as
there is particular symbolisms and ideologies when differentiating one
social group to another and this is clearly established in most videos
of different genres, it is these micro elements that enable an
audience to then identify what genre the video belongs to. For
example, stereotypically high key lighting would be most likely used
in maybe a Pop video in comparison to a video belonging to a Gothic
genre that may used low key lighting, these minor elements are what
help audience distinguish one genre in comparison to another.
A more recent and effective example of the incorporation of Mise-en-
scene within a video includes Jessie J’s “Laserlights” featuring David
Guetta. It is clearly established from the name of the song that there
maybe high key lighting within the video, once the song begins it is
unclear what the lighting maybe as it opens with very low key lighting
however this soon changes as audiences then see bright lights shining
however against a background which shows a clear mixture of both high
key and low key lighting. The continuous use of bright lights
contrasts well with the black background making the objects within the
frame seem more dominant and focused.
The use of both types of lightings shows the fusion of two different
genres coming together, Pop and House expanding the larger target
audience, this effective technique is what makes these mixed genre
songs all the more successful and popular within the music industry.

7. EDITING TECHNIQUES
Within media the term editing typically incorporates transitions,
shot lengths, any filters and effects and finally and overall sound
effects that may also be included within the video. These basic
features are essential elements to the video when it comes to the
continuous flow of the music video itself, these features are what
keep the consumer audiences lured and “hooked” to viewing the video
to the very end as well as waiting in anticipation to see what
events will follow the previous event. The use of editing
techniques is used in most video’s however maybe used slightly more
in some than others, however a more recent example of a music video
that uses a variety of effective editing technique is Chris Brown’s
“Turn up the Music” which incorporates a variety of different
techniques within the video. When the video begins, we see a car
which is in actual fact “flying”, this is clear through the fact
that not only does the car have no wheels but also that the car has
a red light glowing from under the vehicle clearly portraying only
CGI (Computer Generated Image) giving the video a science fiction
ambience instantly. As the video progresses several other editing
techniques are used, for example when the artist is dancing,
audiences see the backing dancers flipping in slow motion however
the Brown is moving at a slightly faster pace, this may represent
some sort of supernatural presence, this is also justified through
the following scene where the artist is presented with glowing eyes
which adds to the supernatural or science fiction ambience, the
glowing eyes may also represent power and authority as he is the
only person within the video presented with such “powers”.
This shot clearly portrays the use of the cloning effect, this not only
symbolises dominance and authority as there is three copies showing the
ultimate power combined, but also adds to this supernatural, “dream like”
image. The use of effects are both eye catching and dominant within the shot.

8. SOUND
Diegetic and Non-Diegetic sounds are the two main types of
sound, Diegetic sound being the existing sound already
presented within a piece of film and commonly known as
“natural sound” and Non-Diegetic sound being extra sound
that maybe edited or placed on top of the existing sound.
Sound within a music video is an essential element for
several obvious reasons, one of the main reasons being that
it allows the audience viewing the footage to listen to the
music playing in the background which is one of the main
purposes of creating a music video. Computer generated
sounds can be edited to create various effects and impulses
to the normal vocals that are used within the average music
video an audience listens to. As the music industry had
progressed, more artists are beginning to instil these
edits within their videos, however a more recent example of
how sound can be manipulated both effectively and
successfully is in the Black Eyed Peas’ “The Time”, within
this video the use of computer generated sound is used
effectively by adding a more modern and contemporary twist
to an all time classic. This increase’s the popularity of
the song itself due to audiences already being familiar
with the song. The manipulation of sound is used
effectively as it adds this science fiction and futuristic
feel to this romantic classic, by adding the effect it
suddenly turns from this “cheesy” love song, transforming
into this catchy club track, the use of edited sound adds
to the fact that audiences may mimic these sounds and thus
increasing the popularity and familiarity.

9. CAMERA ANGLES, MOVEMENT AND
COMPOSITION
Camera angles, movement and composition are essential
elements within a music video alongside other micro
elements that are featured within music videos. Camera
angles, movement and composition are all significant
elements when portraying an essence and effective
ambience within any video regardless of what specific
genre that video may belong to, despite these features
being what distinguishes one genre from the next. For
example, within an R&B music video, as a consumer you
are most likely to see close ups and mid shots, to
establish raw emotion and facial expression in
comparison to a Rock music video which may use long
shots and POV shots to portray dominance and power
along with allowing audience to see the dark setting
and gain a better experience of the revitalising
experience that is metaphorically created through the
lyrics.