1. Charlotte Simcox

2. *
Conventions are also known
as 'common features'. They
can be the recognised way of
doing something within media
that is repeated.

3. *
Within Music Videos there are
conventions that can be
generally identified when
watching. This could be through
the camera angles to the
costumes the celebrity is
wearing.

4. * Camera angles commonly found in
music videos are; Mid shots, Long
shots and Close ups.
* The angles are used in order to
depict the emotion of the artist as
you can see there facial and body
expression clearly.
*
In Beyoncé’s video for ‘Single
ladies’ she uses long shots in order
to show her dancing. Her dancing
is aggressive which suits the song
as she is trying to show her
previous partner what he is
missing. She is trying to be sexy
and desirable by showing clear
movements of her body. You can
see the emotion she has put into
her movements through the long
shot in order to aid the song.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4m1EFMoRFvY&list=PL9126ADDD965BB24E
*

5. * Close ups of artists are also
used to show emotion. This
can be through the artist lip
syncing.
* Lip syncing with the song
allows the artist to reflect the
words and emphasise the
emotion.
* In Miley Cyrus’s ‘Wrecking Ball’
she lip syncs looking straight
into the camera.
* She has red lip stick on which
automatically draws your
attention as well as her crying.
* She sings how she loves her
previous partner, the use of
the close up highlights that
stills feels for him and I think
she is trying to get the
message across by her ‘singing
to him’.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=My2FRPA3Gf8&list=PLFnW4Q6_WtbR7RhfCutM6lTWnGRd22UsG

6. * Music videos commonly use:
Tilts, Pans, Tracking shots and
Crane shots.
* The movements of the camera
are used in order to follow
around the artist. It shows that
they are the dominant figure and
us, the audience are listening to
them and watching.
* This is used in ‘What Makes You
Beautiful’ by One Direction. Liam
is amongst the band and as he
sings his verse the camera
follows him with a tracking shot
as he walks. He is then the main
focus that the audience needs to
listen to.
*
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNoKguSdy4Y&feature=kp

7. * Artificial lighting is used in
music videos as it allows
the artist to look more
enhanced as the main
focus. It will highlight there
face to make them look
more ‘flawless’.
* Also it can be used to keep
the same lighting
throughout the video as
natural lighting can change.
Or if its dark its used in
order for you to see the
artist.
In One Directions ‘One Thing’ music
video uses artificial lighting for
both reasons.
1. The light makes them the main
focus of the scene as everything
else is darker
2. They are outside at night and the
artificial light is used in order to
see them.
*
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1xs_xPb46M

8. *Colour adjustments that
are used frequently within
music videos is the ‘Black
and White’ edit.
*The black and white
colour correction can be
used to set the mood of
the music video.
*It can either make it look
sad/emotional as it can
represent a ‘darker stage’
in life. Or it can make the
scene look sensual or
mysterious.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BsYE078RQCI
In ‘The 1975’s’ music video for ‘settle down’
they use black and white throughout. The
video is based on feeling confused/sad
about being attracted to a situation that
isn't good for you (guilty pleasure). The use
of black and white could represent that
there trying to make it look ‘irregular’ but
in the end light comes. This makes it seem
there is always good at the end of the road.
*

9. * Mis-en-scene can be used in
music videos to represent
what the artist is implying.
* It allows the audience to
create a visual connection.
This could be through props.
* In miley cyrus’s ‘wrecking
ball’ she uses a literal
wrecking ball in order to
metaphorically depict what
her previous lover has done
to her. He broke her walls
down and left her. Leaving
her broken hearted.
*

