Sunday 5th September: Codes and Conventions of Music Videos

Codes and Conventions of Music Videos

Below is my adaptation from Pete Fraser Teaching Music Video (BFI, 2004)'s article

Camera:

The camera work in a music video has a direct impact on the audience, not only on the flow and movement of the video but the audience interaction and engagement with the narrative. Camera angle and movement can gives the video, especially if its a large band, a more dynamic feel and vibe. Camera angles also often accompany performers as they walk, dance or sing, this gives the impression, if they are looking directly at the camera lens, that they are connecting with the audience.
Close ups are often used in music videos, especially with female stars. This is to increase the intimacy of the video and again hopefully attract audience engagement. "

"John Stewart of Oil Factory said that he sees the music video as essentially having the aesthetics of the TV commercial, with lots of close ups and lighting being used most prominently for the star’s face".

Editing:

The most common editing effects on music video is the "fast cut montage". This creates rhythmic camera work and matches the tracks tempo therefore hopefully engaging the audience and making the tune more infectious.

Star Image:

As Richard Dyer has noted: “ a star is an image constructed from a range of materials” (Richard Dyer 1979).

For pop music these materials include:

• the songs (their lyrical themes and musical structures/genres)
• the record covers (singles and albums and the image of the star they present
• media coverage (from interviews about career and private life through to tabloid gossip)
• live performance (the image through the stage show) the music videos, which may draw upon the image presented in each of the other aspects.
  

Music videos are really important in an artist's life, this is due to the fact that sometimes maintaining an image is sometimes difficult, therefore changes have to be made in terms of themes, genre, aesthetics to fit in with the ever changing music industry in the 21st Century. Artists have to be original and unique to stand a chance, e.g - Lady GaGa (below- left), La Roux, Florence + the Machine (below -right), Marina and the Diamonds, Eliza Doolittle, MGMT, Mika.

(examples of original artists)

Voyeurism:

This convention broadly means, looking promiscuous in order to gain sex appeal/ pleasure. Camera angles and editing techniques sometimes emphasise certain parts of the female artist to enhance their sex appeal and to attract viewers, mostly men, in being attracted to not only their video but their albums and other merchandise as well. In recent years, it has been easier for female stars to act provocative in their videos due to the role models like Madonna, Kylie and Beyonce who have set the promiscuous standard and now it has become normal to expect this type of dancing, aesthetics or camera work in music videos. This is also used in male artists videos but this time used by their dancers, mainly female, so the sex appeal is still evident. However in this case, the idea becomes a lot more complex, because when a male star is performing it could be unclear how females are invited to respond.

"The idea of voyeurism is also frequently evident in music video through a system of screens within screens- characters shown watching performers or others on television, via web cams, as images on a video camera screen or CCTV within the world of the narrative. Indeed the proliferation of such motifs has reached a point where it has become almost an obsession in music promos".

(These are examples of Voyeurism in Taio Cruz's - Dynamite and Beyonce's - Single Ladies music videos)

Intertexuality:


This term refers to certain past events, themes, texts or songs which have gained recognition again due to "intertexuality". Not everyone instantly remembers or in some cases makes the intertexual link in certain videos, however it is said that "greater pleasure will be derived by those who know the reference and are somehow flattered by it". Certain artists use cinema as a starting point due to their directors being film or cinema graduates who are new to the industry, for example Madonna's "Material Girl" (Mary Lambert, 1985). This video had links to "Diamonds are a Girls Best Friend". Also links are often used from fashion and art photography. The link and example I thought of, in my video analysis of "The Boy Who Murdered Love" - Diana Vickers (James Copeman, 2010) of the intertexual reference to "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" in the first glipse of the song title at the start of the video.

Narrative and Performance:

"Narrative in songs is rarely complete, more often fragmentary, as in poetry".
This concept retains the viewers attention and hopefully makes them want to know what happened and perhaps watch it over and over again for more information, almost as if the viewer is left in some sort of suspense.

“Often, music videos will cut between a narrative and a performance of the song by the band. Additionally, a carefully choreographed dance might be a part of the artist’s performance or an extra aspect of the video designed to aid visualisation and the ‘repeatability’ factor. Sometimes, the artist (especially the singer) will be a part of the story, acting as narrator and participant at the same time. But it is the lip-synch close-up and the miming of playing instruments that remains at the heart of music videos, as if to assure us that the band really can kick it.” (Steve Archer 2004)

Music videos allow an element of acting, which could include facial expressions, eye contact and mise en scene which allows the performer to be accessed by the audience in various ways, like the use of close ups and panning so everything is seen. Where as in a live concert perhaps certain elements of the song or performance could be missed due to the eye line not being focused, reducing intimacy and attraction.

"Other commentators have divided music videos in terms of style, though often there will be crossover between these; apart from Performance and Narrative, it is possible to identify at least six: Gothic, Animated, Dreamscapes, Portraiture, Futuristic and Home Movie".