CONVENTIONS OF A MUSIC VIDEO

Hannah Martin

LYRICS

The tempo and genre of a song often determines which lyrics are used. Fast

songs are usually meant to get people in a good mood and positive lyrics

are used and slow songs usually about love have negative lyrics. For

example

An upbeat song (“Happy”) – “Can't nothing bring me down my level's too

high”

A slow song (“Someone like you”) – “"Sometimes it lasts in love but

sometimes it hurts instead”

MUSIC

The tempo of the song drives the editing of the music video as fast

upbeat songs tend to have lots of jump cuts, shots that are often

no more than 1-2 seconds long and a variety of locations whereas

slower songs have each shot on for a longer period of time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XbGs_qK2PQA

GENRE

Rap songs are usually about money, drugs or sex and this is shown

through music videos by props such as expensive looking jewellery

such as watches and chains, female dancers and often drugs and

being used by the artist.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQZMaG1eO74

CAMERAWORK

Camera shots are different for different types of genres, for

example an ‘alternative’ genre song tends to have slower camera

movements, longer close-up shots and more steady shots rather

than lots of camera movement and jump cuts such as rap music.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LE7KVkm_YFU

EDITING

Fast-cut montage is often used in music videos, especially fast

tempo songs such as rap songs. Many different locations are used

and the shots show a variety of people and locations that relate to

the songs. For example showing cars and a variety clothes when a

song is about getting money.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8gyLR4NfMiI