5 music videos

ACT: Blue

TRACK: One Love

YEAR: 2002

DIRECTOR: 

GENRE: R&B

MAIN AUDIENCE: F 12-40







The setting for this video is set in a urban enviroment which would be the most common because obviously they are not artistically credible so they go for an r&b approach.





The video is a performance video which is not a surprise as it is a boy band the roles are split up between all members of the band so no star treatment is used. 




In this video a green screen is used. 

ACT: Empire Of The Sun

TRACK: DNA

YEAR: 2013

DIRECTOR: 

GENRE: Synthpop

MAIN AUDIENCE: M+F 15-24

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The costumes signify a flamboyant nature to the video with the artists blue headgear also a variety of make-up around the eyes. This may have originated from the nightclub scene in the early 90's when everyone used to wear abstract clothing. This also will be used to reach a wider target audience.

ACT: Marina And The Diamonds

TRACK: Hollywood

YEAR: 2010

DIRECTOR: Kinga Burza

GENRE: Indie Pop

MAIN AUDIENCE: M+F 15-24

ACT: Jay Z, Kanye West

TRACK: Otis

YEAR: 2011

DIRECTOR: Kanye West

GENRE: Hip Hop

MAIN AUDIENCE: M+F 15-24

EG8 Cher - Believe

ACT: Cher

TRACK: Believe

YEAR: 1998

DIRECTOR: Nigel Dick

GENRE: Pop

MAIN AUDIENCE: M+F 15-50

Performance + Narrative:

The video follows both performance and narrative. Cher is in a nightclub in a double role as singer on stage, surrounded by many people to whom she is giving advice. The video includes a woman who is in club and looking for her ex-boyfriend and broken hearted and feels that she cannot go on when she sees her ex-boyfriend with a new a girlfriend. 

Costume:

Cher wears a glowy headdress which may dennote some kind of signifier that she is a god-like creature and as a supernatural being in a cage. The audience (in the club) are wearing casual clothing.

Audience:

In the music video the audience in the club reflects the audience in real life as the people in there are early 20's having people that look of a similar age to one another creates verisimilitude.

Link between visuals and lyrics:

Following the narrative of the video the lyrics link well with the video 'do you believe in life after love' as one girl see's her ex boyfriend - to whom she has just been in love with, in the club with the other girl. The lyrics are encouraging one to believe that there is life after love even though the girl is clearly struggling in the video hence 'i really don't think your strong enough no'. 

Star Treatment:

Star treatment is again used it is arguable whether a performance video solely focuses on the star, but my interpretation is that star treatment is allways used if it is a performance music video. As the costumes are used as signifiers as well as the camera shots used eg. close ups of the singer - you don't see close ups of the audience. 

EG7 Calvin Harris - We'll Be Coming Back ft. Example

ACT: Calvin Harris

TRACK: We'll Be Coming Back ft. Example

YEAR: 2012

DIRECTOR: Saman Kershvarz

GENRE: Dance-Pop

MAIN AUDIENCE: M+F 15-24

Titles:

Titles havent been a convention that i have really considered whilst analysing videos. However, it is a convention used in music videos as it is used by directors following a 'movie' style approach to the video usually the videos are narrative. The titles therefore credit the artists and the director as well as introducing the song to the audience. 

Narrative:

Calvin Harris and Example are robbers in this music video. After burying what they've stolen which is shown in the opening of the video, the two return at a later time to retrieve the goods to find that a female officer who had been tracking them has gotten to it first, leaving behind her badge as evidence. In addition to the robbery, the video features a series of high-speed car chases and police confrontations which also follows what i think is a movie style approach.

Link between visuals & lyrics:

The link between the visuals and lyrics would be 'well be coming back for you one day' reffering to going back to the robbers returning back to retrive their goods to find that they had been beaten to it. 

Star Treatment:

This video does focus on the 'stars' Calvin Harris and Example even though Example is a featuring artist the role is shared between the two for example Calvin Harris is not constantly in the shots, it is split up between the two of the probably to give them equal credit.

Pace And Variation Of Pace:

This video is fast paced with a quick editing style which more or less had to be done to make the chase scenes more entertaining and have verisimilitude to keep the audience interested as their is no performance footage the main focus is on the narrative. 

EG6 Miley Cyrus - Wrecking Ball

ACT: Miley Cyrus

TRACK: Wrecking Ball

YEAR: 2013

DIRECTOR: Terry Richardson

GENRE: Pop

MAIN AUDIENCE: M+F 15-24

Relationship between visuals and lyrics:

The relationship between the visuals and the lyrics are very strong in this video as Miley is swinging on a wrecking ball the name of the song there is no subtle relationship it is literally what she is sing 'i came in like a wrecking ball' as she swings on a wrecking ball. A long shot is used so the audience can clearly se the ball knocking down the wall behind her as she walks away.

Genre Characteristics: 

There are no really strong genre characteristics in this video however its arguable that the emotion included could be portraying that it is a pop video as artists tend to use emotion. 

