Performance Videos
Early music videos were performance orientated – e..g. filming live performances from gigs concerts
These featured shots of stages and crowds for atmosphere and involvement
Performance videos use the following conventions:
Performance videos use the following conventions:
‘real life’ – the band messing around, warming up, shots from the point of view of audience members looking up at the stage
‘spectacle’ = direct audience interaction
Motif = echoed throughout videos// iconography
Unusual performance settings e.g. rooftops/forests
Narrative videos
Lyrically explanative – could be used in opposition to the song to make a social comment
Lyrically explanative – could be used in opposition to the song to make a social comment
Performer can play themselves or a character they create – think Katy Perry
Resembling a mini film/ short film and in recent years as music videos have become more of an event than just a marketing tool, the idea of releasing them essentially as a short film has become popularised. For example, Taylor Swift's bad blood video:
- Marketing began 10 days before release via social media posts
- Used teaser images of well known celebrities cast as characters
- " "Bad Blood" creates a culture where girls want to be a part of that friend set, she says. "It's something that they aspire to see and be a part of."
- Song came out prior to video release, enabling it to be recast in a new light through visuals
Enigma codes
Stereotypical representations
Intertextual references or found footage – film references
Some use a mixture
Electro House
The song I have chosen fits into the electro house genre, within the wider genre of dance music. This is typically identified by a prominent bassline and 125-135 beats per minute.
Easter eggs
The term is said to have been coined from the film 'The Rocky Horror Picture Show' when the cast had an easter egg hunt on set and some of the unfound eggs appeared in the film.
They can be beneficial in drawing in fans and keeping audience attention as the look for these easter eggs.
Conventions of dance music videos
Music artists are well known for fame and wealth and the perks that come with this. Frequent shots of models, cars, houses and boats that are not necessarily the artists own are used to imply affluent and aspirational lifestyles.
Title Shot - My music video must involve a title shot with the name of the artist and song. This is integral for my video as my artist is up and coming and therefore it is helpful to remind the video audience of who they are. These are generally used in the recurring font/graphics for the artist persona.
Sports // Movement
Extreme sports or fast paced aerobic style movement lends itself very well to the dance genre, as aside from playing in clubs etc. tracks like these will often be found in accompaniment to sports/dance classes due to there high, adrenaline pumping tempos. They are useful in casting visuals in time to the fast BPM.
A favourite is often films from popular culture. Also other videos from said artist e.g. Lily Allen trigger bang features locations from her previous videos and a prop of her debut album within the opening setting. This is particularly relevant for a 'culturally sophisticated' demographic as they will enjoy being intellectually stimulated and spend time spotting the references. There is less danger of them not 'getting' the intertextual references.
Typical of almost all dance music videos, a range of dancers and dance styles are usually explore, even if they do not fit with the genre. For example the Lean On video features Indian and Bollywood influences which create genre hybridity.
Performance Shots
For dance music videos where live music is less of a key factor, typical shots would be those of the technical equiptment. Also performance shots repeat costumes, set ups and lyrical visualisation to create visual hooks and motifs.
It's interesting to note the lack of these shots in male artist videos. Usually we see a heavily made up close up of a female performer, looking directly into the lens. Goodwin desribes these as 'visual hooks'.
Club shots
Often used in conjunction with dance or performance shots, many artists reference locations where the music would actually be listened to/danced to to inspire audiences to venture out of the world of the video and potentially spend their money on listening to the track in a different setting.
Product Placement
This is a well known revenue source, particularly when brand partnerships and sponsorship are ever important in a changing industry.
“As little as $5,000 and as much as hundreds of thousands of dollars, depending on the integration and the artist,” Lockwood reports. “Brand dollars are more important than ever to us. It allows us to make more and better videos -- and we like to showcase brands in the very best possible light.”
Editing
Carol Vernallis 'The Kindest Cut - Functions and meanings of Music Video Editing' (2001)
Narrative can be partial or fragmented and is generally a response to the music or lyrics. Structure may be disjointed too and thereby create enigma codes for the audience to follow and a resolution is not always found at the ending. Often montage styles are used with narrative playing a small role in moving the song along.
Editing often cuts in time to lyrical phrases or the beat of the song. Continuity editing is not followed in the same way as a traditional Hollywood cinema narrative becoming 'foregrounded' and obvious with multiple jump cuts to different times, locations and costumes. Rules such as the 180 degree rule are broke, frames see extreme juxtapostions and a style that runs through the video as a whole.
A wide range of shot lengths, types and distances are used sometimes in time with the music and the camera may move to the music or use master shots frequently.
The world of the video setting or 'diegesis' often confuses audiences through slow reveals and enigma codes that create gaps in audience understanding and result in endearing videos which keep viewers excited and paying attention for there duration.
Editing often cuts in time to lyrical phrases or the beat of the song. Continuity editing is not followed in the same way as a traditional Hollywood cinema narrative becoming 'foregrounded' and obvious with multiple jump cuts to different times, locations and costumes. Rules such as the 180 degree rule are broke, frames see extreme juxtapostions and a style that runs through the video as a whole.
A wide range of shot lengths, types and distances are used sometimes in time with the music and the camera may move to the music or use master shots frequently.
The world of the video setting or 'diegesis' often confuses audiences through slow reveals and enigma codes that create gaps in audience understanding and result in endearing videos which keep viewers excited and paying attention for there duration.
Dance styles are created in conjunction with the BPM of a genre of music and will often be performed in the video or created my fans outside of it. This generates a buzz around the song, for example the song 'Black Beatles' inspired many fans to post on social media doing the 'Mannequin challenge' giving the song and artist more buzz and exposure.
Goodwin - Codes and conventions
Visuals will illustrate, amplify or contradict lyrics
Thought beats - lyrics and visuals
Genre style & Iconography
Creation of a recognisable brand image
Voyeurism in relation to women - the male gaze
Websites
Websites not only create brand synergy through anchoring the artist to a different place than their music but also are products in an of themselves which encourage purchasing, fan interaction and immediacy value. I analysed Charlie XCX's webpage which she has made through her tumblr account, integrating social media into her brand.
Landing page
Artists websites are laid out fairly minimally with one long rolling page for the first thing audiences click to. A large picture of the band or artist is generally featured in a wash across the homepage with the most recent video/tour/merch featured in a pop up or box at the top. For Charlie XCX her latest single '1999' and a call to action in the button 'listen now' provide fans with immediacy value and a call to action. Similarly in the Major Lazer homepage we see a YouTube link to their latest video.
Calls to action - Sign Ups
Usually found in the footer of the page or in popups
Social media
Social media links, often depicted with icons create cross platform synergy and technical convergence as they allow fan interaction through comments, likes and follows while keeping them up to date with artist news.
Menu bar
Convention of any website and will display my 'Home' page and 'News' page in a header bar across the top right hand side.
Selling points - Merch
Original Images of band artist
I need a minimum of two original images, these are often displayed as a full size focal image across the screen, while other images may be used to advertise shoots and album/single covers from the artist. It further communicates there look and fashion style and may help[ inspire fans to purchase clothing from the online store.
Videos
As specified in the brief, my video will be displayed on my website, allowing fans to link to YouTube and view the latest content released from my artist. Having online stores also inspires purchase of the single, especially after seeing a visual representation of it.
Colour Scheme - Usually a palette of 3/4 colours are used which fits with the artists aesthetic. Fonts and graphics are consistent and minimal enabling memorable styles appropriate to the artist.
No comments:
Post a Comment