Music videos are short promotional videos that is released with the song, it can represent different narratives. Music videos had evolved over time due to the enhancement of technology
The first video was released in 1923 by Man Ray ‘Le Retour a La Raison’. Man Ray experimented with photogram, he placed objects on photosensitive paper and exposed it to light. This music video is very powerful as the song has no words therefore the video is interpretive, this means that from the series of shots, the audience decide the story the artist is trying to get across and make their own judgement. However, it wasn’t until the 1980’s when music videos breakthrough, 1981 MTV launched airing “Video Killed the Radio Star”, this was the beginning of an era with this new outlet for material, the music video would, by the mid-1980s, grow to play a central role in popular music marketing. Music videos main purpose is for promotion, when a new song is released normally a few weeks after or at the same time a video is released too. The video normally represents hat the message the song is trying to get across or showing what is otherwise not said in the video therefore the audience gain a better understanding of the song. Music videos are a great promotional tool as it is used to sell a song. For example, PSY ‘Gangnam Style’ video has received over two billion views and made over eight million pounds from YouTube viewings alone. This video invoked a reaction from the general public, as in the video PSY is preforming the same dance every time the chorus is repeated, therefore the dance used in the video are copied by the public and are now used and known worldwide by everyone. Promotion is very powerful implement as demonstrated by Gangnam Style as even though the lyrics of the song are in Korean, the music video has made everyone remember the lyrics, this is the main aim of any artists as if people remember the lyrics they will buy the song this then expands profits and the artists profile. Media synergy is the interaction of two or more elements collaborating together to promote products this is also known as cross media. For example, the song ‘Boom Clap by Charli XCX’ was produced for MTV’S movie of the year ‘The Fault in Our Stars’. The music video for this song featured scenes from the movie therefore this helps to promote the film and also the artist as their song is featured in the film. The synergy enables Charli XCX, to reach a wide range audience which gave her a number 1 breakthrough song and over 238 million views on her music video. It helps both the movie and the song represent ideas and make them memorable. Synergy is used in many different ways to gain more income for example including branded products in media without explicating referencing it, this is called product placement it has been used in many music videos like in Britney Spears ‘hold It against me’ it had $500,000 worth of product placement in it. Overall 25% of the production costs can be paid with product deals. Ultimately, I believe one of the main purposes for making a music video with a song apart from promotion is to extend the income amount. In 1983, Michael Jackson released a music video to the song ‘Thriller’ it was a fourteen-minute short film directed by John Landis. This was seen as an advance in the industry as it was the
first music video that told a story (beginning, middle and end). The video cost $800,000 to produce, at the time it was the most expensive video ever made, however a profit was made from the amount of copies sold on DVD and downloaded on ITunes. The music video received over 282 million views on YouTube and is still one of the most popular well known videos made. This video was being as being controversial at the time as, Michael Jackson was trying to get a message across, indulging his monster fantasies. The video was very graphic and again made history through the illustrative story that was being told along with the dance and costumes included. The video made a lot of royalties from TV for example, they got MTV and Showtime to pay $250,000 to show the 45-minute backstage video called ‘The Making of Thriller’.
Page 33 of powerpoint include The film was a best selling movie therefore the song become number 1 This brings in more income as Illustrative or intrepeative next