Codes and Conventions

Music Video’s

R e s e a r c h a n d A n a l y s i s

NARRATIVE BASED VIDEOS

A narrative based music video is the term given to a music video that tells a short story oranecdote through the progression of the video, the narrative tends to correspond with the lyrics,mainly creating a visual interpretation of what the lyrics may mean or symbolise, for example ifthe lyrics read “I love you” then the video may portray a person saying the words stated in thelyrics, this is usually done for effect as it gives the audiences a better idea of what thelyrics may mean leaving some sort of lasting emotional attachment to the lyrics of the song, itmay also grow as the narrative within the video tend to portray everyday situations thataudiences can relate to, for example a song based around love will stereotypically either tellthe tale of a couple that have maybe separated and the video will portray the story that led tothe break up and the other story being the discovery and blossoming of a “cheesy” relationship.The simplicity of the videos that are narrative based adds to the appeal of the product as it is somethingthe target audience can relate to on a personal level making the video all the more successful andsymbolic. However it is extremely rare to come across a video that is solely based around a fixed narrative as theartist behind the song tends to sing along to the lyrics at several points within the song directlytowards the camera, the artist singing usually features within the narrative and the story that isportrayed is stereotypically a distant memory that the artist is recalling whilst singing the song andthis is evident through words within the lyrics. The purpose of the artist singing directly to theaudience is manly based around the fact that “lip syncing” within a video is compulsory at some point oranother as it is a key code and convention that is required for a music video.

In addition there are music videos that interlink with existing films which successfully fuses both the music and film industrytogether as both products promote each other. This is usually done through the piece of music being played at some point of thefilm as Non Diegetic sound which is usually used as “Mood music” or “Reflective music”, this helps promote the single as audiencesmay hear the song and find it appealing and will therefore buy the single helping boost sale figures, this scheme works vice versawhere the artist may include iconic scenes extracted from the film and include them within the music video having a similar effecton audiences. There are many examples of this, however the most iconic would have to be “My heart will go on” by Celine Dion[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmbw8OycJrE]. Within the video audience witness several significant moments from the film Titanic especially thescenes where Jack and Rose’s love begins to develop and blossom , these scenes correspond with the song Celine Dion is singing as it is about lovetherefore by using scenes it conforms to the fact that it is a narrative based video and that both express everlasting passion, love and desire.

In other cases the lighting of the narrative within the video may reflect the raw emotion and passion presented within the lyrics of the song by the

artist. This can be seen in many modern narrative based videos, one that I feel does this effectively is “Moving Mountains” by Usher[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQr-HmfXZ-Q&ob=av2n]The lack of lighting used symbolises the desire and love he has for his partner within the narrative of the video.

PERFORMANCE BASED VIDEOSA performance based music video is a video that is based around some form of dance or drama based performance, for example within the song there may be dancers dancing according to the lyrics or beat of the song. In many videos there sends to be a small group of dancers performing in synch with each other, in some cases the artist tends to also join the group of dancers and perform together. This is evident through Beyonce’s “Single Ladies” [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4m1EFMoRFvY] This technique maybe done to engage audiences as they may feel inspired by the artist dancing increasing both the artists and the video’s profile. By creating a performance based video it creates this visual interpretation of what the lyrics signify for example if the lyrics are about partying then the dance or act is usually a group dancing very upbeat and up-tempo, like some sort of break dancing act for example. However despite the video being classed as a performance based video it is very rare to find a video that dedicates its entire video to dance and performance, this excludes any live video clips like live concert versions for example. This is simply because there is lack of engagement when the video is entirely performance based, this does not enable audiences to engage with the artist on a personal level as they are not singing to the camera leaving audiences feeling estranged. Whereas on the other hand when there is a slight narrative it leaves the audience intrigued as to what will happen next in the progression of the video.

