music video codes and conventions - Eve Burkitt

Music Video Codes and Conventions

1. Codes and c0nventions Music Videos

2. List of music videos included: Palaye Royale – Mr Doctor Man https://youtu.be/nzM134EhSFQ 5 Seconds of Summer – Old Me https://youtu.be/i0jZJtE1KhU Luke Hemmings – Starting Line https://youtu.be/SwNJJb8m6Z0 Kasabian – Eez -Eh https://youtu.be/ST6nEvIEY4s Dead Poet Society – American Blood https://youtu.be/YuvrneCDTPg

3. Reasons why the music videos were chosen I chose these music videos because they all included elements which I wanted to incorporate into my own video, using typical conventions as portraying a narrative structure, showcasing the actor as a performer, and using mise- en -scene as a key feature. They also all fall into (with the exception of Starting Line) the same alternative genre as my chosen song, including the original music video for this song as further inspiration.

4. Ways that artists are represented in music videos. Aspirational figure Performer Accessible

5. Artists as Aspirational Figures Artists can be seen as aspirational figures in music videos and this can be from wanting the lifestyle and wealth connected with them. This can be done by the mise- en -scene featured in the music videos; for example, by costume, set design and props. In the music video’s I have chosen, due to the socio-political messages that the bands make, the artists don’t attempt to make themselves look wealthy, instead they tend to avoid associations with materialism and capitalism or they use it as irony. This can be seen in the Eez -Eh video by Kasabian.

6. Artists as Aspirational Figures Artists can be seen as aspirational figures in music videos and this can be from wanting the lifestyle and wealth connected with them. This can be done by the mise- en -scene featured in the music videos; for example, by costume, set design and props. Kasabian does this by the use of props. They use props associated with wealth and capitalism like Disney and a cigar and act ‘foolishly’ to poke fun at these stereotypical wealth ideas.

7. Artists as Performers All the music videos I have chosen, at some point all portray the artist as a performer, by either having them lip-sync the lyrics of the song or an actual performance of the artist. Artists do this to promote themselves so that the audience wants to experience them live and will generate them more revenue. In Old Me by 5 Seconds of Summer they utilise old footage of the band playing to reminisce against how the band used to be to how they are now and recent footage of their concert in aid of Fire Fight Australia. They also include lip-syncing and the band playing individually to remind the audience of the core message behind it - personal growth.

8. Artists as Performers All the music videos I have chosen, at some point all portray the artist as a performer, by either having them lip-sync the lyrics of the song or an actual performance of the artist. Artists do this to promote themselves so that the audience wants to experience them live and will generate them more revenue. Luke Hemmings also does this in Starting Line, lip-syncing the lyrics as he runs towards the camera. This is similar to the style I will use in my music video.

9. Artists as Performers All the music videos I have chosen, at some point all portray the artist as a performer, by either having them lip-sync the lyrics of the song or an actual performance of the artist. Artists do this to promote themselves so that the audience wants to experience them live and will generate them more revenue. In Mr Doctor Man by Palaye Royale there are constant cuts back to the band playing a ‘live’ event which is the main ‘narrative’ element of the music video with the band as the central focus of the music video .

10. Artists as Performers All the music videos I have chosen, at some point all portray the artist as a performer, by either having them lip-sync the lyrics of the song or an actual performance of the artist. Artists do this to promote themselves so that the audience wants to experience them live and will generate them more revenue. In American Blood by Dead Poet Society, the lead singer of the band is seen multiple times lip-syncing to the lyrics of the song whilst also having ‘live’ concert footage of the band.

11. Artists as Performers All the music videos I have chosen, at some point all portray the artist as a performer, by either having them lip-sync the lyrics of the song or an actual performance of the artist. Artists do this to promote themselves so that the audience wants to experience them live and will generate them more revenue. In Eez -Eh by Kasabian, the footage of the band is them doing a ‘karaoke’ session on a large screen which at different points in the video shows their album title 48:13 as an intertextual reference and an example of digital convergence. Also, they use props in order to convey themselves as the performer in the music video.

12. Artists use of accessible Artists can want to portray themselves as accessible to their audience for the consumer to create a connection with the band. In Old Me by 5 Seconds of Summer they utilise old footage of the band playing to reminisce against how the band used to be to how they are now and recent footage of their concert in aid of Fire Fight Australia. They also include lip-syncing and the band playing individually to remind the audience of the core message behind it - personal growth.