Task 5 | Conventions of Music Videos

Camera shots: Music videos tend to include many long shots, close ups and mid shots. This is to create emphasis on the artist, location and emotions. Also, close ups are used not only to show emotions but to reflect the words of the song wit the movment of the lips of the artist. 

Camera movement: The movement of the camera is used to follow and trace the artist or band. Camera movements include tilts, pans, tracking and crane shots. 

Mise en Scene: This refers to the arrangement of performers and props on stage or in a scene for a production of a music video or any other media text. Mise en Scene puts importance on the representation of something. An example is, 'Mad', by Neyo. The Mise en Scene involves him walking down a road alone, being in an isolated rom. This reflects the isolation from his lover. Also, the props include hats and dark clothes which represent the down mood of the song. Similarly, the lighting is kept very dark as it is black and white; this connotes the angry and depressed mood. This is just one example of the Mise en Scene used to give an idea of how Mise en Scene works. 

Editing: Jump cuts is the predominant editing technique in music videos. This is because this allows a sudden change from one scene to another. Similarly, trainsitions such as fade and dissolve are very common in music videos as they crete a different effect to cuts. 

Pop Music Videos:

Bright and colorful, close ups to show the cheerful and upbeat emotions, extreme close ups, aims at the teenage audience, very upbeat.