2. +
Unit 29 - Music Video Production
We will look at Music Videos from a number of perspectives, this
template is for you to write up your notes and to complete your case
study.
The document is split into 3 different tasks, each with separate
questions to answer.
Task 1 is concerned with the purposes of music videos and the
strategies employed by labels and artists
Task 2 is concerned with the styles, techniques and conventions of
music video production
Task 3 is your own case study into a minimum of three music videos
where you can unpack and discuss the videos considering everything
you have looked at in Task 1 and 2
3. +
Unit 29 – Music Video Production
Learning outcomes, this case study is concerned with the first
two learning outcomes of the unit:
1. Understand the purpose of music videos
2. Understand the styles, conventions, and techniques of music
videos
3. Be able to originate and plan a music video production for a
specific music track
4. Be able to work to complete production of a music video.
4. +
Unit 29 – Music Video Production
Assessment Criteria
The assessment criteria addressed by this case study, further
details are in your project brief:
5. +
Notes on completing the case study
It is often easier to show something you are discussing than to
take time describing it. With this in mind, feel free to add lots of
illustrative images from your chosen video examples. Links to
YouTube/Vevo/etc are also encouraged.
Remember, when you make a point or define something, you
should follow this with an example, an explanation of this and
then link to further texts/videos where possible.
If you don’t think there is enough room to add your full response
to a question, don’t just reset the font size to really small, add an
extra slide wherever necessary.
7. +
Task 1 - Purposes
One main purpose of a music video is entertainment for the viewer
while they watch the video. They video is made to keep the viewer
watching, to keep them watching it needs to entertain them, if it is
boring they may stop watching. For example Ed Sheeren tends to do
simple videos of just an him singing stood still wouldn't be very
exciting to watch. Where as a video which is very lively and maybe
tells a story would keep the viewer watching until the end and maybe
make them want to watch it again. For example Magic singing rude,
tells a story which fits with the song, and it makes you keep interest
as you want to find out how the song/story ends.
8. +
Task 1 - Purposes
Another main point of a music video is the branding and the identity
it gives the artist, it helps they decided how they want to be
perceived by their fans. For example Drake comes across as very
confident and slightly arrogant. He dresses very stylishly, and keeps
up to date with the newest fashions this makes him come across as
up to date and modern. It make his fans look up to him and feel
inspired by what he does and what he wears. Doing these things and
showing them in music videos helps artists show their fans there
personality and style. It also is helpful as it shows the fans something
which is easily recognized to be related to that artist.
9. +
Task 1 - Purposes
The final main point to making a music video is for the
sales. A music video works almost like an advert for the
artist, it is a good way to get their music out there. The
video will create a small amount of sale when it has been
watched and liked so many times, but it helps mainly by
prompting the artist and things in the video. For example
if some one started watching the videos of an artist and
started to really like them and their music they would be
inclined to go out and buy a CD by them or buy tickets to
see that artist live. It is also a good way for brand to be
promoted as sometimes they will pay the artists to wear
or use certain products in the video, as their fans will see
them using the products and want to copy them.
10. +
Task 1 - Purposes
An additional purpose for a music
video is to help get more publicity for
the artist. The song Heathens by
twenty one pilots was made for the
film Suicide Squad. In this video it is
done by using clips from the film, but
also done by adding the singer in to
the actual film set, this makes the
video flow better and look more
professional and interesting.
11. +
Task 1 - Purposes
Another purpose for a music video is For showing the artist
political and social views. For example The song Same Love
by Macklemore, Ryan Lewis feat. Mary Lambert, is showing
their views are sexuality and how it should be okay to love
anyone. They shows this in the video by showing a story of
a young man struggling with the fact he is gay, this fits well
with the lyrics as it talks about how gay is perceived in a
negative way and how it has caused wars, For this they flick
to old clips from leaders and wars and fights showing what
the lyrics are saying. Another example of a song which does
this is Where Is The Love? By the Black Eyed Peas. This
song is about all the hate in the world and mainly racism,
They show many images of different race children and
people putting ? Around the streets which is showing them
asking where is the love, this fits in with the song well and
shows what is being sung.
12. +
Task 1 - Purposes
Q3 – Describe what is ‘synergy’ is and how it has been
used in music videos [min. 3 examples of synergy and
convergence]
In Miley Cyrus’ video of We cant Stop she is shown to be
promoting a beats pill an EOS lip balms. By having her use
these products in her videos helps to promote the sales of
them as the fans of Miley will see her using them and want to
copy her.
