Carol Vernalis Theory

• Carol Vernallis is known for her theory about music videos. Carol Vernallis theory is based around 4 key concepts that all relate to the way a music video is made. These main concepts are:

• Narrative• Editing • Camera Movement • Diegesis

Narrative

When Carol Vernallis describes her theory particularly the narrative aspect, she believes that a video is a response to the narrative. Therefore, whatever is happening on the screen reflects the choice of lyrics that the artist is singing. However Vernallis then goes on to say that the narrative may not always be completed and be partial with the video appearing disjointed, disconnected and appear in fragments. If the music video though is left uncompleted it can leave to many questions about the narrative that won’t always be answered throughout the video. Finnally, the video may have a theme or narrative, it is probably displayed in a montage style, rather than in a clear focus.

Editing

• Carol Vernallis believes that a convention of music editing is that the video may break conventions of continuity editing. The editing may also becomes visible to the invisible style of continuity editing. In other words, the video will have a style of editing running throughout that is distinction to that the video. For example the audience may see:

• Jump cuts• Breaking the 4th wall and the 30 degree rule.• Cutting with the lyrics• Extreme changes in pace• Slow motion

Camera movements and framing

• Carol Vernalis states that establishing shots are definitely one of the key camera features of a music video and are used frequently in a music video as well as close up shots. The style of framing of the video again is quite distinctive to the video and also the camera may move in time with the lyrics. Extreme shots re known as master shots and they are quite commonly used.

Diegesis – Plot

• Diegesis is the world of music videos, it is a narrative of the music video. Carol Vernallis explains how the diegesis will be revealed quite slowly. The actions in the video and some frames will appear more important than others due to the way they have been shot.

This video is a representation of the Carol Vernallis Theory

• Lady gaga born this way http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CevxZvSJLk8&hd=1

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This video includes many of the aspects Vernallis spoke about; Jump cuts, slow motions, obvious edits close ups and many more.