Despite the negativities of a video being entirely performance based some artists ignore the convention, however there are some artist that combine both dance and singing towards the camera by dancing and singing at the same time where there are several close ups during the song where the artist s dancing but singing to the camera and thus engaging with the audience at the same time. An example of this is R&B’s princess Beyonce in “Single Ladies” where Beyonce has certain close ups whilst dancing whilst singing. Despite having several close ups during the course of the video she also sings throughout the entire video whilst dancing a very provocative routine at certain stages within the video. By doing this it creates this instant female icon to many female audiences as well as thoroughly entertaining the male half of the target audience. The upbeat and consistent dance routine encapsulates audiences to continue watching the video, Beyonce is also known as a talented dancer within the music industry today, thus by creating a video purely based around dance it adds to this instant appeal towards the larger target audience as it creates this sense of excitement amongst audiences as they will be eager to view the video once it is released increasing the popularity and views on say YouTube for example, this works as an advantage towards the artist.

PERFORMANCE AND NARRATIVE BASED VIDEOS

After reading the previous slides you may have noticed that I had mentioned that it is extremely rare to find a video that is purely based around either performance or entirely narrative, so it is logical for me say that the normal convention of a music video is a combination of both performance and narrative which includes the artist singing towards the camera. Stereotypically a performance and a narrative based video will feature the artist singing to the lyrics of the song and the lyrics will usually tell the tale of an event or occurrence thus the video will visually portray the lyrics through different videos placed together when the artist is not shown on screen lip singing.

This style of video is the most successful as it not only enables the audiences to connect with the artist on a personal level but also gain a better understanding of what the lyrics symbolise and mean to the artist personally along with why and how the lyrics were originally written. This is clearly exhibited in most conventional videos however the most effective and recent example that personally I found appealing would have to be “Call me maybe” by Carly Rae Jepsen which follows the trials and tribulations of the artist who is trying to get the attention of a new neighbour who has just moved in next door, through the progression of the video we see the artist attempting to get the attention of the male actor leaving audiences “hooked” and eager to know more about what she will do next in a desperate attempt to “woo” him.

However near the end of the video she finally gets his attention and moves to write her mobile number on a piece of paper to give to the male only to return and find him giving his personal number to one of her male band members who is left bamboozled, this not only adds humour to the video but leaves the larger target audience in shock and “smiling” in the end despite the artist being “almost rejected”. This sort of narrative keeps audiences amused for longer in comparison to a video that is entirely based around one type, it also allows audience to feel connected on a personal level as it may be something they may have also personally experienced making the video all the more appealing and therefore successful.

NOTION OF LOOKINGNotion of looking is often described as a technique where an artist continually looks towards the camera singing in order to connect with the target audience on a personal level, this works successfully in the sense that it creates this instant link between both the audience and the artist within the video. This notion of looking may be used for several different reasons some of which may include to seduce audience or maybe even feel artists pain on a personal level, this is most commonly achieved through facial expressions and movement. This technique is used quiet frequently, and is sometimes used to elaborate on the fixed stereotypes and labels that are usually used to associate with for a particular artist or group. This set stereotypes are usually taken advantage of and marketed in many videos within the music industry in order for the particular video to appeal to the larger target audience. This semiology is carried through in a recent example which is, rapper Lil Wayne’s video “Mirror” featuring Bruno Mars.

The video itself manages to successfully enhance and elaborate on this idea that no body can be trusted other than yourself, this ideology that despite an individuals success and fortune being at a pinnacle height, this matters very little when it comes to realistic fortune which may include friends and family, that when all this materialistic fortune disappears you will realise you have nobody left other then yourself who is always there for moral support regardless of what position you may be in within society. Lil Wayne establishes this raw emotion and theory through several significant scenes within the video, some of which include when Lil Wayne is singing towards the camera as if he is looking into a mirror and explaining his sorrows however at the same time he is also addressing the audience, making them also feel his pain. His emotions are also established through many different camera angles some one which include close ups which clearly portray the meaning of the lyrics being sung.

MISE-EN-SCENEWithin media the term Mise-en-scene focuses mainly on five key areas, lighting, props, setting, characters, costume and colours all of which are essential elements when it comes to creating a successful ambience and atmosphere amongst the audience consumers in any music video regardless of what genre the video may be. Mise-en-scene is often one of the most vital elements along with contributing the most when it comes to audiences differentiating videos of one genre to another as there is particular symbolisms and ideologies when differentiating one social group to another and this is clearly established in most videos of different genres, it is these micro elements that enable an audience to then identify what genre the video belongs to. For example, stereotypically high key lighting would be most likely used in maybe a Pop video in comparison to a video belonging to a Gothic genre that may used low key lighting, these minor elements are what help audience distinguish one genre in comparison to another.

