Codes and Conventions of Music Videos

There are three main types of music videos:

• Narrative
• Performance
• Concept

Narrative: Narrative based music videos tell a story using the lyrics of the song and the visuals. Sometimes, the main character of the video is the artists, which allows them to lip-sync the song as well as tell the story, but this is not always the case. For example, Katy Perry does this in her music video for her song 'Roar'.
Camera shots tend to vary with narrative based music videos as it depends on the situation the characters are in. If a location needs to be shown, establishing shots will be used, or if a couple are having an argument a medium close up might be used to show their body language and facial expressions etc...


The genres that typically use narrative based videos are pop and country music. Artists that tend to use this type of video are Taylor Swift, Katy Perry, Lana Del Ray and John Newman. There can be exceptions as sometimes genres such as rock, R&B and electronic use narrative based music videos.
Normally, these types of music videos are quite big budget, so artists that are more established can afford videos such as these.




Performance: Performance based music videos show the artist performing the song in a concert or just to the camera. The artist will be lip-syncing the lyrics and, in the case of a band, they will be playing their instruments. The artist will mostly look directly into the camera and peform the song. The setting of these types of music videos can vary, such as on a stage or in a studio setting. An example of a performance based music video is You Me At Six's video for their song 'Lived A Lie'. These types of music videos tend to consist of close up and medium close up shots of the artist/s to show them lip-syncing and maybe close ups of an instrument if they are playing one. Long shots might be used to show all of the artist, or if it is a band, to show all members of the band.

The genres that typically use performance based videos are rock and sometimes pop. Artists that tend to use this type of video are You Me At Six, Foo Fighters, Thirty Seconds To Mars and Green Day. But, again, there can be exceptions. Performance based music videos can be low budget, so independent artists and less established artists can afford to make these types of music videos.











Concept: Concept based music videos are usually simple ideas that have been developed and will have no relation to the music or lyrics or the song. This may mean that the artist does not feature in the video at all, but this is not always the case. If the artist does feature in the video, there may be lip-syncing. An example of a concept based music video is OK Go's video to their song 'Here It Goes Again'. Camera shots that tend to be used are long shots, and sometimes wide shots, to show the whole picture. These types of music videos make audiences want to watch the video as well as listen to the song.

Genres such as alternative rock, indie and pop tend to use concept based videos, but, again, there can be exceptions to this. OK Go are known for often using concept based music videos, and fans of the band will know this and look out for this. Gotye's music video for his song 'Somebody That I Used To Know' is another good example of a concept based video.













Motifs:
In general, some music videos include a motif or reoccurring theme that associates with the band or artist. This attracts the audience to look out for this in their other videos. For example, the motif of OK Go is that their music videos are choreographed in one shot, which is what the audience will look out for and will be what the band are associated with and recognised by. Another example of a band/artist using a motif is Thirty Seconds To Mars. They use this 'triad' in their music videos as a motif. Motifs like these are used for artist's merchandising as well to promote their image and how they are recognised.