The Conventions of Music Videos

This is a music video for the band Blink 182 they are a successful pop-punk band and they have broke into the mainstream market. In this video we can see clear typical conventions of this
genre.
They had a brand image of anarchy and having fun. I think they definitely follow this in the video. Punk videos are very similar to rock and indie videos as they usually consist of a live band performance and also a narrative that overlap and cut between each other. This is very common of rock and punk genre.



Whilst researching the conventions of music videos we found the work of Andrew Goodwin very useful. He said there were 6 points...

- there is a relationship between the lyrics and the visuals.
- particular music genres may have their own music video style and iconography
-there is a demand on the part of the record company for lots of close ups of the main artist/vocalist.
-the artist may develop their own star iconography
-there is likely to be reference to voyeurism
- there are likely to be intertextual references


We also discovered the work of Pete Fraser he said :

(Pete Fraser Teaching Music Video 2005)

 LYRICS: Tend to establish a general feeling or mood rather than offering a  coherent meaning. Key lines may play a part in visuals associated with the song but very rarely will a video mirror all the lyrics of a song.

 MUSIC: A music video tends to make use of the tempo of the track to drive the editing.

 GENRE: While some videos transcend genre, others can be easily categorised. These features may be reflected in the types of mise en scene, themes, performance, cinematography and editing style.

 CINEMATOGRAPHY: As with any moving image text, the way the camera is used has a significant impact on meaning. Camera movement, shot and distance all need to be analysed.

Camera movement may accompany the movement of performers (Walking, dancing) but may also be used to create a more dynamic feel to stage performance e.g. consistently circling the band as they perform on stage.

The close up predominates music video, partly due to the size of the screen but also due to the desire to create an intimacy for the viewer. It also emphasises the commodity on sale – the artist and voice.

- EDITING: Although the most common form of editing used is the fast-cut montage- rendering many of the imaged impossible to grasp in the first viewing- ensuring multiple viewings- some videos do use slow pace and gentler shot transitions/cuts to establish mood.

- INTERTEXTUALITY: “ Music video as incorporating , raiding and reconstructing.” (J.Stewart)

Music videos often use something with which the audience will be familiar with to create nostalgia and associations with e.g. Beastie Boys Sabotage and TV Cop shows, Madonna's Material Girl and Marilyn Monroe’s film Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. It is not unusual that many videos draw on cinema – as this is usually where film school graduates start in music video.

 NARRATIVE AND PERFORMANCE:  Narrative in songs, as in poetry, is rarely complete and fragmented. Music videos tend to suggest storylines and offer fragmented non-linear narratives- leaving the audience with a desire to see them again.

The video allows a more varied access to the performer than a concert can. The mise en scène in particular can be used …

 As a guarantee of ‘authenticity’ of a bands musical virtuosity by showing them in a stage performance or rehearsal room.

 To establish a relationship to familiar film or TV genres in a narrative based video

 As part of voyeuristic context by suggesting a setting associated with sexual allure, such as a sleazy nightclub or boudoir.

 Or, as John Steward suggests, to emphasise an aspirational lifestyle, as in the current emphasis on the latest gadgetry.

beth, steph and danny