Camera shots
Music videos include many long shots, close ups and mid shots which allow the artist to be shown consistently and shows their emotions to add tone to the song; it also adds interest of the surroundings.
Camera Movement
The camera movement usually tracks the artist or band while they move and usually uses crane, tracking, pans and tilts for a variety of shots which change on screen and keep the audience interested. The music video 'Skyscraper' by Demi Lovato uses many different camera shots such as long shot, close up and mid shot while also being a good example of camera movement such as crane shots, pans, zoom in and tracking shots:
Mise-en-scene
This is the arrangement of the artist/band and props on stage or a scene and also includes technical aspects such as the make up, costume and lighting. Mies-En-Scene is extremely important as it all adds to the tone and understanding of a song and the video. For example a black and white video may create a dreamlike idillic atmosphere or could equally be used to create tension and a dark mood while props are essential in music videos that use amplification or a conceptual style to maintain understanding for the audience. An example of strong mise-en-scene is Lady Gaga's - 'Applause' as it demonstrates wacky costumes, dance numbers and artistic settings demonstrating her artistic and performing nature that links to the songs name 'Applause' which follows her performances:
Editing
The shot most commonly used in music videos is a jump cut because it allows the shots to follow each other swiftly and in time with the music however other editing transitions such as fade or dissolve are also used depending on the songs beat and the emotions the artist is aiming for the audience to feel. The song 'Girls and Boys' by Blur demonstrates cutting to the beat well:
Other conventions of music videos:
- Most music videos contain either performance clips or conceptual clips (narrative/artistic) or both
- Usually the performer is shown in one or more settings with instruments or a band
- Performance settings usually include concerts or smaller gigs, household settings, streets/bedrooms or an artistic background
- Narrative clips usually have a visual story that is easy to follow
- Narrative stories are an idea or a concept
- The narrative relates to the song in a subtle way
- E.g. of a narrative video is Radiohead's - 'Karma Police'
- Artistic clips are conventional of music videos and contain no obvious narrative and a very unconventional
- Combining all three elements (narrative/artistic/performance) can create a very effective music video
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