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. Analysis Of A Music Video
Nicki Minaj – 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 video.
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.