MUSIC VIDEO ANALYSIS -Contexts, Media Language, Representations

What is the history of music video popularity?

While musical short film - a short film that features a muscial performance with little to no surrounding narrative - were popular as soon as recorded sound was introduced to theatrical film screenings in the 1920s , the music video rose to prominence in the 1980s when Paramount Global’s MTv absed their format around the medium

What are the 7 typical conventions of Music Videos?

1. Lots of close up shots of the band - connects the artist to their audience.

2. Narrative

3. Performance - shots of the band ‘performing’

4. Special Visual Effects

5. Lipsyncing

6. Artists may perform dance routines

7. Can be the artist performing as a character

What are 5 purposes of Music Videos?

1. To entertain the audience

2. To promote a single - or normally an album

3. To promote the brand/artist

4. To create, adapt and feed into the ‘star’ image

5. To set the ‘meaning’ of the song through the use of images

What is a Narrative? What are the features of narratives? What will the narrative usually reflect?

Many music videos contain a narrative, some sort of storyline that has a beginning, middle and end. Some music videos may have more than one narrative or fragments in more of a montage style. Whatever the narrative, it will usually reflect the lyrics, but not always.

What are Performance-based and Concept-based narratives?

Performance-based - when there is no narrative just the singer or band performing the song in some way

Concept-based - when there is no narrative, but instead themes and ideas

What is a Linear Narrative?

The narrative unfolds chronologically

What is a Non-Linear Narrative?

When it doesn’t ! Non-linear narratives are more common in music videos since they communicate a ‘sense of a story’ rather than the whole story.

What is a Circular narrative?

Starts at the end and the rest of the narrative goes back in time to tell the story back to that point

What is an Episodic Narrative?

Splits the narrative into clear chapters

What are the 5 acts of Todorov’s Narrative theory - 5 act structure?

1. Equilibrium - Characters carrying on with their normal lives

2. Disruption - A problem or change that kicks off the narrative

3. Realisation - The Protagonist(s) realises there is a problem/disruption

4. Restoration - Narrative time spent solving the issue

5. Re-Equilibrium - The ending where things are calm again - but not unchanged

What are Andrew Goodwin’s 3 ways that a music video can connect back to the song?

1. Illustration - where the action of the music video directly links to the song

2. Amplification - keeps the links to the lyrics/song but constructs a complementary layer of meaning. This enables the director to become an artistic force in the construction of the music video

3. Disjuncture - completely ignores the songs meaning and concepts and instead creates a whole new set of meanings that can be put to the song.