Codes and Conventions of a Music Video

Styles of Music Videos

Music videos can be categorised as there are many different types of music videos that people choose to have. These include; performance, this is where the video focusses on the band or artist playing the music and singing the song. Pete Fraser believes that in close up shots of the singer or band it allows the audience to feel intamcy with them. A narrative, which shows a story as them music video goes along. A mixture, which shows the artists doing a performance however tells a story simultaneously. A cameo, where the band features in the video however does not perform. Finally, an animation where the music video is created digitally.

Camera shots

Conventionally a music video contains a lot of close up shots, inparticular of the lips of the instruments in which the artists are playing. High angle shots, where often the camera is on a crane looking over the stage, getting a wide view of everything on the stage. Pans and tilts moving from different performers, especially in the case of a band as they often pan from each member of the band. 

Editing

Conventionally of a music video the editing often involves lots of jump cuts and cutting to/from different narratives or angles. This keeps the video interesting and keeps the audience watching. Other forms of editing also includes split screens, this shows more than one angle to the video, this also gains the audience interest. If the story is a narrative then having split screen allows the music video to tell two stories, leading the audience to concentrate on the video. When a video doesnt have as many cuts Pete Fraser says this is aiming to create a mood and is more commonly seen in female solo artists music videos who appeal to a wide audience.

Mise En Scene

The costumes of the artists in a music video are very important depending on the music video artists usually have 2 or 3 outfits at least throughout the duration of the music video. However in some cases more popularly in a narrative style video they will have outfit changes as often as you would realistically.  The location is also important in a music video and also changes regularly changes often at the same time as the outfit. In the same circumstances as a narrative the location will be based wherever the story looks realistic. The continuous changes helps attract the audiences changes. Dyer believes that for a successful music video the aim is to become a 'star' or achieve 'stardom' He believed some aspects of a music video which help reach stardom and allow the artist to appeal to a large audience include, youthfulness, rebellion, sexual magnetism, originality and creativity.