Similar Music Video's and their Conventions

In this post I will talk about the Conventions we have decided to use in our Music Video, and similar Music Videos and Artists that have also used them. Most of the examples I will use are a good representation of the Indie Genre, although they all may have their individual sub-genre's.

Narrative within the Indie Genre
In many Indie Music Videos there are a combination of performance and narrative; the narrative is mostly filmed in a contrasting and dissimilar location the where the performance footage is based; an example of this is in One Night Only's 'Say you don't want it', where the narrative is in the city and is busy, and the performance is on the roof of the building, just outside the city, where it is free and empty.

To complete and apply this Convention of narrative theory to the music videos, I have found a narrative in the Indie Genre in which I can analyse and make sure we can attract the audience in the same way.

In Kate Nash's Music Video for 'Foundations' I found that the lyrics link to the action is the scene, such as when the lyrics ' and I know that I should let go, but I can't...' are sung the couple are holding hands until the words 'let go' are sung. This links to an aspect we were interested in applying as in our lyrics when the singer says 'go to sleep my love...' the female character of the relationship in the video will be laying on the bed and a close up of her eyes closing will be filmed. The narrative is represented as a casual, average day, in which our scene will be as firstly the average day of when they were together, and now when they are apart; the Artist 'Kate Nash' is singing to the camera, whilst getting on with her everyday life.

Editing Technique- Overlay
As we have decided to create an overlay of scene's in the middle of our Music Video to show the Artist
singing alone, and the overlay of a previous time when the characters spent their time together there happy.


Olly Murs song 'Dear Darlin' is a perfect example of when this is used, as he uses an identical location but overlays him and his ex-girlfriends past times and fun they have shared in that location whilst he is singing alone of the bed about losing her. From this video you can tell that this Music Video is effective as the similar narrative and love story can be represented by this technique and help the audience understand the emotions involved in the song, which links to the Artist himself. To complete this in the most professional way possible we would have to film twice in the same location, with the camera running throughout; after we would have to edit it on final cut pro, by cutting, overlaying and tweaking the opacity of the image to make it subtle and appear a memory.

Editing Technique- Filter/ Camera use
The effect we want to portray in our music video is that of a warm and comforting video, despise the narrative behind it. The hue we want to create it that alike the colours and hues in Ben Howard's video, 'Keep Your Head Up'.

The filter of this video creates a more exciting feel to the Music Video and draws the audience in to watch for the rest of the song.

Another convention of the music video we are using are the different Camera shots we will use, in which will make, what could be, a boring love story into something more eye-catching and emotional. This is used in the Music Video on the left when the character is sliding down the water slide, the worm view perspective, the handheld showing shots of the reaction shots whilst sliding down the hill, and the birds-eye view assist the video in having a more exciting aspect and captures the listeners attention.





Lip- Syncing
The use of lip-syncing was important for us as the narrative will be happening around the Artist through an overlay and the 'average day' happening around him; the song in which is being used diagetically.

The Artist Daughter uses this is their song 'Still' this was influential and a linking convention to our Music video as the use of the artists image being presented on the T.V and the narrative working around it reminded me of our Artist sitting and having the narrative around him. This is effective due to the creativity but the unhappy narrative explains and shows the audience the details.







Binary Opposition Urban and Nature
The use of the Binary Opposition will be used due to the contrast we will use of the Urban and natural setting. This convention is used in Ben Howard's 'Only Love' video.

We firstly see Howard riding his bike, at a low angle capturing the power and the sunlight through the tree's. A jump cut is then used to show an urban setting in which the cuts are in time to the beat of the song, this adds interest and the audience want to know where the character will end up, why and for what? This is a convention that we are going to use.

Music Video Techniques...Split Screen

An idea that was brainstormed in our group was a split screen edit, in which throughout the video the audience will see a variety of perspectives on the scene. Through our research we found that this can be shots of the location that the narrative is based on, where the music video was filmed and a personal perspective of the characters in the scene; also if it is a band performance, the camera can identify the different instruments used by using the split screen to focus on the individual band members. The idea of a split screen can effect to the music video that provides the listener, or audience with a better insight of the narrative, band and music video.

