2. Music videos can be characterized by three broad types:
• Performance
• Narrative
• Concept
These types describe the form and content selected by the director and artist
in order to attract viewers and convey a direct or indirect message. They can
act either as adverts, as popular art forms or as self referential filmic texts.
3. PERFORMANCE VIDEOS
• This is the most common type of music video. These videos feature the singer or band actually performing
their song either in front of a live audience or just performing for the video. The goal is to create an in-concert
experience for the viewer. Gow (1992) suggests: ‘the predominance of performance indicates
that music video defines itself chiefly by images of artists singing and playing songs’. Performance videos,
especially ones that feature the artists in the studio, have the power to remind the audience that the
soundtrack is still important – ‘performance orientated visuals cue viewers that the recording of the music
is the most significant element’. An example of this type of video is Beyoncé's ‘Love on Top’, which
features her and her backup dancers singing and dancing to the song, and then at the end she says
‘cut’ and they walk off casually, to emphasise that it was just a rehearsal. This fits in with the idea that a
performance video taking place in the studio or place of production enhances the audience awareness
of the importance of the recording stage of the music’s production.
The video opens with a
shot of the
microphones which the
performers will then use.
This introduces the
audience to the fact
that a performance will
take place.
A shot of the performers
from behind then appears,
as they click along to the
music. This creates
excitement as well as
ambiguity as we don’t
know who is who yet
After the performers have
finished, and Beyoncé casually
walks off the stage, the
camera that was filming is
revealed. I think this enables
the audience to identify with
the performers and the process
of rehearsing their work.
The performance is filmed through a range of medium
wide shots containing all the dancers, to close ups of just
Beyoncé's face. This can relate to Andrew Goodwin’s
theory of record label demands, as Beyoncé's face and
image is a very important selling feature.
4. NARRATIVE VIDEOS
• A narrative video presents a sequence of events. A narrative video may tell any kind of a story in linear,
cause-effect sequencing. Love stories e.g. showing people falling in love, relationships, breakups, abuse
etc. are all very common themes for narrative videos. Schwichtenberg (1992) suggested ‘action in the
story is dominated by males who do things and females who passively react or wait for something to
happen.’ A perfect example of a narrative video is Taylor Swifts ‘you belong with me’. This video features
a ‘nerdy’ girl who is in love with her next door neighbour, a ‘cool’ boy. They converse through writing
messages to each other and holding them up to their bedroom windows. The cool boy has a girl friend
who is the popular ‘mean girl’. The story progresses and eventually the boy falls in love with the girl and
they kiss at the prom and live ‘happily ever after’. This concept also fits in with Goodwin’s idea of visuals
amplifying and illustrating lyrics.
The scene opens with an
establishing shot of the
young couples houses – this
establishes where the video
is going to take place and
the concept. It also
represents the start of a
story.
A shot of Taylor Swift holding
up her sign to the boy is
shown, this establishes the
relationship that they have as
friends and that she cares
about him.
This shot shows the boys
response, as the story
develops, its obvious that
they have a connection,
as he is confiding in her
about his relationship
troubles with his girlfriend.
The story develops as
the boy goes off with
his girlfriend who is
the ‘mean girl’ it
becomes clear to the
audience that they
are not meant for
each other
The resolution of this story is
shown in this shot of the
drama being solved and the
pair kissing. This is a very
typical ending to a narrative
music video.
5. CONCEPTUAL VIDEOS
• These types of videos rely on poetic forms, mainly metaphors. Firth (1988) said:
‘Conceptual videos do not tell a story in linear fashion, but rather create a mood, a
feeling to be evoked in the experience of viewing’ Because conceptual videos can
be perceived differently to different people, they are open to ambiguity and
different possibilities of what the message could actually be. Multiple meanings are
available as the metaphors are interpreted by each viewer. An example of a
conceptual music video is Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeroes ‘That’s what's up’
which features a boy and a girl toddler acting as though their adults, going to work,
arguing etc. The concept behind this video is to illustrate how innocent and naïve
children are and how complicated adult relationships are, but the idea is that adult
relationships can be simple if only we were more child-like perhaps. But, perhaps
somebody else may interpret this in a different way to me, which is the whole point
of conceptual music videos.
6. PERFORMANCE/CONCEPT HYBRID
• Sometimes a music video contains more than one of these characteristics, which makes it a
hybrid. This is more often than not a performance with a concept. The result of this is the
audience feel they can relate to the performer as well as the concept, which usually have
something in common. An example of this hybrid is Bring Me The Horizon’s ‘Can You Feel My
Heart’ video, which displays them performing their song, whilst cutting to a scene of a young
man running away from creepy looking hooded figures, who catch him and cut him open
resulting in black blood seeping out of his chest. The performance aspect of this video is very
common in the metal/rock genre, depicting the band playing their instruments and the lead
singer singing into the microphone. The concept aspect of this video is inspired by the horror
movie genre, the use of an abandoned desolate building, scary black figures and gore all
relate to this genre. This coincides with Goodwin's theory of record labels having certain
demands and impressing certain images onto their artists, as well as intertextuality.
