Assignment 1: Task 2 - Understand the styles and conventions of music videos

Understand the styles and conventions of music videos

Andrew Goodwins 6 key conventions

Andrew Goodwin has identified the following features of music videos:

1. Music videos demonstrate genre characteristics (eg stage performance in metal video, dance routine for boy/girl bands).
2. there is a relationship between lyrics and visuals (either illustrative, amplifying, contradicting).
3. There is a relationship between music and visuals (either illustrative, amplifying, contradicting).
4. The demands of the record label will include the need for lots of close-ups of the artist may develop motifs which recur across their work (a visual style).
5. There is frequently reference to the notion of looking (screens within screens, telescopes, etc) and particularly voyeuristic treatment of the female body.
6. There is often intertextual reference (to films, TV programmes, other music videos, etc).

1. Music videos demonstrate genre characteristics (eg stage performance in metal video, dance routine for boy/girl bands).

Girl/boys Bands

In boy/girl bands there is always the same reacurance in most music videos for their songs. For example  in girl band music videos their is always hair flicking, formation dancing and suggestive touching. But in boy band music videos there is some similarities there is formation dancing and their is also slow motion, black and white and also there is laughing and joking. Examples of this are Girls Aloud - Sound of the Underground and The Wanted - Walks Like Rhianna.

Rock Bands

In rock band music videos there is always the same reacurrances. These accurances are instruments being played and it being recored in a video. They would rather show off their talent then make a high budget music video, instead they will show of their talent in the music video. But this still appeals to people bercause the music videos are different and stands out from other videos. An example of this is the Foo Fighters - The Pretender.

Indie/Folk Bands

In indie/folk band music videos there is always going to be the smae reaccurances. These accurances include instruments being played, calm environments and friendly people. the would use these in their music videos to show that the music is going to be calm and friendly and that they also care abpout their music. An example of this is The Lumineers - Ho Hey.

2. There is a relationship between lyrics and visuals (either illustrative, amplifying, contradicting)

In some music videos they link the lyrics with the visuals of the music videos. They could do it for three different reasons, they could be doing to illustrate the lyrics, amplify the lyrics or even to contradict the lyrics. 

An example of illustrating the lyrics in a music video is Nelly Furtado - Im Like A Bird. In the music video you see her flying like a bird and birds flying around in the background. This illustrates the lyrics of the song because it is related to what she is singing about, because she sings about wanting to fly like a bird and then you see her flying like a bird and birds flying around. Below is the song and music video for Im Like A Bird.

An example of amplifying the lyrics in a music video is Miley Cyrus - Wrecking Ball. In the music video you see her smashing things up with a wrecking ball and a sledge hammer. The music video is amplifying the lyrics of a relationship being wrecked. So because of the lyrics being about a wrecked relationship you see her wrecking things in the music video. Below is the song and music video for Wrecking Ball.



An example of contradicting the lyrics in a music video is Daniel Powter - Bad Day. In the music video you hear him singing about how is day is bad but in the music video you see someones day getting better by meeting someone that makes them have a good day and cheer them up. So therefore the lyrics and the music video are contradicting each other because you don't actually see someone having a bad day. Below is the song and music video for Bad Day.

3. There is a relationship between music and visuals (either illustrative, amplifying, contradicting)

In some music videos they link the music with the visuals of the music videos. They could do it for three different reasons, they could be doing to illustrate the music, amplify the music or even to contradict the music. They would do it for the pacing of the music such as fast, normal or slow speed which the editing will illustrate, amplify or contradict.

An example of a song that has an illustrative music and visuals is Nirvana - Smells Like Teen Spirit. The music video really matches the aggression that the song has and is illustrating the music and the visuals. Below is the song and music video for Smells Like Teen Spirit. 

4. The demands of the record label will include the need for lots of close-ups of the artist may develop motifs which recur across their work (a visual style)

The demands of the record label will include the need for lots of close-ups of the artist may develop motifs which recur across their work (a visual style). An example of an artist that has their own style that they are known for is Katy Perry who is usually known for her bright and colourful music videos and they different colours hairstyles that she has in all of her music videos. Also because she has her own motifs that she is known for when anyone sees one of her music videos then they will know that is is going to be bright and colourful or something different to what most other artists would have their music videos like. An example of this is California Gurls, in the music video it is brightly coloured and is different coloured hairstyles and is also different from most other music videos. Below is the song and music video for California Gurls. 

5. There is frequently reference to the notion of looking (screens within screens, telescopes, etc) and particularly voyeuristic treatment of the female body

There are frequently references to the notion of looking (screens within screens, telescopes, etc) and particularly voyeuristic treatment of the female body. Some music videos would have very controversial  things happening within the video. For example in some music videos they would use the female body to attract people to the music videos. They would do this so the music video will get popular and because the music video is popular the song itself would come popular and they will be able to sell more copies of the song. An example of this is Benny Benassi - Satisfaction. In this music video you see women using power tools is small outfits to attracted people to the song. Below is the song and music video for Satisfaction.