Convergance films beauty and the beast
Nickel back spider man
FINISH!!!!
13. +
Task 1 - Purposes
Q4 – Branding; select an artist you like and look at how they
present themselves in their music videos. Explain what their
‘brand’ is, who is appeals to and why they might have done
this.
ASAP Rocky’s branding is very recognizable and comes
across as a typical rappers image. He wears a lot of hoodies
and tracksuits, coming across as a gangster, as well wearing
a lot of gold jewelry for example gold watches, chains and
teeth grills. In his videos he also uses a lot of low angle
shots, this helps to make him look powerful. In the videos
there are also a lot of women dancing, and touching him, this
is showing people that women find him attractive. Also the
lyrics to his songs help to show his branding, as there is a lot
of swearing and inappropriate words used in almost every
song. Also when he poses for photos he tends to be posing
with an angry look on his face and often swearing with his
fingers, giving him a gangster intimidating look.
14. +
Task 1 - Purposes
Q5 – Compare One Direction and Animal Collective music
videos [find them on YouTube!], what can you discern about
each act from their videos? What is the main aim? Explain
why.
In One Directions music videos, they are all very bright and
modern. They are all using modern technology for example
things like a green screen and a drone for filming. The way the
band is presented is very manufactured, they are told what to
do and how to look, the dances they do in the videos are all
choreographed for them. One Direction are a representative
band as they are the key part in their videos, they use lots of
close up on the boys faces as this is what their audience want
to see as they are making themselves appealing and selling
their image more than their music.
In comparison Animal collectives videos are all very
experimental, you can tell they have been made with a small
budget due to the quality of them. The videos are also non –
representational as they are often very edgy and just weird
shapes and patterns.
16. +Task 2 – Styles, Techniques and
Conventions
Q1 – Describe and explain the use of camerawork in music videos, i.e.
the types of shot used with examples to illustrate this.
Close up shots are used a lot in music videos, a close up is where the
shot will usual be of the person filling most of the frame, for example a
shot of the persons face close to the camera. Close ups are used to
show details of a persons face which are good for showing emotion, this
is seen often is pop videos as they are a good way to promote the artist.
Another shot which is often used in music videos is a low angle shot, this
is used more commonly with rock and rap music, as it shows the person
in the frame as dominant and powerful. This is a good way for the artist to
show their style and brand themselves as a strong powerful performer.
Dynamic shots are used in music videos to often used to fit along with the
song, if the song is a fast upbeat song with a dynamic video the camera
will move around the shot fast and fitting in with the speed of the music,
helping to add emphasis to the energy of the video. It can also be used
for a slow music video, as it can do the same by showing the scene but
showing how calm it is, and this fits with slower songs by the camera
moving slowly to fit with the speed .
17. +Task 2 – Styles, Techniques and
Conventions
Q2 - Describe and explain the use of editing in music videos, i.e.
the way in which shots are sequenced, considering the rhythm of
the edit and combinations of shots and post-production
techniques
On way a music video is edited is by using Chroma Key effects,
this is where the video is shot in front on a green screen, this
makes them able to put any background in to the video, this
helps save on money which is good when the budget is small.
Split screen editing is used to divided the screen in to different
parts, this is used to show multiple events which are occurring at
the same time, and also to show all members of a band at once.
Another editing technique is fast clip montage is used to flick
between different images which don’t always link but look visually
appealing. It can also be used as a way to show time being
passed. It is a good way of getting a lot of information in and
shown in a short time.
18. +Task 2 – Styles, Techniques and
Conventions
Q3 - Describe and explain some of the technical
developments in music videos, i.e. in terms of how the
music videos are filmed, edited/produced and viewed
To begin with when music videos first came out they were
brought out on tapes, and made with film. Eventually they
became more advanced and were made on video cameras,
and could now even be recorded on a phone due to how
good the quality is now. Music videos are now even some
times filmed with a drone, as this can get many different
shots that a normal camera will not, for example 360 degree
angles. They use to be edited by cutting the film and
connecting different parts, and then linking the song in over
the top. Where as now it is more advanced and done on
computer where it is easier to link different clips together,
and also they can now make the artist lip sink and add the
track over the top so it fits correctly with the timing over the
artist.