A more recent and effective example of the incorporation of Mise-en-scene within a video includes Jessie J’s “Laserlights” featuring David Guetta. It is clearly established from the name of the song that there maybe high key lighting within the video, once the song begins it is unclear what the lighting maybe as it opens with very low key lighting however this soon changes as audiences then see bright lights shining however against a background which shows a clear mixture of both high key and low key lighting. The continuous use of bright lights contrasts well with the black background making the objects within the frame seem more dominant and focused.

The use of both types of lightings shows the fusion of two different genres coming together, Pop and House expanding the larger target audience, this effective technique is what makes these mixed genre songs all the more successful and popular within the music industry.

EDITING TECHNIQUESWithin media the term editing typically incorporates transitions, shot lengths, any filters and effects and finally and overall sound effects that may also be included within the video. These basic features are essential elements to the video when it comes to the continuous flow of the music video itself, these features are what keep the consumer audiences lured and “hooked” to viewing the video to the very end as well as waiting in anticipation to see what events will follow the previous event. The use of editing techniques is used in most video’s however maybe used slightly more in some than others, however a more recent example of a music video that uses a variety of effective editing technique is Chris Brown’s “Turn up the Music” which incorporates a variety of different techniques within the video. When the video begins, we see a car which is in actual fact “flying”, this is clear through the fact that not only does the car have no wheels but also that the car has a red light glowing from under the vehicle clearly portraying only CGI (Computer Generated Image) giving the video a science fiction ambience instantly. As the video progresses several other editing techniques are used, for example when the artist is dancing, audiences see the backing dancers flipping in slow motion however the Brown is moving at a slightly faster pace, this may represent some sort of supernatural presence, this is also justified through the following scene where the artist is presented with glowing eyes which adds to the supernatural or science fiction ambience, the glowing eyes may also represent power and authority as he is the only person within the video presented with such “powers”.

This shot clearly portrays the use of the cloning effect, this not only symbolises dominance and authority as there is three copies showing the ultimate power combined, but also adds to this supernatural, “dream like” image. The use of effects are both eye catching and dominant within the shot.

SOUNDDiegetic and Non-Diegetic sounds are the two main types of sound, Diegetic sound being the existing sound already presented within a piece of film and commonly known as “natural sound” and Non-Diegetic sound being extra sound that maybe edited or placed on top of the existing sound. Sound within a music video is an essential element for several obvious reasons, one of the main reasons being that it allows the audience viewing the footage to listen to the music playing in the background which is one of the main purposes of creating a music video. Computer generated sounds can be edited to create various effects and impulses to the normal vocals that are used within the average music video an audience listens to. As the music industry had progressed, more artists are beginning to instil these edits within their videos, however a more recent example of how sound can be manipulated both effectively and successfully is in the Black Eyed Peas’ “The Time”, within this video the use of computer generated sound is used effectively by adding a more modern and contemporary twist to an all time classic. This increase’s the popularity of the song itself due to audiences already being familiar with the song. The manipulation of sound is used effectively as it adds this science fiction and futuristic feel to this romantic classic, by adding the effect it suddenly turns from this “cheesy” love song, transforming into this catchy club track, the use of edited sound adds to the fact that audiences may mimic these sounds and thus increasing the popularity and familiarity.

CAMERA ANGLES, MOVEMENT AND COMPOSITION

Camera angles, movement and composition are essential elements within a music video alongside other micro elements that are featured within music videos. Camera angles, movement and composition are all significant elements when portraying an essence and effective ambience within any video regardless of what specific genre that video may belong to, despite these features being what distinguishes one genre from the next. For example, within an R&B music video, as a consumer you are most likely to see close ups and mid shots, to establish raw emotion and facial expression in comparison to a Rock music video which may use long shots and POV shots to portray dominance and power along with allowing audience to see the dark setting and gain a better experience of the revitalising experience that is metaphorically created through the lyrics.