General Music Video Theory

Music Video General Theory
1. The lyrics tend to express the general mood of the video, the shots used deliver meaning. This meaning will either relate or contradict the lyrics, or use a vague concept related to the style of music.
2. The tempo of the music tends to match the way the music video is edited. For example if the music video is fast pased, then so is the editing.
3. Genre is frequently reflected in the types of mise-en-scene used, common themes, style of performance, use of the camera and the way in which it’s edited.
4. Depending on how the camera is used, will impact the connotations associated with the band. More often than not, close up’s will dominate the majority of the video.
5. Editing is generally done in fast successions, to try and make it difficult for the audience to grasp what is fully going on in the video, meaning they will have to watch the video multiple times.
6. Digital effects will be used to enhance the editing, to either add to style or the audience’s experience.
7. Intertextuality is often present. This is to create pleasure in the audience, as they will be able to connect to the video and feel a sense of fulfillment at the ability to pick up on the references. An example of this is Lady Gaga- Telephone that has clear references to Kill Bill through the scene in the diner and the car used, other references include Chicago as she is walking into the prison and the style of dancing used.
8. Exhibitionism is the exposure of some form of nudity, this is common in music videos, more often than not, they show some form a nudity,(even if it’s mild) to make the artist more desirable. Either through showing the female artist themselves, or male artists surrounded by half naked women to imply that if you buy into their image and style you will be like them. This stems from the Male Gaze Theory