Conventions of Music Videos

Just like films, music videos have similar conventions to one another.  Some of the music videos which were published not long ago still portray some conventions to what they did in the early years.


In class we watched two videos: The Exciters - Tell Him and One Direction - What Makes You Beautiful. 


The Exciters - Tell Him 1962 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ah-tui1ubnU

What's involved:

close ups

synchronised movements

miming 

tracking shots

location changes

look towards the camera

camera followed them

Budget:

One Direction - What Makes You Beautiful 2011 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJO3ROT-A4E

What's involved: 

fades

dissolve

zoom out

mid shots

high/low angle

change of outfits, time of day and location

loads of fast cuts

look towards the camera

built a narrative

tracking shots

Budget:

What's different?
Even though both videos had a lot of cuts, the most recent one of 'What Makes You Beautiful' has much slicker and better quality editing and the cuts are much more frequent and quicker. With the One Direction video the budget was much bigger allowing better cameras and a equipment to be used, digital filming and better locations. Throughout the video the positioning of the artists move all around the location they are in compared to the 'Tell Him' video where they are in more of a basic setting along with the time of day setting and the fact they change outfits. There would have been a huge difference with the high production value and as I've previously said and in the budget which is empha. 


What's the same?
Both of the videos display the artists singing towards the camera and therefore singing the the audience.  Similarly to this the camera often follows the artist to make them center of attention and so the audience become more familiar with them and make them more popular. In both of the videos the artist bands/groups stuck to minimal dance moves however the moves they done were very synchronised. Other features what were similar, is the fact that a tracking shot is used to follow the artists throughout the video.