The Purpose of a Music Video

The purpose of a music video is to promote a song, artist or album. Music videos tend to be visually memorable, this is so that people will share the video and watch the video numerous times. If a music video isn't interesting, then people will not watch it.
Videos can be created with a narrative story line which helps to convey the meaning and lyrics of the song. It gives the audience something interesting to watch whilst listening to the song and helps them to visualize the imagery described in the lyrics.
Artists may use popular culture and modern trends to attract an audience to their video as they will be able to relate to it.

Music videos are also a way for the record label to show of the artist and show the audience the star image. Its is also a way to make money which the artists can then use to make more music and videos. Occasionally in music videos you will find product placement of companies that have helped to fund the video.

The video for Panic! at the Disco's Ready To Go was sponsored by Tuborg and therefore their products were used within the video. 

The History of Music Videos

1970's- On the hit TV show 'Top of the Pops', when an artist or band couldn't appear in person and they didn't have a music video to show of them, they would have dance troopes dance whilst the song was playing.
Top of the Pops was played before the watershed and was quite censorous. Acts would produce a promo that would be banned or edited.















1980's- MTV was launched as the first television channel to play constant music videos 24 hours a day. The first ever video to be played on MTV was 'Buggles - Video Killed the Radio Star.'



-In the early to mid 80's, artists used much more sophisticated effects and added more of a story line to their music videos.
-Michael Jackson was the 1st artist to create the concept of making a short film as a music video. He used this concept for his video for 'Billy Jean'.

1983- Michael Jackson's short film for the song 'Thriller' took the music video to a new level. It was very unconventional to music videos seen in that era. It used conventions and techniques that you would have been more likely to see in a film. It used aspects such as a voice over, natural lighting and also included a title and credits. The cost to make the short film was $500,000.



1985- VH1 was launched. This channel played much softer music and was aimed at a much older demographic.
-Dire Straits music video for the song 'Money for Nothing' was a new level for computer animated imagery.



1986- The Chart Show on channel 4 was launched. It played solely music videos that were in the charts.
-Peter Gabriel's 'Sledgehammer' used special effects which hadn't been seen before in the world of music videos.



-Directors started to get more involved in music videos. Such as Michael Jackson's 'Bad'.

-Music videos started to have more and more money spent on them. Duran Duran's 'Wild Boys' had a budget of $4,000,000.

Textual Analysis of Music Videos

Mise-en-Scene: There are always people dancing in the background of all the shots to show that it is set at a party. Low-key lighting is used to reinforce this atmosphere. The location and costumes fit well with the generic conventions of the genre and the fact that there are teenagers in the video helps to reach the target audience as they can relate to it more.
Sound: There is extra-diegetic sound added into the video including people singing happy birthday to fit with the theme of the song and the video and also people shouting and laughing which adds to the atmosphere of the party.
Camera Angles: Handheld shots are used to make it feel like a home-video that somebody has made of their party. Dutch angles are also used to show the effects of the group of teens being drunk at the party. There are numerous shots where it appears that the camera has been set down on a table and the various guests can come and film themselves.
Narrative: The narrative of the video is that there is a group of friends at a party and they are telling people its their birthday as an excuse for how they are acting at the party.
Titling: Their are credits at the end, this is unconventional of a music video. Also the fact that the credits are their twitter usernames is unconventional of credits in general so this makes the end of the video even more unconventional.




Mise-en-Scene: She is wearing unusual costumes which is a regular motif of Lady Gaga. Outlandish outfits draw attention to her which links to the lyrics "I live for the applause.".
Sound: No extra diegetic sound has been used.
Camera Angles: Since her aesthetics are so important, lots of close ups and full body long shots to emphasize this. She is also always in the centre of the shots showing that she is the centre of attention.
Narrative: The song is about her living for the crowd and for their applause so in the video she is constantly doing things to draw attention to herself such as wearing crazy outfits, bright make up and generally doing things that the audience wouldn't expect such as having her head edited onto the body of a swan.
Titling: There are credits at the end which isn't a common convention of music videos.




