A2 G324: Advanced Portfolio in Media

Why Does a Music Video Exist?

In almost every case, a video is a marketing tool, to advertise and sell a single. (That’s why they’re
often called ‘promos’ or ‘promotional videos’.)

A music video will help define the image of an artist, and contribute to their ‘star power’ or brand. (Two
hugely famous examples of artists whose images were defined by videos are Madonna and Michael
Jackson.)

Videos are low-cost content for TV music channels (are they effectively adverts for an artist?). TV music
channels don’t cost much to run – that’s why there are so many.

Record companies also want you to buy videos. This may be via download, on DVD collections, or as
part of promotional packages promoting an album (where inclusion of a video is usually used to ‘add
value’ especially in ‘deluxe’ packages.

The budget for a video determines how lavish a production is. Artists like Madonna have spent millions
on videos, and hired top directors, but a lot of music videos are made on a relatively low budget. The
first single from an album will often have more money spent on it than the subsequent singles.

from the video for Calvin Harris – I’m Not Alone (2009)

Consuming Videos
Think about where, when and how you watch videos.

In 2009, videos are watched on TV, PC’s, and mobile phones.

What brands were involved? Eg: TV Channels (Eg: Scuzz), websites (Eg: Youtube), technology (Eg:
iPod)

Are you (‘the audience’) actively engaged in watching videos, or are they a background activity?

If you hear a song on the radio or on your iPod / stereo, how often do you associate the image
presented in the video with the music?

Also, think about if seeing a video has made you go and buy the single or album being promoted (or
perhaps made you want to see an artist live).

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 A2 G324: Advanced Portfolio in Media
What Do
Do We See On Screen?
Meanings are created in music videos, as in films, by the people, objects and settings that are recorded by the
camera. The French semiologist Roland Barthes used the terms denotation and connotation to analyse images
and these can be applied to music videos as well as other audio-visual texts. When the elements in the mise-en-
scène are filmed an act of denotation takes place. This means that a number of elements are assembled,
recorded and can be explored by the audience visually. The act of denotation is, however, accompanied
inevitably by an act of connotation. This is
because all images and constituents of images
carry associations which ‘impregnate the whole
of the image’, Barthes also referred to the way
in which denotations draw on myths, which are
sets of ideas and images current in a society,
that seem to be unquestionable and natural.
(Bell, Joyce and Rivers, 1999)

from the video for Akon – Beautiful

(2009)

For each genre of music, there are certain

things that we usually expect to see. (And if an artist doesn’t follow the conventions for their genre, it
can either be odd or surprising!)

For example, think about what you would expect to see in a video for:

A: a heavy metal band / B: an American hip-hop star / C: a British female pop star

All the following aspects of a video production are very genre driven, and depend hugely on the image
the artist wants to project to the world:

Lighting / sets / location / costumes / colour schemes / pace of editing / camera shots used /
special effects / sexuality*

*A video that heavily features ‘sexual behaviour’ or in which the costumes are highly suggestive can
often be controversial, and even get banned. Controversy can also apply to violence and criminal
activity in videos (think about how US hip-hop and R&B are perceived to combine sex, crime, and
violence). A ‘banned’ video can be far more useful in terms of publicity than one shown normally. A
star’s image and their core audience is key here (especially the age of the audience). Often controversy
is generated when a pop artist moves from a safe family friendly image to one that is highly sexualised.
A ‘ban’ or ‘controversy’ can create huge media coverage – but may also backfire.

In a world ordered by sexual imbalance, pleasure in looking has been

split between active/male and passive/female. The determining
male gaze projects its phantasy on to the female form which is
styled accordingly. In their traditional exhibitionist role women are
simultaneously looked at and displayed, with their appearance
coded for strong visual and erotic impact so that they can be said to
connote to-be-looked-at-ness. Woman displayed as sexual object is
the leit-motif of erotic spectacle: from pin-ups to striptease, from
Ziegfeld to Busby Berkeley, she holds the look, plays to and signifies
male desire. (Mulvey, 1975)

from the video for Shakira - She Wolf (2009)

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 A2 G324: Advanced Portfolio in Media
Performance and Narrative?
Think about the balance between narrative and performance
in a video. Some videos feature the artist performing (usually
miming to a studio recording), some feature a short story set
to music. Think about the purpose of the video - is it there to
tell a story, or to show the artist performing the song?

Andrew Goodwin, [writing in 1992], identifies a number of key

features which distinguish the music video as a form:

from the video for AC/DC - Rock’n’Roll Train (2008)

• There is a relationship between the lyrics and the visuals (with visuals either illustrating, amplifying or
contradicting the lyrics).
• There is a relationship between the music and the visuals (again with visuals either illustrating, amplifying or
contradicting the music).
• Particular music genres may have their own music video style and iconography (such as live stage
performance in heavy rock).
• There is a demand on the part of the record
company for lots of close-ups of the main
artist/vocalist.
• The artist may develop their own star iconography,
in and out of their videos, which over time, becomes
part of their star image.
• There is likely to be reference to voyeurism,
particularly in the treatment of women, but also in
terms of systems of looking (screens within screens,
binoculars, cameras, etc.
(Goodwin, 1992) from the video for Britney Spears – Womanizer (2008)

Most videos combine elements of the two extremes, and mix some sort of story or plot in with
performance footage. The table below suggests some questions to ask when you think about the
balance of performance and narrative in a video.

Performance Narrative

The artist is appearing in some way to perform What’s the story?

their song.

They might be in a live setting showing the Does the story relate to the lyrics directly?
musician(s) on stage, usually miming.

Or is the performance more abstract – with the Is it serious, humorous, pretentious?

artist miming, dancing, but not pretending to be
‘authentic’. Is sex involved? Romance?

Are there dancers? What are the costumes like? Is the artist in the video ‘aware’ of their song?

Is there an ‘audience’ watching the performer? How do they interact with the song? Do other people in
the video interact with the song, or follow their own
narrative path?

Is the artist portrayed differently when ‘performing’ to ‘off stage’ or narrative scenes?

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 A2 G324: Advanced Portfolio in Media
Things To Think About If You
You Are Producing A Music
Video for Coursework:
If you produce a music video for your coursework, you will get high marks if you can demonstrate
through your video, and through your planning, that you have a theoretical and practical understanding
of the codes and conventions of the genre. You will need to draw on the theory as explained above,
and create a video that replicates the key elements of the form. You can be creative and confident in
what you do – but don’t try anything too ambitious!

While thinking about your choices, consider these guidelines:

The Music: What musical style or genre would you choose?

YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO USE COPYRIGHTED, COMMERCIAL MUSIC [If you have a friend in a
band, or write your own music, you can use that. There are also several sources of music with a ‘creative
commons’ licence which you can use free of charge, and free of copyright.]

Locations: Where would you film the video? Using a number of locations might give you the chance to
show off your skills, and combine narrative and performance. (But don’t get too ambitious

Props, Costumes, Lighting: These must fit the conventions of the genre, but also be realistic with
what you want to achieve.

Special Effects: You can use some while you are editing to enhance the video.

Health and Safety: YOU MUST NEVER DO ANYTHING that would put you or anyone else in danger
or an illegal situation while you are filming.

Budget: You don’t really have one, so everything needs to be free or ultra-cheap!

References
Bell, Joyce and Rivers, (1999). Tools of Analysis, Advanced Level Media (p.57)

Mulvey, (1975). Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema

Originally Published - Screen 16.3 Autumn 1975 pp. 6-18

Goodwin, (1992). Dancing in the Distraction Factory

And see the blog for further reading…