I have recently been watching music videos that are the same genre as the one we want to produce. Whilst doing this I have picked out some reoccurring elements in each of them.
These conventions are:
· There is always a main character that the story/song is about.
· Storylines
· Realistic settings/styles
· Tracking shot
· There was no dialog at the beginning of the video
· The story focuses on the front man/woman of the band being the main character.
· Lip Synchronising
· Huge amount of shots used
· Varied range of camera angles used
· Close ups of the lead singer
· Simple, easy to understand narratives
· Edits match the speed/beat of the music
· Slow edits at the beginning of the song, fast paced action shots half way through the song, and slow fades at the end.
Thursday, 5 November 2009
Wednesday, 4 November 2009
Exploring music videos
Theory of a Deadman - Not meant to be - http://www.theoryofadeadman.com/
From the very beginning of this video, the audience are shown the disequilibrium, which suggests something is wrong as the music is fast paced, yet the shots are in slow motion. In the shots we see lots of different items of furniture smashing to the ground. Due to the slow motion, the impact of the smash is exaggerated more. This is shown as the instant it hits the floor, the song really begins. The camera then cuts to a drop of water dropping to floor. As this happens the music calms down, this could be to give the connotations of the water being pure as the soft music also gives the suggestion of it being neutral. Then we see the camera cutting to the woman – possibly the mans wife or girlfriend – walking away from him. He looks isolated and alone whereas she looks powerful and strong minded; there is a complete contrast between the two. As she is leaving, the camera cuts to a high angle point of view shot of him staring at the a broken mirror – this giving the connotations that his relationship is over. Also all of the shots of her are in slow motion, again showing that she has the power over him. There is then a cut from her outside, getting in her car, to him sitting on a sofa inside, with loads of broken pieces of furniture around him, giving the impression that he can’t get to her. Then we see this being finalized by the fact she is driving away from him and his house. There is also another cut after she drives off; taking the camera back to him singing in the house. We also notice that the we have a large view of the city they live in behind the windows; this could imply that she has left him, and that she does not want to be found. The next two scenes are contrasted with each as well, once the camera cuts from her, we notice that the next scene is lovely and bright, and that people are just about free to go anywhere (implied from the view of the city behind the windows). In the scene after that we see hi throwing a photograph of the two into fire. This looks dark, miserable, and angry and shows that he is alone. Whereas in the previous scene no one was restricted, and isolated and there seemed to be a neutral tone in terms of lighting. After this, we see a rewound version of the previous scenes, the photographs coming out of the fire, she is driving back to their house instead of away from it, and the furniture is not being smashed and broken any more. Next the camera cuts, to pan around the band, there is a medium shot of them playing, however it is more focused on the lead singer, who is constantly following the camera. As he says, “there’s still time to turn this around”, the camera cuts from him, to her pulling up on the drive and getting out of her car, implying that they have made up now. She walks back into the house in slow motion. Again the camera cuts, this time looking up at the bass player, then starts to pan. This could mean that they are rebuilding what is left of their relationship. Straight after this there is a close up of the lead singers face, panning from a slight high angle from the back of head to the front. Then the camera cuts back to band, the quickly fades to her running out of her car. The camera then fades again as he sings, “two steps back”, as she is running up two steps back to their home. And finally the loud fast paced music ends and slower calmer music starts. There is then a cut to him standing above the mirror once again, this time though it could possibly suggest that he is reflecting over the previous events. Louder music starts again, the camera cuts to her coming back to him. It is the exact same shot as the beginning of the video, where he is standing watching her leave. However this time he looks as though he is waiting for her to come back to him. And both of them have equal amounts of power, not just her. Then the broken necklace on the floor is fixed, and the drop of water is rebuilds itself again. The camera cuts to the pair hugging, and white curtains are put back up on the windows. The camera pans around the two. Both the water, and necklace, along with the white curtains signify the end of the song, as the white gives the connotations of being pure, the water and the necklace also support this. We can notice that the man is wearing black all the way through the video, implying that he is in the wrong and has a biased opinion and she is wearing both black and white clothing, when they come together in the end this helps to give the connotation that they like one again, neutral and innocent.
From the very beginning of this video, the audience are shown the disequilibrium, which suggests something is wrong as the music is fast paced, yet the shots are in slow motion. In the shots we see lots of different items of furniture smashing to the ground. Due to the slow motion, the impact of the smash is exaggerated more. This is shown as the instant it hits the floor, the song really begins. The camera then cuts to a drop of water dropping to floor. As this happens the music calms down, this could be to give the connotations of the water being pure as the soft music also gives the suggestion of it being neutral. Then we see the camera cutting to the woman – possibly the mans wife or girlfriend – walking away from him. He looks isolated and alone whereas she looks powerful and strong minded; there is a complete contrast between the two. As she is leaving, the camera cuts to a high angle point of view shot of him staring at the a broken mirror – this giving the connotations that his relationship is over. Also all of the shots of her are in slow motion, again showing that she has the power over him. There is then a cut from her outside, getting in her car, to him sitting on a sofa inside, with loads of broken pieces of furniture around him, giving the impression that he can’t get to her. Then we see this being finalized by the fact she is driving away from him and his house. There is also another cut after she drives off; taking the camera back to him singing in the house. We also notice that the we have a large view of the city they live in behind the windows; this could imply that she has left him, and that she does not want to be found. The next two scenes are contrasted with each as well, once the camera cuts from her, we notice that the next scene is lovely and bright, and that people are just about free to go anywhere (implied from the view of the city behind the windows). In the scene after that we see hi throwing a photograph of the two into fire. This looks dark, miserable, and angry and shows that he is alone. Whereas in the previous scene no one was restricted, and isolated and there seemed to be a neutral tone in terms of lighting. After this, we see a rewound version of the previous scenes, the photographs coming out of the fire, she is driving back to their house instead of away from it, and the furniture is not being smashed and broken any more. Next the camera cuts, to pan around the band, there is a medium shot of them playing, however it is more focused on the lead singer, who is constantly following the camera. As he says, “there’s still time to turn this around”, the camera cuts from him, to her pulling up on the drive and getting out of her car, implying that they have made up now. She walks back into the house in slow motion. Again the camera cuts, this time looking up at the bass player, then starts to pan. This could mean that they are rebuilding what is left of their relationship. Straight after this there is a close up of the lead singers face, panning from a slight high angle from the back of head to the front. Then the camera cuts back to band, the quickly fades to her running out of her car. The camera then fades again as he sings, “two steps back”, as she is running up two steps back to their home. And finally the loud fast paced music ends and slower calmer music starts. There is then a cut to him standing above the mirror once again, this time though it could possibly suggest that he is reflecting over the previous events. Louder music starts again, the camera cuts to her coming back to him. It is the exact same shot as the beginning of the video, where he is standing watching her leave. However this time he looks as though he is waiting for her to come back to him. And both of them have equal amounts of power, not just her. Then the broken necklace on the floor is fixed, and the drop of water is rebuilds itself again. The camera cuts to the pair hugging, and white curtains are put back up on the windows. The camera pans around the two. Both the water, and necklace, along with the white curtains signify the end of the song, as the white gives the connotations of being pure, the water and the necklace also support this. We can notice that the man is wearing black all the way through the video, implying that he is in the wrong and has a biased opinion and she is wearing both black and white clothing, when they come together in the end this helps to give the connotation that they like one again, neutral and innocent.
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