10. * Costumes in music videos are used to reflect what
type of genre or theme the song direction is going in.
* The song poker face is a good representation of
‘costume for genre’. Lady Gaga wears bright,
glamorous clothing in her video as its in the dance
pop genre.
* Costumes are important within music videos as the
audience can often be inspired by celebrity's and
want to copy them.
* Artists commonly dress for there audience.
* One direction are in the pop genre so they stick to
normal popular fashion trends in order to fit in with
target audience.
* Eg: t-shirts, chinos, jeans etc.
Gaga is wearing a a leotard
type outfit. It looks like a
glamorous version of what
people wear to dance.
This allows her to look
stylish for the dance pop
genre.
In ‘what makes you beautiful’ the band are
wearing casual clothing that is popular within
teenagers. (stripes, checks, plain white tee’s)
*
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJO3ROT-A4E

11. * Conventional music videos can
commonly be found as a ‘short
film – with dialogue’.
* This enables the storyline to
build up then we are led into the
song.
* Taylor Swifts ‘I Knew you were
trouble’ follows this theme. The
establishing shot is her ‘after the
trouble’ and then it leads in to
how she first met the man who
broke her heart and it switches
over, vise versa. There is
dialogue over the clips which
gives you an incite to the story
before the song starts at 1.53
seconds. Throughout the video it
is switching from past to present
in order to visualize her feelings
and to depict the story from
start to finish.
past
Present
*

12. * The Music Video my group and I are creating to
Icona pop’s ‘I love it’ is within the pop genre.
In order to build the correct atmosphere of the
pop genre I am researching conventions that
are commonly found within music videos. The
profound information could help me pick out
conventions for my own music video.
*

13. * Close ups are used constantly
throughout pop music videos
to show there emotion. This
usually includes them being
happy to aid the upbeat song.
* They can also be used for the
artist to look straight into the
audiences eyes to ‘create a
connection’ or build the
emotion.
* In ‘We Cant Stop’ by Miley
Cyrus she stares straight into
the camera as if she is talking
to you. She is emphasising the
point that you cant stop her
by getting close to your face.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LrUvu1mlWco
*

14. * Pop music videos are usually upbeat and fun. Long shots
are commonly used to show the artist and their location to
highlight how much fun they are having.
* In Pharrell Williams ‘Happy’ music video it depicts him and
many others in there happy state walking/dancing along
the street. This enables the video to be more fun and suit
the genre.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6Sxv-sUYtM&list=PLFnW4Q6_WtbTcvD5_elDz7-kBHqWNtXCc

15. * Animations are often seen
within the pop genre of music
videos.
* Some artists collaborate with
films and then either use the
film as a music video OR include
short snippets that relate to the
song.
* Demi Lovato sung the song ‘let
it go’ from Frozen. Her music
video includes clips of her
singing as herself and short
scenes from the film.
*

16. * Outfits worn in pop music videos need to be stylish and on trend, it
encourages the audience to wear them. it also makes them look the
same. Meaning there not different.
* Some pop artists can contrast normality and wear revealing
clothing as it makes them seem sexy to there audience.
Britney Spears in the
‘Toxic’ music videos
conveys her trying to be
‘sexy’ as she wears a
revealing clear body suit
that only covers certain
areas.
Taylor swift in the ’22’ video is wearing a simple
graphic tee with shorts and a fedora. Hats are
extremely fashionable at the moment so by wearing
them she is fitting in with her teenage audience. This
makes her more appealing as she is wearing popular
clothing as everyone else. She seems normal.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AgFeZr5ptV8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LOZuxwV
04685
*

17. * Artists in the pop genre’s main
target audience are teenagers.
* To draw teenagers in artists use
relatable situations within there
music videos.
* Sex, house party's and clubs are
conventional as it makes the
artist look like they are the
same as their audience. It
makes them relatable, going
out and doing the same things
which makes teenagers like
them.
Icona Pop ‘I love it’ – They are in a club.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qcULnDtJ3AM
Pussycat Dolls ft
Snoop Dog ‘Buttons’
– She dances with
The Vamps ‘Can We Dance’ – They have a
the chair sexually.
house party.
Creating a visual for http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UqSww10eeKw
the lyrics.
*
http://www.youtube.com/wat
ch?v=VCLxJd1d84s#t=141