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ENSFC‐BTEC DIPLOMA IN CREATIVE MEDIA PRODUCTION
Styles, Conven ons & Techniques What different styles and conven ons can music videos have? Write at least one of you own examples in the space under each of ours. In‐concert and ‘as live’ footage The video shows the bands playing a live performance.
Bon Jovi It’s My Life
Elvis Presley Suspicious Minds
Narra ve and interpre ve It is a conven on for most music videos to offer some sort of interpreta on of the lyrics of a song, but this can be done in different ways, which can consolidate, extend, contradict or some mes even ignore the lyrics. Narra ve videos have a story for the audience to follow. Some mes this may be a fairly literal expression of the lyrics, or it may be a more interpreta ve approach, taking a cue from the lyrics but developing out from there.
Michael Jackson Thriller
My Chemical Romance Ghost of You
Tenacious D Wonderboy
David Bowie The Stars (Are Out Tonight)
Surrealist/absurdist Surreal videos are o en surprising and unconven onal, and on a literal narra ve level may some mes bear very li le rela onship to the lyrics.
Basement Jaxx Where’s Your Head at?
Soundgarden Black Hole Sun
ENSFC‐BTEC DIPLOMA IN CREATIVE MEDIA PRODUCTION
Styles, Conven ons & Techniques Impressionist Impressionist music videos try to capture the emo onal tone of the music rather than the literal meaning of the lyrics. Frequently this makes them more ‘ar s c’. In fact there was a 19th century art movement called impressionism which was all about recording how the world made the ar st feel, rather than accurately recording the world itself. Just like in the ar s c movement, elements such as so light, flowing and intermingling colours and so edges are common in impressionist videos.
Enya Orinoco Flow
The Fray How to Save a Life
Intertextual: Synergy, Allusion, Pas che, Parody and Homage Music videos some mes reference other subjects. Soundtrack videos o en have references to the films themselves, or even use real footage from the film in the music video (synergy). Music videos may also allude to another media text, an event, a person or any other historical or cultural reference. A pas che is a light hearted imita on of another ar st's style, and a parody ‘pokes fun’ at the original subject ma er. Ar sts may also use music videos as a way of paying respect to others influence, like saying thank you (homage).
Madonna Material Girl (Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend)
‘Weird Al’ Yankovic Eat It (Michael Jackson Beat It)
Eminem The Real Slim Shady
Die Another Day: Madonna , Beau ful Stranger
Smashing Pumpkins Tonight, Tonight (George Melies, Le Voyage dans la Lune 1902)
Michael Jackson Smooth Criminal (Fred Astaire in The Band Wagon 1953)
Anima on (stop mo on, digital) Videos which are wholly or partly animated in some way.
Da Punk Aerodynamic
Chemical Brothers Salmon Dance
Peter Gabriel Sledgehammer
NOTE that genre of the music will affect the style of the video.
Indie/Alterna ve Rock: The Killers When You Were Young
Pop: Bruno Mars Grenade
ENSFC‐BTEC DIPLOMA IN CREATIVE MEDIA PRODUCTION
Styles, Conven ons & Techniques What techniques are used in music video produc on? Write at least one of you own examples in the space under each of mine. LIP‐SYNCH—miming and playback A performance video might require the ar st to mime the lyrics so they appear synched to the track. Lipsynching to playback for more narra ve-based music videos is also common. Some mes the speed of the song is changed when filming for various effects i.e. slow mo on footage with normal paced audio.
The Scorpions The Winds of Change
Coldplay The Scien st
EDITING Music videos are o en edited in interes ng way, some mes even challenging the conven ons of classic con nuity edi ng. The MTV awards for best edi ng in a music video can be found here: h p:// en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MTV_Video_Music_Award_for_Best_Edi ng Look at some examples. Record your thoughts on the edi ng of one or two below. Cu ng to beat Cu ng your shots to match the beat of the music helps establish a rhythm to your edits.
a‐ha Take on Me
The White Stripes The Hardest Bu on to Bu on
Post‐produc on effects Visual effects are used for a number of reasons; for one, you may want to enchant and impress and audience into watching if the effects are cu ng edge. Also, you could a ract a slightly different audience if the effects are interes ng, mesmerising or complex. The effects used should suit the genre of the music.
Eminem . Rihanna Love the Way you Lie
Kid Cudi Day N Nite
Korn Freak on a Leash
Michael & Janet Jackson Scream
Red Hot Chili Peppers Otherside
ENSFC‐BTEC DIPLOMA IN CREATIVE MEDIA PRODUCTION
Styles, Conven ons & Techniques Example of par cular effect: split screen This is one example of an interes ng edi ng technique. Mul ple images of different events are shown on screen at the same me. The old prac ce of projec ng mul ple images onto one screen and changing them frequently, resulted in an interes ng panorama. Split screen is different to mul -imaging but is the modern equivalent as non-linear edi ng makes the process more efficient.
Blink 182 Always
Des ny’s Child Emo on
Example of par cular effect: chroma Key Footage is shot in front of a green screen or blue screen and the unwanted block colour area behind is removed (chroma keyed) out so that the second images, layered behind, is visible.
Linkin Park In the End
Kanye West Harder, Be er, Faster, Stronger
Camera movements Using pans, tracking shots, lts and crab shots to show movement. This can create flow and excitement for the audience.
Beyonce & Jay Z Bonnie and Clyde
Radiohead Karma Police
Camera angles and shot types By using various shot lengths and angles, a filmmaker can create meaning and tone within a media text. Shot varia on can also show different elements of the mise-en-scene.
Beyoncé Singles Ladies
The Fugees Ready or Not
ENSFC‐BTEC DIPLOMA IN CREATIVE MEDIA PRODUCTION
Styles, Conven ons & Techniques Mise‐en‐scene The mise-en-scene in music video is o en startling. Ligh ng, objects, se ngs and so on work with the music to reinforce the mood of the song and create desire, glamour, passion, anger or whatever. You should list a couple of music videos where, for you, the mise-en-scene is crucial. _________________________________________________________________________
Task 2 This will be used to assess you for Unit 29, Grading Criteria P2, M2 & D2. In order to demonstrate your understanding of the styles, conven ons and techniques of music videos, you must produce a Prezi or other visually impac ul product, exploring the sec ons covered in this booklet, but using your own examples. Don’t just include full videos—use s lls too, and analyse them. Below is a checklist of some of the terms you might use.
Styles
Conven ons
Techniques
popular music genres
Lyric interpreta on
Cu ng to beat
In-concert and ‘as live’ footage
Extending or consolida ng a song’s mean-
Effects
Anima on (stop mo on & digi-
ing
Miming and lip sync
tal)
Allusion
Playback and lip sync
Interpreta ve
Mul -mage
Narra ve
Camera
Impressionist
Movements
Surrealist
Camera angles
Pas che
Chroma key
Parody
Mise-en-scene
Referencing Homage Influence of commercials