Codes and conventions for a rock music video

Linkin Park- Numb The singers usually wear black clothes that have spikes on or that are ripped. Other people in the music video that are not the main singer or part of the narrative typically wear bright clothes and they stand out-

whereas everyone else who is relevant blends in. It is usual for music videos of this genre to have very low key lighting, and have a strip of light shining across their faces when they sing. This choice by the director helps the

viewer to have a better understanding of the emotion that should be felt at this point, and in some ways can help them to gain a better understanding of the lyrics. There is no specific set positions within this genre. The only thing that could be commented on, is the way that when they are playing instruments, the rule of thirds is always adhered to, and they are always towards one side of the frame. Unlike the stereotype set on rock bands, it is often the case that any make up they wear is minimal. More often than not, it is heavy metal bands that wear make-up- predominantly eye liner. There will always be musical instruments; often the band will be playing them. The rest of the props can vary, it will depend on the lyrics of the song and the narrative the director is trying to portray. It tends to be one that has band involvement but then has a parallel narrative of something else. Whether it does or not tends to mainly depend on the lyrics in the song. It is also a convention that they follow the struggles of someone as they are not accepted by society. The camera angles used here totally vary. However the most common and recurring thing is that when musical instruments are involved, they are made the main centre point of the shot- the musician themselves is secondary. The camera can often start from a low angle, and slowly pan up to reveal the musician- thus making the instrument more important. More often than not, the viewer does not see the musician, they just see it being played.