19. +Task 2 – Styles, Techniques and
Conventions
Music videos were first shown as adverts before a film,
and then went on to be shown on TV. Channels just for
music videos came about, MTV for example. Now there
are hundreds of different channels for music, for
example MTV have MTV rock, MTV Classic, MTV Top
20 and many more, as there are so many different
styles they have different channels. Music videos now
are mainly watched off the internet on phones and
laptops off Youtube. Artists now tent to either be
representational or non – representational, for example
and artist like Sia is not in her videos and wants them to
be non – representational as she wants people to focus
more on her music than her as an artist, where as an
artist like Beyoncé Is representational, her videos are
produced to focus on her.
20. +Task 2 – Styles, Techniques and
Conventions
Q4 – Genre conventions; often music videos adhere to genre conventions within their
visual style and production techniques. Select a recognisable genre and use
illustrations to explain what their genre conventions are…
Music videos usually sticks to certain genres, for example pop music videos all tend
to follow similar conventions. Fashion is a main thing pop artist pay attention to, they
are always seen to be wearing the newest trends. Also they can be known to set
trends, as when the celebrity is seen in a video wearing a certain brand or type of
clothing the fans will then want to wear the same. For example Perrie from Little Mix
wearing a chocker, made them become big.
Another convention pop music videos tend to stick to is the style of choreography
and dancing they do, it is often very manufactured. The way the artists dance is
usually not as intense, its usually a few smaller movements and occasionally doing a
part of the dance by joining in with a larger group behind then. The focus is always
on then, by making the extras in the video to were similar not as obvious clothing,
helping to make the artist stand out from the croud. The dancing also tends to be
seductive especially for female artists, by getting close up shots of their bodys which
will help to attract their audiences, for example Beyonce often does this in her videos.
One more common element is the fast cut montages, these are used a lot in pop
videos as they are a good way to make the video more visually effective while only
really showing a few simple clips. The tend to also be in time with the music in the
video help set the pace for a fast pace or slower pace video. For example one
direction do this in what makes you beautiful, as it helps make a very simple video
21. + Task 2 – Styles, Techniques and
Conventions
Q5 - John Stuart’s description of the music video “incorporating,
raiding and reconstructing” is essentially the essence of
intertextuality [something asserted by Andrew Goodwin]. Can
you explain what intertextuality is and find some examples of it
in music videos?
Intertexuallity is…
An example of intertextuality is from Iggy Azalea in the music
video of Fancy, the video is very must a remake of the film
Clueless, showing the artist Iggy playing the main character
wearing an iconic yellow tartan outfit from the film which is easily
recognisable to fans. All the props and clothing choices used
were all thought out to fit in well and represent different parts
from the film. The video starts with the title screen which is
extremely similar to the one from the film, this helps to show
what the theme and what the video will entail from the start.
Another good example of intertextuality is from Madonna when
23. +
Task 3 – Case Study
For your individual case study you are required to prepare
material on a minimum of three music videos.
This should provide discussion on the usage of the following:
Purpose of the video [consider the strategy of the artist and the
intention behind the video, remember the core purposes and break
this down into the other purposes we discussed]
Style[s] used
Techniques employed
Intertextuality
Camerawork/editing
Genre conventions
24. +
Task 3 – Case Study
You should include a video link for the video
You can include as many illustrative stills as you like
Be creative in your approach, it is suggested you use the
heading on the previous slide a guide on how to structure your
response to get you started
Remember, make a point, use a specific part of the chosen
video as an example, explain yourself and then link to another
video where possible
25. +
Ariana Grande - Focus
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lf_wVfwpfp8
Purpose and style: The purpose of this video is very much for the
pleaser of watching it, it has been made to be visual entertaining
not to tell a story. The way this video is made if to focus more on
the artist than the music. Tis fits with the lyrics ‘focus on me’ as
through out the video they camera is constantly on her, with any
dancers that are included dancing around her clearly showing her
as the center of attention. This also shows a bit of the artist style
and branding, as it shows she sells herself over her music, and that
all her videos are very representative. The video work well with the
song and fits well for this style of music.
Genre conventions: The conventions of this video show clearly she
is a pop singer. The music Is quite generic, up beat but no real
meaning to the words. The video is very bright colorful and visually
effective. The artist is also show to be the center of the video with
all the shots of her doing different dances and poses.
Intertextuality:
27. +
Taylor Swift – You Belong With Me
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VuNIsY6JdUw
Purpose and style:
Techniques:
Camera work/editing:
Intertextuality:
Genre conventions:
