research about music videos

1. …Research…
On music genre and music video

3. Introduction to Pop Music
A music video is a short film accompanied by song and imagery aimed for
promotional or artistic purposes. Although the origins of music videos date back,
they came into being in the 1980s, when MTV based their format around the
music medium in the 1980’s. A wide range of styles can be seen when the
formation of a music video such as animation, live action filming, documentaries
and non narrative approaches like an abstract film. In the making of a music
video the most important task is to select the genre of the music video. I have
decided to go with the “Pop” genre. I chose this particular genre because I
believe being a teenager, and given modern day trends, I find it easier to relate
to as pop music is something I find the most admirable compared to the rest of
the genres. Pop music (derivative of the word popular) is a genre of popular
music originated in the 1950’s. This particular genre captures a lot of small
element from other genres like urban, dance, rock and Latin. Thus making it
likable for a larger audience. There are many subdivisions to the genre. I will not
be discussing all of them but only the ones that I plan to research on and choose
one of them for the making of my own music video considering the subgenres are
very extensive.

4. Choice of Genre: Teen Pop
Teen pop is the subgenre of the pop music genre created, marketed and oriented
for the teenagers. Teen pop captivated the styles of many other genres, like the
Pop, Rock, R&B, Country and Electronic, and mixes them up together. Typical
characteristics of teen pop music include auto tunes vocals, choreographed
dancing and emphasis on visual appeal. The lyrics are always focused on the
problems and issues that a young adult or a teen agers goes through. The best
example from now a days are the songs by David Guetta (Titanium), Taylor Swift
(Red), One direction (Makes you beautiful), Skylar Grey (I’m coming home),
Auburn (Perfect two) and Miley Cyrus (Wrecking ball). This is the reason I have
chosen this genre to work with given that I have more than enough examples to
consult, compare and work with. Plus it is of my personal liking too so I would
find it interesting to see what I come up with after a detailed analysis.

5. Style of a Music Video
A pop music video can further be categorized depending on it’s style and how it has
been filmed. These styles are:
•Standard Clip – A music video that contains more or less then three visual traditions:
a filmed singer is blended in with inserted images and the presentation is artistically
influenced by the experimental film tradition.
•Performance Clip - If a video contains mostly filmed performance then is a
performance clip. The performance can take place anywhere. *(This is what I plan to
make).
•Narrative Clip – If a music video is mostly appropriately understood as a short silent
movie to a musical background then it is a narrative clip. A narrative clip contains a
visual story that is easy to follow. A pure narrative clip contains no lip synchronized
singing.
•Art Clip – If a music video contains no perceptible visual narrative and contains no lip
synchronized singing then is a pure art clip.

6. Music
The music is one of the main features of a music video, if their was no music the
music video would be a silent movie. The music makes the video, the video is
either based around the music and it’s lyrics or nothing to do with it at all. A pop
music video can include images which are bound together to go with the
beat/rhythm and other musical features. The musical elements can help shape
the moving image, movements such as footsteps, tapping, walking or dance are
often synchronized with the beat of the song, showing the people in the music
video to be in synch with the music which we can only hear, it sometimes looks
as if they can hear it too.

7. Lyrics
The lyrics can help create a narrative for the pop music video, yet sometimes the
music video has nothing to do with the lyrics. In most pop music videos
(nowadays) a new meaning is added to the lyrics through metaphorical language.
Lyrics can be illustrated by visual images, scenes etc. For example if the lyrics
mention a couple splitting up you will see a couple arguing and splitting up on
the screen.

8. Mis En Scene
Mis en scene of a pop music video can depend on the music, lyrics and the type
of music video that is being filmed. Mis en scene includes, clothing(certain
outfits for different people, artist, band) , make up, themes, props, performance
equipment, artist merchandise, locations (concert halls, venues, streets houses
etc.) and facial expressions.

9. Imagery
By using different colors within a pop music video they can interpret different
moods of the song, video or the mood of the person being filmed. Using different
images or moving images can help create an atmosphere for the audience
watching the video. By manipulating color, motive setting, story footage, clothing
etc. ideas is created which are repeated and varied in the music video.

10. Camera Work
A performance clip styled pop music video contains a lot of different camera
styles and techniques such as:
• Close up shots of the artist.
• Extreme close up shots of the artist/band, their instruments, face and lips.
• Crane shots which hovering over stage images.
• Low angle shots.
• Pans and tilts moving around, moving to different performances.
• Tracking.

11. Editing and Sound
Editing and sound are a major thing when it comes to filming and making the
finished product. Editing involved things such as jump cutting, putting scene
sequences together, cross cutting etc. in a pop music video, normally the footage
is edited to the match the music, it is also edited so that the lip syncing looks
right and fits with the music. Editing can also include split screens/CGI, including
diegetic sound and changing the levels of sound. Voice overs can be edited in and
other noises which go with narrative of the music video.