This idea, I feel will be a good edition and aspect to our Music Video as the love narrative could be shown through the personal perspective of the male and female of relationship, which the narrative is based upon. The different emotions and feeling of the relationship, and the breakup will be expressed through this editing technique.

Here are some examples of other Artists, although not Indie, where the split screen has been used-

The Narrative of Daniel Powters' Bad Day, is similar to the music video in which we would like to create as it is based upon a break-up. The cross cutting shows the couple, now split, getting on with their lives after the break-up day in and day out; what effect it has had on them and how they feel emotionally. The questions asked by the audience, such as 'how' and 'why' are answered due to this technique also; initially you can see that the couple are not happy without each other. The singer is acting as the God Figure, as he is not the character involved in the relationship but is in some of the same locations of the character, although they cannot hear him, this is a convention of Omniscience.

Michael Jackson's song Billie Jean, again is not in the Indie Genre, and is not initially about a break-up but it is about lust and a girl. The screen split in this video is used by using props, in this case, a lamp post to separate the two different scenes in the narrative. This is a different way in which we can use the split screen idea, as we can shown the couple in the same location at different times, but have them on the same scene, and split them with an object, such as a tree, lamp post or a wall.

Outdoors/ Guitar/ Urban-Natural

John Mayer's Video, 'Queen of California' contains all three of these factors which we are interested in using within our video, we know we want to incorporate the outdoors and the guitar; an idea of binary opposition and a contrast of an urban-natural setting is an idea we liked. As you can see on this Music video the guitar features at the start, and as he is walking through the streets it changes to walking through a forest; his outfit and accessorizes change throughout this also, which I found very exciting and fun.

Lyrics Analysis

The Artist will be the omnipotent Narrative.

Genre Convention Research

After looking into some music videos from similar Artists in the Indie Acoustic Genre, I decided to create a post which sums up the common conventions and aspects I have found in relation to the genre. This will help when we start planning our own Music Video we can use some of these to attract the Audience we want and keep the video in the style of the Indie Genre.

Camera
Indie Music Videos are designed to look as if they are made by an amateur, a home video, or by a handheld camera. Film Cameras may also be used to create a vintage look and authenticity.

Shots
Close up's, long shots and extreme close ups are essential within the Indie Acoustic Genre.

Editing
The Editing seems to fit in with the pace and beat of the song, longer shots are used when it is slower and quick changes when the pace gets faster.

Lighting 
The outdoor shots in Indie Music videos are effect due to the advantage and use of the natural lighting, which links to the popular convention of nature in the setting. The indoor shots seems to be of a darker and more subtle lighting.

Colour 
The colour of the Indie Genre is key to the Music Video as the right feel to the footage creates a vintage feel to the video, which is extremely popular in this genre. The hues and tones of the video are edited greatly to create this effect, additionally a lot of music videos are in Black & White.

Props
The simplicity of this Genre results in very little props, usually the stereotypical ones you will see are a Guitar (acoustic normally) , an old film camera, or a bicycle.

Clothing
Male Artists of Indie Acoustic are usually dressed with their own individual style but again is very simple. Many of the outfits seem to be influenced by vintage and retro styles and fashion opposed to the mainstream high street brands and fashion. The casual feel to the Artists clothes give the impression to the Audience that they are very down to earth, 'normal', and more in touch with the music than fame, this helps the fans relate to the artist and music more. Common brand used in Indie are Fred Perry, Ray Ban or Vintage pieces from shops on Brick Lane or Carnaby Street; the music and image of Indie Artists Mirror each other.

Locations
The music videos I have come across in the Indie Acoustic Genre have mostly be outdoors, in a natural setting, a popular style is in a field with the sun peaking through trees. An urban area is also popular.

Sound
Artists that have influenced the sound of Indie Artists are, The Beatles, The Kooks and Oasis, so many of the older generation of this Audience may have influenced the generation listening to Indie now.

Characteristics
The characteristics of these Male Artists seem to be down to earth, natural, relaxed and very casual. This can attract an Audience that is just interested in the music and sound.

Instruments 
Acoustic Guitars are very popular in Indie Acoustic, these are shown in bands such as Mumford & Sons, and an Artist such as Ben Howard.

Narrative in Music Videos

In our lessons we have looked into the Theories of music videos, a lot of them relating to narratives.



Narrative in Music Videos on PREZI