Conventions of a music video.

By Briony Watkins.

Ben Howard - Only Love.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OWlKZ6C7cDY

Editing.

• The editing of Ben Howard’s video Only Love often follows the pace of the music, similar to the idea the Vernallis produced.

• There is are also smooth transitions between the performance and narrative scenes, showing that they are both important.

• A really interesting sequence of jump cuts is used in this video.

• This allows for the pace of the video to become a lot faster, and it provides a sense of urgency, possibly because he is trying to tell the viewer that the video is drawing to an end.

Mise-en-scène.

• The use of natural lighting in this video is very effective, as it looks ‘pure’ and fits the folk/singer-songwriter genres.

• The locations used are also really beautiful, including bridges, buildings and parks. These give the video a realistic feel, as if the viewer is part of Ben Howard’s journey. This is a feature that I really like, and am therefore considering for my own music video.

• The props used are important. A key one is the bike, which provides the basis for the video, as audiences follow his journey on this. The sunglasses are also a prop that appears a few times throughout the video. Similarly, the musical instruments are an important part of the video.

• The costumes worn are quite ‘casual’ and are similar to those that I would like to use myself.

Camera.

• The first shot is a low angle close up shot, where the main performer is shown to be important.

• Other shots such as mid-shots are used quite often.

• Handheld/Steadicam is used to again allow the audiences to feel as though they are part of the performers journey.

• The shots used are very interesting, and allow a quirky perspective to be taken. These fit with the folk/singer songwriter genres very well.

Passenger - Let Her Go.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RBumgq5yVrA

Editing.

• Passenger’s music video for Let Her Go again is edited to match the music, emphasising the importance of the song.

• An interesting jump cut-like edit is used when Passenger is performing on the stage, and the lighting changes. This looks really effective.

• Continuity editing is used to allow a smooth pace for the music video. This pace is quite slow throughout, which works with the song.

Mise-en-scène.

• The locations in the video are of the stage that Passenger is performing on, and the backstage preparation for this.

• The lighting gives a fantasy feel to the video, and really fits the folk/singer songwriter genres.

• The important props are the musical instruments

as they are used in the performance scenes. Also,

the ‘behind the scene’ items are used as props to provide the viewer with an ‘exclusive’ insight into what preparations happen before the show.

• Passenger wears smart/casual clothes in this video, which are shirts and brown trousers. In some scenes he also wears a cap.

Camera.

• The first shot is one of twinkling lights, which looks elegant and beautiful. The performer is not shown right at the start, until a long shot later where he is surrounded by his band.

• There are also a few shots that are filmed using a Steadicam/handheld technique. This creates a realistic and alternative feel.

• There are frequent close up shots of the musical instruments andmusicians. Alternating styled shots of the audience are also shown,and the viewer can therefore feel a part of the audience whilstwatching the video.

Paolo Nutini - Candy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3xYXGMRRYk

Editing.• The editing of Paolo Nutini ’s Candy does not

necessarily follow the music throughout the entirety of the video.

• The pace also changes throughout the video, with the cuts being a lot quicker near the end of it.

• A point of view shot is used when Paolo Nutini is looking at the newlywed couple, which allows the viewers to look through the musician’s perspective.

Mise-en-scène.• The music video follows the journey of two newlyweds,

starting at the church. This is the storyline that the video then takes on, which the locations, props and costumes (wedding dress, suits etc.) reflect.

• Paolo Nutini is dressed in a smart/casual way, similar to Passenger. He is however a little more casual, in a white vest, blue shirt and trousers.

Camera.

• The first shot in this video shows bunting. This immediately makes the viewer aware that the video will be set in the location of a wedding or party of sorts.

• Close up shots are often used to show Paolo Nutini, which draws a lot of attention to him, and his importance in the video.

• There is also a high use of close up shots at

the end of the music video, to show the

intimacy between the newly married couple.

Maverick Sabre - I Need.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZNtticFI60

Editing.

• The editing somewhat follows the music, which contrasts with Vernallis’ theory.

• The pace of edit is quite slow, which fits with the music well.

• There are sections that use sepia colour to

refer to past experiences through flashbacks.

• These look really quirky, and are very unusual for the genres of music. It is therefore an effect that I am considering myself.

Mise-en-scène.

• The video follows Maverick Sabre on a journey, where he appears to be reminiscing. The locations therefore reflect this, and are often forms of transport (taxi, bus, car etc.) and destinations (e.g. beach.)

• The lighting is really quite dark in many of the shots. This could however be deliberate, and reflect Maverick Sabre’s mood. (reflective and unhappy.)

• Maverick Sabre is dressed in quite casual costumes including a T-Shirt, pair of Jeans and Jacket.

Camera.

• The first shot shown is a long shot of a car. This could be a clue about the journey that Maverick Sabre will go on throughout the rest of the video. I also find the composition of it to look really beautiful.

• A close up shot of Maverick Sabre really allows the viewer to be drawn into his emotions, and understand better what he is feeling.

• One of the long shot used looks really beautiful,

as the composition of it looks very professional.

Lewis Watson - Stay.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wLkX37nwugY

Editing.

• The editing does follow the music quite a lot, although possibly not as consistently as some of the other music videos that I have analysed here.

• The pace is also rather slow, which follows the rhythm of the song. It also creates an air of mystery about the narrative, which exaggerates the effect of the surprising ending.

• A point of view shot is used to show the girl watching the performer on a television. This does also appear to be an eye line match, as he looks at her from within the television. It allows audiences to be put in the same perspective as her.

Mise-en-scène.

• The video portrays a quite eerie feel, which the locations such as the graveyard help to emphasise.

• The costumes used also help to add to this. The girl is dressed in a long black dress with a white collar and the male performer is dressed in a suit.

• The effect of fog is additionally important, as it creates an unusual and peculiar feel, which looks very effective.

Camera.

• The first shot is of a man with one of his hand in his pocket. This does not reveal much, although we soon discover that he appears to be the caretaker of the park. The dark scale of it does present a gloomy feel. Which is then carried on throughout the video.

• One shot that looks really well composed shows symmetry of a set of gates, with the female character stood in the middle. This is repeated in a similar way when she walks through the middle of the rows of audiences. She is therefore shown to be an important character.

Review.

• From this task, I have learnt basic ideas about how a music video for the folk/singer songwriter works.

• The narrative of these videos often follow a character on a journey, whether the musician or another actor/s.

• The costumes also vary between artists, although I feel more interested in ones similar to Ben Howard or Maverick Sabre.

• Locations are also an important issue for these videos, as they have to look right for the sing, be it cheerful like Paolo Nutini ’s Candy or eerie like Lewis Watson’s Stay.

• Camera shots are also important, as I have to consider how I want the viewers to feel. Do I want them to feel as though they are watching the performer, with the performer or actually be the performer?

• Also, I need to consider whether I want the editing to match them pace of them music, or go against it.

• These are just some questions and issues that I have come up with throughout this process.