Styles

Music Video Techniques and Conventions

Artists are normally in music videos so that their audience knows the face behind the music. This is one of the main conventions in music videos.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpOR_HuHRNs
My first video is Flo Rida- Wild Ones. As you can see from the start of the video you can see Flo Rida so you know who the artist is straight away. Another example is Jessie J –Domino where she also appears from the very start of the video and is in throughout. My 3rd video is Neyo- Let Me Love You and he also is in his video so people get to recognise him and buy his music.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJtB55MaoD0&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=crrOl0egI00
This convention is popular because when they see the artists they get to recognise their music and buy it and it also promotes their video.
Another convention is that the song will be the soundtrack to the whole video so you that the audience does not get bored. My first video domino by Jessie J has the music start from the very start of the video and going to the end. My second video is Connor Maynard- turn around this video also has a soundtrack throughout the video. My 3rd video chiddy bang – opposite of adults has a soundtrack throughout the video stop people getting bored. Some videos do not have a narrative part at the beginning or end, but this is not conventional.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJtB55MaoD0&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OwP6U0LRzQM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ep1ilHpTvSM
This convention is used quite a lot because the purpose of a music video is to promote the artist’s music.
Artists lip sync in their videos to make it look like they are actually singing to the audience and makes the video look more interesting. This is shown in my 3 videos; Pass Out by Tinie Tempah, Chasing The sun by The Wanted and Pixie Lott- Turn It Up.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QzvGKas5RsU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RFS5N_yAGTo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OvRDJe5a51g
The convention is used in most music videos to make the artists look like they are actually singing. Eye contact is used between the artist and the audience to make it seem like they are singing to them only.

The 4th convention is that the artist will perform in throughout there video.
This is shown in Jessie J Domino where she dances throughout the video, which entertains the audience so they don’t get bored.
Music videos normally have more than 3 locations, this is to make the video more interesting to the audience otherwise they may get bored. In Written In The Stars by Tinie Tempah -Till I’m gone by Tinie Tempah and The Motto by Drake.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YgFyi74DVjc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2K2cs4vfkk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0V2VVEH6AX4

This convention is used in most videos so people don’t get bored at looking at one location and keeps the audience more interested and a video they will remember. Most music videos with a location normally link with the song.
In music videos the costumes will match the location and will often change when the location changes. This is shown in Flo Rida- Wild Ones, Lawson- When She Was Mine and sway- Level Up.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpOR_HuHRNs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GmQRAXJoHg0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ymcw8bSET4


Parts of a music video will normally be filmed in a studio, which are normally the performance parts. They use this so they can use a green screen and have any background they want without going out to look for it. 3 videos that use this are Jessie J-Price Tag, Rihanna- Umbrella and Katy Perry Californian gurls.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qMxX-QOV9tI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvBfHwUxHIk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F57P9C4SAW4
This convention is used because you can use special effects to make the video more exciting and entertain the audience more easily.
The video will usually contain some kind of narrative, often intercut with performance shots. The 3 videos I have choose are Flo Rida-wild ones, Sean Paul she doesn’t mind and train- drive by.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpOR_HuHRNs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SbUBMklQSVU&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oxqnFJ3lp5k&feature=related
They use this convention so it keeps the audience entertained and make them want to watch the video all the way to the end.

The video will contain a range of camera movements to create a dynamic look (energy) most often tracks, cranes and whip pans. The 3 videos I have chosen are Dappy -No Regrets, Neyo -so sick and Chris Brown- don’t wake me up.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WoImizvsj5w
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IxszlJppRQI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOowQeKyNkQ
They use this convention to make the video look very exciting and you can see parts of the video from different angles to get a different point of view.
The video will use mostly close ups for the lip-synch, mid/long shots for performance and extreme close ups for cutaways. My first video is Dappy- no regrets and my second video is Maverick Sabre-I need and my last video is Calvin Harris- let’s go.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WoImizvsj5w
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZNtticFI60
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LYZ6gXWZfZM&feature=relmfu

They use this convention to make it more exciting to watch by using quick changes to different shots. For example close medium and long shots so we are not getting bored of looking at the same shot all the time.
The video may often use high angles to create a vulnerable or sexy look, or low angles to create a dominant or powerful look. My first video is labyrinth- earthquake, my second video is Wiley-heatwave and my 3rd is nelly-just a dream.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0fk6syQ7iY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qimiWfZAtXw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6O2ncUKvlg&feature=related
There will be a wide range of different shot types/angles in each location to allow for dynamic and non-repetitive editing.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpOR_HuHRNs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j5-yKhDd64s
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mk48xRzuNvA
The editing will cut to the beat, and will be montage editing.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_t2TzJOyops
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3Jv9fNPjgk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qsy7kJyizoc&feature=related


Quite often a slow motion effect is used to create a sexy or slick feel.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SgM3r8xKfGE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BiEEJds8JFE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KRaWnd3LJfs&feature=related

The video will be based around a concept rather than a story.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eAfyFTzZDMM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HAfFfqiYLp0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLuWHr6-0YQ&feature=branded