Mise-en-Scene: The video is set in a jungle with various animals. The costumes reflect the jungle theme by including prints such as leopard.
Sound: There is extra diegetic sounds added including lions roaring and screams. This adds to the jungle atmosphere and also makes you pay more attention to the characters and animals.
Camera Angles: High angles used to show how small she is compared to the size of the jungle. Low angles used at the from the middle to the end to show that she has become more powerful.
Narrative: The song is about her becoming confident and powerful so the narrative goes along with the storyline of her finding her roar.
Titling: There is a title used at the beginning and 'The End' shown at the end to give the feel that this is shot in a fun, short film type way.

Textual Analysis of When The Sun Goes Down - Arctic Monkeys

Mise en Scene: Set on a council estate to show that the characters in the video are of a lower class background. Natural lighting is used to show that it is a real life situation that hasn't been glamourized in any way. The main girl in the video always wears a tracksuit even when wearing a dress over the top to connote the idea that even when she tried to cover up the fact that she is a prostitute which is frowned upon within society, it is still an underlying layer of who she is.
Sound: Extra diegetic sound has been added at the beginning of the video of a female saying "Come back, and I'll treat ya nice. I won't bite, I'll do it nice and slow for ya."
Camera Angles: There have been lots of long shots used to show the surrounding environment and to set the scene of the video. There has also been the use of many close ups of the girls face to show her emotions. Handheld shots have been used to give the video a more realistic feel and that it is a real life situation.
Narrative: The storyline follows a girl and an older man from a low class estate
Titling: At the beginning of the video it says '...Right beside us are the ones hidden by the night...', this gives the audience an insight into what the video is going to be based upon.
Relations between lyrics and visuals: 'Who's that girl there?' shows the main girl who will be seen throughout the rest of the video. 'I bet he'll rob you if he can.' The main man in the video steals food from the girls plate.

Textual Analysis of Writing's On The Wall - Plan B

Mise en Scene: Three locations are shown in the video, the house belonging to the main male characters wife, the venue of the main males performance and the bar that he goes to towards the end of the video. The lighting is always much darker when the male is in shot compared to the bright natural lighting used in the woman's shots.
Sound: Extra diegetic sound added of a crowd cheering at the beginning and end of the video. There is also a moment in the middle of the video where the main woman has a phone call with the main male.
Camera Angles: Close ups have been used many times to show the emotions of the main characters, they have also been used to show the food that the woman is preparing to show the amount of effort she has put in. Establishing shots have also been used to show change in location and that the woman in left in the house whilst the man is out having fun.
Narrative: The storyline follows a couple who are drifting apart and even though the woman is putting in lots of effort, the male character still has an affair with another woman. The lead woman spends all day making dinner for the man but he goes out with for a drink and leaves her alone.
Titling: No titling has been used in this video.

Real Media Texts - Music Video

P!nk - Raise Your Glass

The Narrative: The theme and narrative of the video is about empowering people to be proud of who they are. Its shows various people who may not be considered societies idea of beautiful and shows them overcoming the pressure to change who they are.
Settings: School canteen, Brick wall, Bull fighting ring, Civil partnership wedding, Back alley, Industrial site, Sumo wrestling ring, Milk farm, Skate park, Room of flowers, Bed, School prom, Outside at night, Graduation.
Number of shots: 139
Transitions used: Fade to black.
Representations seen: This video goes against many stereotypes that are shown in the media. The women in the video are powerful and strong. The video also shows support to homosexual rights and animal rights.




Panic! at the Disco - Nine In The Afternoon

The Narrative: The story line follows each band member into their respective dream worlds which are all filled with surreal objects and happenings.
Settings: Old fashioned streets, Bedrooms, Candy-land, Parade, Fake garden.
Number of shots: 191
Transitions used: Wipe away, Fade to black.
Representations seen: The band members are the main roles in the video. The song is very relaxing and soft, this is represented in the video with it being about dreams.


 

Stone Sour - Through Glass

The Narrative: The song is about how your perspective can change how you view someone or something, this is shown in the video by using the cardboard cutouts to trick the viewers perspective.
Settings: Hollywood house.
Number of shots: 108
Transitions used: Fade to black, blur, fade to white.
Representations seen: The video shows a stereotypical representation of Hollywood residents.