Unit 29 - Styles, Conventions and Techniques of Music Videos

Styles, Conventions and Techniques of Music Videos

Style - All music videos have a theme/style, which will normally link to the lyrics and performers style. The genre of the song will be the main influence on the video. The style of a music video will come across in key features like actors' behavior & costume, locations/scenery and props. The style of an artist can change from video to video or stay the same throughout the whole album and sometimes bands might keep the same style throughout their career. 
 
One of the first things an artist thinks about is the style. The style is normally based off other videos, shows or films which have similar features which strike the director’s and artist’s visions. 

Some of the popular music genres are animation, in-concert, surrealist, narrative, parody, and influence of commercials. Some artists like to have videos which contradicts the lyrics making them seem almost sarcastic. This is done to make a statement and awareness towards something. Certain music genres use certain styles to keep with the trend of their genre.

Cheryl Cole's video to Under the Sun is based in the 1950's, and to take the audience back and relive this time period, director Anthony Mandler uses vintage cars, costume and visual effect to make it look authentic. The street Cheryl walks down has 50's looking signs/posters and the cafe at the beginning has a retro jukebox. The video is bright with a vintage effect. Anthony Mandler is a veteran when it comes to mainstream pop and rap music videos. He has directed almost one hundred videos for people like Enrique Iglesias, Rihanna, Jay-Z and FUN.   

Passenger’s Let Her Go is an in-concert “Live performance”. The video uses low-key lighting to convey the sad tone on the song. It also allows use to focus on the lyrics rather than a unique set. This means the video is cheaper and quicker to film because there is only one location. The video features the production team setting up the stage and the audience watching the performance. Although this is a love song it’s video’s narrative is about Passenger performing.

Conventions 

Thrift Shop by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis has a video that is a lyric interpretation. This means that the video is true to the lyrics or in other words it is what you expect or picture when you hear the song. Although it is what we could expect it does not mean it typical or boring. Each type Macklemore talks about an item like his coat, keyboard, etc. we see that item. What we hear “walk into the club” and what we see, Macklemore walking in a club. 

In Coldplay’s The Scientist the video helps us look at meaning of the song differently or in other words it extends the meaning. This type of convention is where you could listen to the song and get one meaning and then watch the video and we get a different one. Even at the start of the video we have an initial idea but its not until the end of the video we get the whole extended meaning. Coldplay achieved this by filming backwards. 

The video for Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Dani California pays homage to their inspirations and key idols in the music industry. They do this by portraying the characters from the era's to which they belonged. The video contains Iconic sets, costumes, make-up and characteristics. Also techniques are used which where from that era of music videos. Some examples of are the black and white effect for Elvis, the psychedelic colours of Hendrix and dutch tilt camera angle with the Sex Pistols. This homage video is comical and enjoyable to watch.

Techniques - These can makes videos more visual interesting. Bands like to work with certain directors because they use techniques that suit the band. Some artist like each video to be individual and they can do this by using techniques. Solo singer Ben Howard has one video, which is backwards, and black and white and he has another that is very high key lighting which lots of lens flare.  

Cutting to the beat – If you have many shots and different angles it can be quite an easy way for an editor to make the song seem more professional. It also makes each cut and beat standout. 

Lip sync - Artist record the music with a band in a studio and then the artist will record the music video. They will lip sync to the song when on set on the video because it would be difficult keep performing with a band for each shot.  This means that the footage will need to be edited to the music rather than the other way.