Music Video Research Conclusion
After researching and analysing 20 pop music videos, my group and I were able to draw some conclusions on the elements and techniques that were often seen in many of the videos. They have therefore become convention, as it appears many of the videos chose to use certain techniques to create their desired effect. In order for our music video to then be effective, we will aim to follow some of these conventions, but also look to see if challenging certain conventions would be more effective (Steve Neale for example said genre is instances of repitition and difference, thereby showing that challeging conventions may make the genre more appealing).
Whilst analysing my 20 pop music videos, it is clear that high key lighting is extremely conventional, as it portrays the upbeat rhythm and feeling of most of the songs. It also presents a happy, fun, youthful image, which is generally what pop music is all about, especially considering that the genre generally appeals to a younger audience. Another appealing element for younger people is the fact that there are young characters used in pop music videos. This allows the audience to create personal identities and relationships, as the people in the videos are of a similar age.
I also discovered that the tempo of the song is always reflected in the paced of the editing. Therefore if the beat is slow, the editing is slow, and likewise, if the beat is fast the editing is also fast. This indicated to us that we need to use fast paced editing for our song, as the tempo of the music is quick.
Generally, it was seen that straight cuts were the main transition used between scenes in pop music. This helped to create a more realistic and professional take on the video. Fades were also a commonly used transitio, generally used to show a more dreamlike scenario, which we thought could be very effective in our music video. Moreover, it was often seen that many of the pop music videos used the same transition at the start as they did at the end. For example, Meghan Trainor used an iris shot at the start and end, to create a rondo-like effect. This linked the start of the video to the end, again something we felt could be effective in our music video.
From the videos that I analysed almost all of them included illustration of the lyrics. This makes the video interesting for the viewer, as they will want to see what happens. It also allows for better understanding of the song and why it was written, as the illustration in the video perhaps shows the definition of the lyrics. All of the videos I analysed also used performance either all the way through, or during certain scenes. This allows the viewer to understand what it would be like to see the artist live, and also shows that the artist has a relationship to the lyrics they are singing. This again allows for the making of personal identities and relationships.
Finally, it appears the artists almost always have a costume change within their video. This shows their wealth, as it appears to go from normal clothing to more extravagant clothing. This technique also helps to tell the story of the song, as it may show a time change or personality change. This helps with the audiences' understanding of what's going on within the video.