6. There is often intertextual reference (to films, TV programmes, other music videos, etc)

Some music videos often have intertextual references to films, TV programmes, other music videos, etc. A certain music video is Lady Gaga ft Beyonce - Telephone. In this music video they reference Kill Bill and Thelma and Louise. They would do this because the films are very well known and if people see the music video referencing to these films then the viewers would want to watch the music video more. Also they would do that because if people are remembering the music video then they are gonna remember the song and because of this the sales of the song will increase. Below is the song and music video for Telephone.

Different forms of music video such as digital, or stop motion animation; in-concert; “as live’ footage; studio based; cinematic

There are many different forms of music video. These include;

• Digital
• Stop motion animation
• In-concert
• 'As live' footage
• Studio Based
• Cinematic

Digital music videos are music videos that are animations that are created on computers. An example of a digital music video is Gorillaz - Clint Eastwood. Every scene of the music video has been made on a computer. In the music video you can see all different styles of editing, you can see slow-motion and reversing the shot. Here is the music video to Clint Eastwood by the Gorillaz.

Stop motion animation music videos is a combination of still images which are put together to make it look like they are moving. An example of this is Peter Gabriel - SledgeHammer. In the music video you can see that it is a combination of different still shots that are combined together to make the music video. Below is the music video to SledgeHammer by Peter Gabriel.

A in concert music video is footage of the artist performing at a concert and the footage being used to create the music video for the song. An example of an in concert music video is Coldplay - Fix You. In the music video you see the lead singer walk down the street and then walk on stage in a concert and carry on singing in front of a crowd. Below is the music video to Fix You by Coldplay.



Studio based music videos is footage of the recording or the song so it has the artist/artists in the studio recording them singing their song. An example of this is is Band Aid 20 - Do They Know It's Christmas?. In the music video you see all the artists singing in the studio and this has been used for the video. Below is the music video to Do They Know Its Christmas?.



A cinematic music video is that tells a story in the duration of the music video. An example of this is Eminem - Stan. In the music video you see someone that is obsessed with Eminem and decides to write him a letter but because he didn't get a reply he went crazy and decided to kill himself and his pregnant girlfriend. Below is the music video Stan by Eminem.

Different styles of music video such as a narrative based; impressionist; surrealist; pastiche; parody; homage; intertextual

There are many different styles of music video. The following are the main styles;

• Narrative based
• Impressionist
• Surrealist
• Pastiche
• Parody
• Homage

Narrative Based

A narrative based music video is a video that tells a story as it goes along. These would generally be used to catch the viewers attention because they will be drawn in because they can see a story is being told along the way and because of this when ever they hear the song they will remember the music video and it will become a popular song. An example of this is Lady Ga Ga ft Beyonce - Telephone. Along the way of this music video you see a story unfolding and because there was a story the song became very popular and because of this it was in the top 10 of the charts for a weeks. Below is the music video to Lady Ga Ga ft Beyonce - Telephone.

Impressionist

A impressionist music video is a video that is usually very artistic. They would make an impressionist music video to stand out from other music videos that are being released for other songs. They would want to stand out because they will be noticed and they will become very popular because they are different. An example of this is Gotye - Somebody I Used To Know (Feat. Kimbra). During the music video there is a very artistic theme which made the song stand out from many others when it was released. Below is the music video to Gotye - Somebody I Used To Know (Feat. Kimbra).

Surrealist

A surrealist music video is a music video that is something different from what you  would normally see for music videos. These types of music video would be made because they are original and very uncommon to be used. An example of this is Mister Heavenly - Bronx Siniper. This video is very surreal and there is probably no other music video that could be compared to this. Below is the music video to Mister Heavenly - Bronx Sniper.

Pastiche

A pastiche music video is a music video that is imitating different things such as a certain time or a certain place that is very memorable. A example of this is Christina Aguilera - Candyman because her music video is set back when it was war time in America. This music video was made this way because it will appeal to a large amount of people because they may be interested in war times or because not many people may make music videos set in the war times. Below is the music video to Christina Aguilera - Candyman.

Parody

A parody music video is a song that is generally funny music videos. They would make parody music videos because people would generally find them humerous because they are doinbg things in the music video that people would find funny so it would make them want to see the music video again. A example of a parody music video is "Weird Al" Yankovic - White & Nerdy, this music video is thaking the 'mick' out of Chamillionaire - Ridin' ft. Krazie Bone. Below is the music video to "Weird Al" Yankovic - White & Nerdy.

Homage

A homage music video is a music video that is copying features.  Homage music videos are used because they are very different from other music videos. They are generally different becuase they could be using different styles from things like films such as action, horror, comedy etc. An example of a homage music video is Michael Jackson - Thriller because he is using a zombie theme to make the video. Belwo is the music video to Michael Jackson - Thriller.

Intertextual

A intertextual music video is a song that refrences to other films. They would make songs like this because they are very popular and will do very well in the charts because the music video is popular and people will listen to the song so they can remember the film that it is refrencing. An example of this is Pharrell Williams - Happy, in the music video he makes refrence to the film Despicable Me 2. Below is the music video to Pharrell Williams - Happy.