1. CODES AND CONVENTIONS
OF A MUSIC VIDEO
By Ellen
Whight

2. WHAT IS A MUSIC VIDEO?
A music video is short film integrating a song and imagery together for
promotional, advertisement and artistic purposes. In today's society music videos are used to
promote an artist by their music, look, and even advertising their own products or someone
else’s. A music video is also used to promote an artists new upcoming song not just by
hearing the song but visually to. Music videos have been around since the 1980’s. There are
many styles used to film a music video using techniques such as animation, live action
filming, documentaries and non narrative approaches such as abstract film, some music
videos blend two techniques and styles together. Many music videos use and interpret
images, scenes and techniques from their song lyrics making sure the song goes with the
video that’s being filmed where as other music videos take a more thematic approach. Some
music videos may not have an concept i.e. A music video showing the new upcoming song
being performed live.

3. Type Of Performances
There are three main types of performances:
•Commercial Exhibitionist - An artist sells their image to be the newest upcoming
artist, stealing the spot light from other artists. Through a music video they sell their
image, voice, face, lifestyle and records. By using this type of performance the
commercial exhibitionist wants success.
•Television Bard – An artist or band tell a story through images on the screen instead
of inner personal images. This type of performance shows images to create a story
about life and death. The television bard usually only contemplates her, his or their
own greatness and unfulfilled wishes.
•Electronic Shaman – The shaman can sometimes be hidden in the music video, only
hers, his or their voices and rhythm can only be heard, anchors the visual. The
electronic shaman promises that there is a hidden meaning in everything i.e. He, she or
they promise we live in a magical, mythical reality. This is the least used type of
performance.

4. MUSIC VIDEO STYLES
A music video can be categorized depending on it’s style and how it has been
filmed. These styles are:
•Standard Clip – A music video that contains more or less then three visual
traditions: a filmed singer is blended in with inserted images and the
presentation is artistically influenced by the experimental film tradition.
•Performance Clip - If a video contains mostly filmed performance then is a
performance clip. The performance can take place anywhere.
•Narrative Clip – If a music video is mostly appropriately understood as a
short silent movie to a musical background then it is a narrative clip. A
narrative clip contains a visual story that is easy to follow. A pure narrative clip
contains no lip-synchronised singing.
•Art Clip – If a music video contains no perceptible visual narrative and
contains no lip – synchronised singing then is a pure art clip.

5. CAMERA STYLES
A music video contains a lot of different camera styles and techniques depending
on the style of the music video such as:
• Close up shots especially in a performance music video.
• Extreme close up shots of the artist/band, their instruments, face and lips.
• Crane shots which hovering over stage images.
• Low angle shots.
• Pans and tilts moving around, moving to different performances.
• Tracking.

6. MUSIC
The music is one of the main features of a music video, if their was no music the
music video would be a silent movie. The music makes the video, the video is
either based around the music and it’s lyrics or nothing to do with it at all. A
music video can include images which are bound together to go with the
beat/rhythm and other musical features. The musical elements can help shape the
moving image, movements such as footsteps, tapping, walking or dance are often
synchronised with the beat of the song, showing the people in the music video to
be in synch with the music which we can only hear, it sometimes looks as if they
can hear it to.

7. EDITING AND SOUND
Editing and sound are a major thing when it comes to filming and making the
finished product. Editing involved things such as jump cutting, putting scene
sequences together, cross cutting etc. Normally footage is edited to the match the
music, it is also edited so that the lip syncing looks right and fits with the music.
Editing can also include split screens/CGI, including diegetic sound and
changing the levels of sound. Voice over's can be edited in and other noises
which go with narrative of the music video.

8. MIS EN SCENE
Mis en scene of a music video can depend on the genre of the music, lyrics and
the type of music video that is being filmed. Mis en scene can include, clothing
(certain outfits for different people, artist, band) , make
up, themes, props, performance equipment, artist merchandise, locations
(concert halls, venues, streets houses etc) and facial expressions.

9. LYRICS
The lyrics can help create a narrative for the music video, yet sometimes the
music video has nothing to do with the lyrics. In most music videos a new
meaning is added to the lyrics through metaphorical language. Lyrics can be
illustrated by visual images, scenes etc. For example if the lyrics mention a
couple splitting up you will see a couple arguing and splitting up on the screen.

10. IMAGERY
By using different colours within a music video they can interpret different
moods of the song, video or the mood of the person being filmed. Using
different images or moving images can help create an atmosphere for the
audience watching the video. By manipulating colour, motive setting, story
footage, clothing etc the director can create ideas which are repeated and varied
in the music video.

11. AnalysisNicki MinajA Music Video
Of – Va Va Voom
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3U72hzeBLOw&feature=relmfu

12. NICKI MINAJ – VA VA VOOM
As the music video starts there is a fantasy theme , some fairy tales are explored
through out the video. Diegetic sound starts off with the sound of falling water
and birds tweeting, then fades in to the opening of the song. Unicorns ride in, a
fantasy creature of beauty, then the featuring artist, Nicki Minaj enters in a
white, princess looking dress with a man who is dressed like a huntsmen both of
the costumes create a fantasy theme through the first sequence of the video.

13. Nicki Minaj’s costume s give off a fantasy feel as
she is dressed in sparkly princess dresses
depending on what character she’s playing within
the music video, here she has an unusual
costume on, it looks like a unicorn still a fantasy
creature keeping with the theme of the fantasy.
Mis-en-scene ties in with the fantasy theme, with
the little cottage in the middle of the forest. The
lighting in this scene is quite bright and has a
yellowy tinge making it look old.
This shot shows Nicki Minaj in danger, going
with the fairytale theme of a damsel in distress.

14. This scene reminds me of Snow White
when she is in a deep sleep in the
middle of the woods in a class
case/coffin waiting for her prince
charming to come and save her, this
goes with the lyrics of the song as this
is what the song is about.
A close shot of Nicki Minaj in the glass
case/coffin, wearing a formal dress which
is white showing good, chastity etc.
This shot shows her prince charming has
come to her rescue, the man is young and
handsome and fits the typical prince
charming look. His costume is old
fashioned and fits with the fantasy theme.

15. This shot makes Nicki Minaj look evil as
she is wearing a black costume luring the
price to her. This also looks like the evil
queen from Snow White looking into the
mirror.
Again a fantasy shot with the dark
background and Nicki Minaj standing out
from it by wearing a white dress.
Nicki Minaj wearing a odd costume yet
white again showing good with bright red
hair all standing out from the dark
background, she is also wearing a mask to
cover up her identity. There is also a harsh
lighting on her lighting up her from the
background.