Purpose and Conventions of Promotional Music Videos

Music Video
A music video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings.

Styles of music videos:

• Narrative
• Performance
• Concept 

Narrative

This is often when the music tells a story often featured from the lyrics.the narrative can be like a film with a begging, middle and end. it can also promote a film using clips from the film. 

An example of a narrative based music video:  Taylor Swift - You belong with me 

Performance

Many music videos include performances of the artistss part of the video. They are used mostly to create a connection between the artist/band and audience and to promote the artist. There is no connection between the song lyrics and the video. 

An example of a performance based music video: One republic - Wherever i go

Concept

Concept videos are based around one single idea and are usually unusual or obscurer. the content is an attraction to the audience. A successful concept video keeps the audience entertained.

An example of a concept video: Russ - Yung God

Conventions:

Camera:

• Crane Shots
• Low-angles
• Long shots and Extreme long shots
• Tracking shots
• Pan and tilt shots

Sound:

• Diegetic Sound
• Non-diegetic Sound
• Change in Levels of sound

Mise-en-scene:

• Location - On a stage, in the street etc.
• Props
• Costume

Editing:

• Animation/ Computer Generated Images
• Split screens
• Filters/Effects

Types of Editing used in Music Videos: 

• Flashback - a scene or moment in a film/Novel/Music video that is set in a time earlier than the main story.
• Eye-line Match - An edit that cuts from the character to what they have been looking at.

• Graphic Match - When two objects of the same or similar shape dissolve into one another.

• Match Cut - When the position of an object is cut into the next shot but using a different object. 

• Continuity Editing - (Also called match on action) where the cut is almost unnoticeable.

• Linear Narrative - Where the shots are arranged in chronological order to create a storyline.

• Cutaways - A brief shot that momentarily interrupts the main continuous action.