Performance:

This video is a performance video which helps the video link in with the lyrics of the song which dennote a troubled relationship for her. The performance is very emotional when close ups are used however it does contrast slightly between different shots as she is not all ways seen to be emotional in this video. As she is swinging on the wrecking ball with no clothes on and she looks seductively into the camera which may be a signifier of her personality. 

No. of setups:

In terms of setups it seem that only two setups are used one against a blank canvas the other being the wrecking ball 'site'

Locations + Mise En Scene:

As specified above there are only 2 locations used in this music video as for mise en scene the sledge hammer she holds is also signified as another object to 'wreck' things which again is all linked back to the lyrics of the song as its all themed around destruction. 

Common Codes And Conventions from classmates

Codes and Conventions from classmate following their vodcasts

• Titles - Common in all genres of music videos Nero -Reaching Out, titles are used to create a sense of realism and is explicitly intertextually referencing Miami Vice and also to portray convincing production values. DJ Fresh - Earthquake 
• Star Treatment - Richard Dyer
• Transitions allow more freedom, to keep the audience interested. Much more scope for dis-continuity editing in music video an example would be non-linear. White stripes - seven nation army, shot in one continuous shot with transition triangles to keep audience intrest this is a sycedlic video
• Locations - Blue - One Love Branding the band or an act as being street wise and you try to give them credibility as musicians through this. 
• Intertexuality, Cross promotion - promoting something else such as a film, product placement - paid money to feature a product, tie-in - Producers recieve publicity, such as Mcdonalds happy meals.  
• You can go with very abstract videos - they have nothing what so ever to do with the track - Anton Corbijn. 
• Mode Of Address, the singer looks directly into the camera 
• Budgets have come down see we could replicate them and reach the same standards. 
• Digetic Introduction 
• Audience is reflected in some music videos such as Ellie golding - Burn there are early 20's people dancing. Also the secondary audience can be portrayed.
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10 Codes & Conventions In Music Videos

Here is a list of 10 codes and conventions i have found whilst analysing a number of different music videos, this will help me when it comes to pitching an idea for a music video as i will already have an idea of key codes and conventions used in music videos not yet to specific genres.

1. Lip syncing 
2. Performance & Narrative 
3. Editing
4. Pace
5. Mode of address 
6. Star Treatment
7. Mise En Scene
8. Costumes
9. Colour 
10. Camera Shots 

Here is my vodcast describing each of the points.

5 Music Videos - Points and Screenshots

5 Music Videos Analysed 

ACT: Red Hot Chili Peppers

TRACK: The Zephyr Song

YEAR: 2002

DIRECTOR:

GENRE: Alternative Rock

MAIN AUDIENCE: M 15-34 M+F

- A lot of effects and transitions used in this music video 

- The video is mainly of performance footage of the band

- A white birds is used in a psychedelic way to possibly

symbolise peace or it may link with the lyrics 'Fly away on

my zephyr'

ACT: David Guetta Ft. Akon

TRACK: Sexy Chick

YEAR: 2009

DIRECTOR:

GENRE: Hip House, Electro House, Dance

MAIN AUDIENCE: M 15-30 M+F

- The music video is a narrative of the featured artist which is
him chasing a girl.

- The video is set at a pool party in a villa which i suspect will be in 
Ibiza








- The costumes fit in well with the music video as they are all 
relatively well dressed and bikinis are apparent as it is set at a
pool

ACT: Sage The Gemini

TRACK: Gas Pedal

YEAR: 2013

DIRECTOR:

GENRE: Hip Hop/Rap

MAIN AUDIENCE: M 15-30 M+F

- The music video is a performance but also involves some 

narrative as i think that the artist is making women dance for him.

- The setting is a rather dark setting which connotes that they may

be doing something they shouldn't be.

ACT: Beyonce

TRACK: Single Ladies (Put a ring on it)

YEAR: 2008

DIRECTOR: Jake Nava

GENRE: Dance/Pop

MAIN AUDIENCE: M 10-26 M+F

- This is a performance routine as the artist and two others do a
synchronised dance routine whilst singing. 







- The costumes are used to single out the artist as she is the only
one wearing the metal glove (Star Treatment), she is in the centre of the girls. 





- There is a link between the visuals and the lyrics 'put a ring on it'
in certain places of the video as they hold up their hands. 

ACT: Marc Cohn

TRACK: Walking In Memphis

YEAR: 1991

DIRECTOR: Milton Lage

GENRE: Rock

MAIN AUDIENCE: M 16-40

- There is a link between the visuals and the lyrics 'They've
got gospel in the air' as an image of children going to church
is shown.





- The video is mainly a performance video, however the shot
variation shows a small american town which is linked with the
lyrics, so it could possibly be a narrative as well. 






- The costumes are rather bleak, apparently the song is about a 
spiritual awakening so this may be symbolic in that respect. Or
either they are being used as mise en scene to show the time 
period in which the music video is set.