Music video techniques

Styles

Type
Popular music
genres

Definition
Pop, Rock, Indie,
Drum and Bass

In-concert and as
live footage

Not in studio,
used footage from
concert or gig.
Animation is the
rapid display of a
sequence of
images to
create an illusion
of movement.

Animation

Music Example
Taylor Swift I Knew You Were Trouble
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNoKguSdy4
Y
Robbie Williams http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sD5xJsig3Ik
Radiohead Paranoid Android
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sPLEbAVjiLA

Interpretative

The audience to
make their own
Interpretation of
what they think
the music video is
about

The Beatles Blue Jay Way

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aB5Lyi_WIj
k

Narrative;

Telling a story
through a music
video.

Michael Jackson Thriller

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOnqjkJTMa
A

Impressionist

Similar to
surrealism, taking
you away from
reality.

Gorrillaz Clint Eastwood

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LoQYw49saq
c

Surrealist

Dreamlike and
unreal elements.

Pastiche

Adaptations of
existing videos.

Loose Tapestries - Fantasy Man

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=flXwvFxFbs
Geri Halliwell - It's Raining Men
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqXUpe3jlkA

Parody

Mick take of
existing
music/videos.

"Weird Al" Yankovic - White & Nerdy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N9qYF9DZPd
w

Referencing;

For example,
referencing a film
in a music video.

Adele Skyfall
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=StJLvbPIvTw

Homage

Homage is a show
or demonstration
of respect or
dedication to
someone or
something.

Luther Vandross - Dance With My Father

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wmDxJrggie8

Conventi
ons

Techniqu
es

Lyric interpretation

How the audience

interpret the lyrics.

Extending or
consolidating
songs meaning

Changing a songs
meaning to a
more suitable
one for the
listener.

Allusion

When the
audience is
under the
allusion
something is
happening then
turns out to be
not as it first
seemed.

Links to other
artists

Referencing
another by
visually adding
them in the video
or lyrics.

Eminem Without Me
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YVkUvmDQ3HY&l
ist=RDYVkUvmDQ3HY

Cutting to beat

When the shots

in the video cut
to the next in
time with the
beat.

The Offspring Pretty Fly (For a White Guy)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nzY2Qcu5i2A

Miming and lip sync

Wording the
lyrics on the
video to give the
allusion of singing
the song.

Azelia Banks - 212

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3Jv9fNPjgk

Multi-mage

The use of multiple

shots on the same
screen.

Example Kickstarts
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T9yGcKlYAiw

The Beatles - Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-AWBENDJDk8