Shadow Moses Video

Shadow Moses - Bring Me The Horizon presentation

Introduction To Music Videos

What is a Music Promo?

A music promo is a video that accompanies a song to either tell a story or to carry the song


When making a music promo you must think about;

• Camera
• Editing
• Mise-en-Scene

Technical Conventions

• Band shots/performance clips
• Shadows, mise-en-scene reflects atmosphere , equal division of shots upon band members
• High lighting
• Bright lighting
• High angle/low angle shots
• Special lighting effects
• Close ups/extreme close ups
• Animation and video special effects (CGI, green screen)
• Colour effects. Often monochrome/black and white
• Zooming in and out
• Montage
• Fast pace editing  (editing to reflect music)
• Mainly straight cuts
• Panning
• No real sound effects
• Dubbed Sound

Narrative

Does it amplify the lyrics?

Does it focus on a specific lyric?

Does it contradict?

Intertextuality

One media text may take ideas from another existing text: Post Modern

Representation

• Glamour/popstar lifestyle
• Playing out 'popstar' lifestyle within video
• Mean and moody men
• Seductive poses from female artists
• Anti-establishment activity
• Deserted locations
• Guitar solos
• Voyeurism
• Dancing      

Disjuncture in a music video is when the actions and screen play in the video have nothing to do with the lyrics that the song contains.

No Surprises - Radiohead 








Amplification is when the lyrics in the song relate directly to the video.
Hero Of War - Rise Against

Illustration in a music video is when the video concentrates on a specific part of the lyrics and portrays them in the video.

Lighthouse - Mallory Knox

How Music Videos Have Changed Over Time

Music Video's have changed throughout the years from around the 1970's to recent times now. They started off as a short video showing the performance or story behind the song. For example in 1979 The Buggles' video for 'Video Killed The Radio Star' portrays how future technology is changing. The early music videos were simple, this could be due to a small budget or lack in experience of making the music videos themselves.

However, in 1981 MTV was established and this was when the productions really took off. The budgets soared and music videos became popular due to whole stations dedicated to just music. An example of an 80's music video is Eurhythmics music video for 'Sweet Dreams'. This uses different conventions than before, as it uses actual video in it's setting. An example from the 90's is Björk's video for 'It's Oh So Quiet', which focuses in on one character, being Björk.

Now a days, music videos are all different. They can contain CGI, animation and even just be simple. Everything has been done. A weird video from recent times is Lady Gaga's video 'Pokerface'. 

 80's

 70's

 90's

2000's