23rd September 2012 - Technical Conventions

TECHNICAL CONVENTIONS

Editing is very frequent in music videos:

• It is closely connected to the song.
• It works hard to ensure that no single element (whether it be narrative, setting, performance, song, star, lyrics or song) gains the upper hand.
• It keeps momentum.
• Jump cuts are used liberally.
• Long dissolves usually compliment smooth arrangements.
• Long takes can underscore broad melodic phases.
• Short takes keep the audience focused on the beat of the music.

The continuity system is less common in music videos, as music videos travel in obscure paths (editing helps this process). However, the awkward style of editing allows us to keep with the song and the video itself. It also forces the viewer to focus on the musical and visual aspect of the video.
Music videos do not follow the same path as Hollywood films regarding cinematography. Even though the path of a music video may be confusing, the knowledge of TV and film helps us understand and can still make a specific shot look glamourous.
Movement is an essential aspect to music videos. Dollys are often used so the image on screen can keep in time with the songs momentum. Tracking shots are also crucial because they help change the view point on a scene. Other movements which can be used are tilts, cranes and pans.
Music videos are created to be discontinuous. You can get the jist of a character's personality and what they are like, but you will never truly know. An action will often never be completed; editing cuts away a persons actions so you don't see the full shot.
Close-ups of the star are important in music videos. Editing can usually cut away on the beat of the song. Lip syncing is also essential in music videos, for obvious reasons.
The setting can be described as part of the artist's world, as it is their own personal space. Three things need to be taken into consideration when on location; the location in general, the presentation of the location and if any, what meaning can be created from the setting.

Poker Face Lady Gaga
Short takes are used throughout the video of Lady Gaga's 'Poker Face'; the video keeps abruptly changing from shot to shot, whether it be the same shot or to a different one. Close-up shots are also used frequently to showcase that Lady Gaga is the star of this song. The shots quickly jump from scene to scene to show the fast pace of the song.
The locations fit in well with the song; the song has many references to gambling (mainly poker), so one of the shots shows Lady Gaga playing strip poker with a group of people. The song seems to fit well with the party scene too, as it seems like everyone is dancing to the song being played, showing that at this moment in time it could already be famous. The costumes Lady Gaga wears are seen as promiscuous and provocative; however she could have intentionally wore these costumes to attract the male audience into watching the video.

23rd September 2012 - Narrative Conventions

NARRATIVE CONVENTIONS

An advanced portfolio for a music video would consist of:

• performance, narrative and conceptual
• a music video for one song on the album
• a full digipak for the album
• a magazine advert to accompany the album release

Some writers have said that music can work in the same style as narratives from films. However, others have argued with that statement, claiming that they adopt an 'anti-narrative' and defy all concept in narrative.
It is understandable that music videos do not make sense or carry a plot like a film does if the intention of developing and creating a video is to sell the music. If it was this case, the directors of the video would be completely focused on the cause, effect, characters and narrative. Lyrics can help serve as a narrative, but only in a partial way; the image on screen may act out the current lyrics.
The basic conventions of a music video could be;

• having a narrative sequence, or a variety of cutaway shots
• having a variety of close-ups, mid shots and long shots
• choosing two or more locations for the artists to perform
• choosing two or more costumes to be worn in the video

I Would Do Anything For Love Meatloaf
There is a narrative to this music video. It is the stereotypical love story where the man watches the woman he loves from the sidelines but is too scared to go and speak to her due to his appearance, however when they finally meet she still loves him anyway.

The narrative is in full; it is like watching the whole story from Meat Loaf's perspective when you watch this music video. They have a variety of conventions for the narrative - lots of close-ups of Meat Loaf are used along with a variety of mid and long shots, and many different locations are used. I didn't notice too many costume changes, however they may have been subtle.
I believe the narrative is successful; it has a clear link between the visual and lyrics, and you get the feel like you are watching a story while you are watching this video.

Crazy Aerosmith

There is sort of a narrative behind this music video; you see two girls breaking out of school to go and have a day out rather than study. The characters live up to their stereotypes - the women seem to be rather promiscuous by the clothes they wear and the way they act (going to a strip club together, getting changed in a phone and handing the clerk the photos, etc). The male, who is a farmer, does also live up to his expectations; he is a young male who works on a farm, and you would expect him to be shirtless and have a really buff body. There are no major links between the band's performance and the narrative, however there are a few small things; the band seem to be performing and having fun in the band scenes, and in the main narrative it is shown for the two girls to just be out having fun.Overall the music video could be seen as literally just going out, being yourself and having fun.
There are no links between the lyrics and the narrative; the song meaning seems to be about a love that Steve Tyler could not get back and it's driving him crazy, however the music video seems to be about the two girls going out and having a good time.

Smack My Bitch Up The Prodigy
The camera shot is a constant point-of-view shot. From using this camera angle constantly, you get the effect that you are actually that person doing everything they are doing. You see the character getting ready for a night out, and just before they leave to go out on the town, they snort some cocaine.

There is a lot of use of diegetic sound in the music video; for example, the shower right at the beginning is a good example is it is literally like you are in the room with the person. Diegetic sound is used all through the intro to the video (turning off the bathroom light, putting the CD on, etc).
The sound and image works well together as it seems to be a party/rave song. The main character is getting ready for a night on the town and it seems they are going clubbing, so the genre of this song fits in well with what the character is doing.