Codes and Conventions of Music Videos

Camerawork

The camera work is essential in a music video for the representation of the artist and the story the music video wants to tell. The camera work has a direct impact on the audience engagement with the narrative. A variety of camera angles and movements of different locations featuring the artist are used in quick succession to create the unique music video style that differs from how a film operates. This style of camerawork gives the video a more dynamic feel and vibe that promotes the song and generates interest by leaving an 'imprint' or memory on the audience so whenever they hear the song they will have an image of the music video in their head. Therefore the camerawork telling a story is essential as it needs to be memorable. Camera angles often accompany performers as they walk, sing or interact/ engage in different scenarios or events. Fixed long, wide angle shots are used to show dance rountines with a varitey of shots close to the artist to recreate the moving feel of dancing. Close ups are often used in music videos, to show the artist singing and to increase the connection with the audience to help the engage with the video.

John Stewart of Oil Factory said that he sees 'the music video as essentially having the aesthetics of the TV commercial, with lots of close ups and lighting being used most prominently for the star’s face'.

Editing
The most common form of editing associated with the music promo is fast cut montage, rendering many of the images impossible to grasp on first viewing thus ensuring multiple viewing. There are also videos that use a slower pace and gentler transitions to establish mood. This is particularly apparent in ballads or songs of a darker tone and may be acommpaoned by a black and white colour scheme. Digital effects often ehance the editing by playing with the original images to offer different kinds of interest and visuals for the audience. Effects may take the form of split screens, colourisation and blockbuster style CGI.

Star Image
Richard Dyer has noted: “a star is an image constructed from a range of materials”. For pop music these materials include:

1. The songs and their lyrical themes and musical structures/ genres
2. The record covers- singles and albums display a large part of the image the artist wants to create and present to an audience
3. Media coverage including tabloid gossip and interviews about their career and private life
4. Live performances- the images presented through the costumes, themes and props used in a stage show.
5. Music videos, which may draw upon the image presented in each of the other aspects.

Music videos are one of the most important aspects of a singer's career as they create the image and story of the songs they release as singles. They create what the audience will go on to relate and recognise the song to. Madonna is an important figure within music videos as her career has spanned 30 years due to her willingness to adapt and this has been helped by her image of which music videos owe a large chunk to creating. Throughout her career she has continually changed her image from album to album and these images and eras have been presented in her music videos. From reliogious and model (in Like a Prayer and Vogue) to Geisha and Western (Nothing Really Matters and Music/Don't Tell Me) and most recently Leotard Disco Diva to Hip Hop (Hung Up and Give it 2 Me). In addition Lady GaGa (dubbed the new Madonna) explains that she likes to create exciting film like videos like 'Telephone' as they present a memorable pop event for people to remember. In additon her extravagant costumes make her stand out and convey the message to be different and be yourself. Much like Michael Jackson's Thriller film like music videos aid the song and make them much more memorable than perhaps they would be with a less exciting or ambitious music video.

(Michael Jackson's iconic Thriller dance rountine and one of Madonna's many looks all help to create star image from music videos)

Voyeurism
This convention means, looking promiscuous in order to gain sex appeal/ pleasure. Camera angles and editing techniques sometimes emphasise certain parts of the female artist to enhance their sex appeal and to attract viewers, mostly men, in being attracted to not only their video but their albums and other merchandise as well. In recent years, it has been easier for female stars to act provocative in their videos due to the role models like Madonna, Kylie and Beyonce who have set the promiscuous standard and now it has become normal to expect this type of dancing, aesthetics or camera work in music videos. This is also used in male artists videos but this time used by their dancers, mainly female, so the sex appeal is still evident. However in this case, the idea becomes a lot more complex, because when a male star is performing it could be unclear how females are invited to respond.

"The idea of voyeurism is also frequently evident in music video through a system of screens within screens- characters shown watching performers or others on television, via web cams, as images on a video camera screen or CCTV within the world of the narrative. Indeed the proliferation of such motifs has reached a point where it has become almost an obsession in music promos".

Intertextuality

Intertextuality is when music videos frequently draw upon and use existing texts within them to recreate particular sequences or styles and to spark recognition in the audience. Not everyone instantly remembers or in some cases makes the intertexual link in certain videos, however it is said that "greater pleasure will be derived by those who know the reference and are somehow flattered by it". People may feel impressed by the use of an exsting film/ artist etc. Certain artists use cinema as a starting point due to their directors being film or cinema graduates who are new to the industry, for example Madonna's "Material Girl" (Mary Lambert, 1985). This video had links to "Diamonds are a Girls Best Friend" and Madonna is dressed like Marylin Manroe. Intertexuality draws from popular films etc and perhaps can make a music video more interesting by using elements of other media.

Narrative and Performance
"Narrative in songs is rarely complete, more often fragmentary, as in poetry".

This concept retains the viewers attention and hopefully makes them want to know what happened and perhaps watch it over for more information, almost as if the viewer is left in some sort of suspense.

“Often, music videos will cut between a narrative and a performance of the song by the band. Additionally, a carefully choreographed dance might be a part of the artist’s performance or an extra aspect of the video designed to aid visualisation and the ‘repeatability’ factor. Sometimes, the artist (especially the singer) will be a part of the story, acting as narrator and participant at the same time. But it is the lip-synch close-up and the miming of playing instruments that remains at the heart of music videos, as if to assure us that the band really can kick it.” (Steve Archer 2004)

Music videos allow an element of acting, which could include facial expressions, eye contact and mise en scene which allows the performer to be accessed by the audience in various ways, like the use of close ups and panning so everything is seen. This adds a story to the song which can nmatch the syrics or explore other meanings. As with star image this makes the song memorable and allows connections and implications the song would not have without a music video for people to see the song visually depicted.

"Other commentators have divided music videos in terms of style, though often there will be crossover between these; apart from Performance and Narrative, it is possible to identify at least six: Gothic, Animated, Dreamscapes, Portraiture, Futuristic and Home Movie