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Codes and Conventions
In his book "Dancing in the Distraction Factory," written in 1992, Andrew Goodwin discussed the components of a music video. He established a connection between codes and conventions and how they help to tell stories and arouse emotions.
Codes can be found in camera angles, shots, editing, lighting, and sound. For instance, in horror films, a red tone symbolizes danger, and jump cuts add intensity. Narrative structures and character types are examples of conventions. Similar to this, the use of jump cuts to create a sense of rhythm and intensity in music videos has become a common editing technique.
Pop
Every time I hear this word, I imagine unicorns on rainbows - that gives you the basic idea of what this is going to be about.
Upbeat and happy pop videos frequently feature vivid colors, whereas emotional or more contemplative subjects may call for muted tones. Expensive and fashionable costumes are frequently seen in pop music videos. Artists may express their creativity and create a statement through fashion, which is important. Clothing changes frequently occur during recording. These contain a lot of cuts and transitions. These frequently include visual effects to create stunning and imaginative visuals. To improve the visual appeal of the video, this may involve CGI, animation, green screen technologies, and other special effects. These videos often feature the artist/band performing the song. The storyline might incorporate this, or it could be done as a performance akin to a concert.
Alt / Indie
These music videos frequently play around with different visual aesthetics, using unorthodox lighting, camera angles, and editing strategies (probably the reason they always have a vintage feel to them). The experimentation in the video adds to its originality and artistic appeal. Typically, the narratives in these videos are left open-ended (10 points to me for recalling a term from psychology class). Alternative or independent music videos frequently feature characters who are eccentric or unusual. These characters can give the video charm and unpredictability, which will make it stick in viewers' minds longer. These videos also make use of more undeveloped areas. While the majority of videos focus on the characters acting out a story, some may also feature an artist or band performing in between scenes. In alternative/indie music videos, stop-motion animation and other artistic visual techniques are frequently used. These methods give the visuals a creative and artistic dimension.
Folk
Folk music videos often show themes of love, nature, and sometimes talk about social issues. Hence the location usually includes mountains, forests and small towns (this enhances the video’s connection to the folk theme). These are usually based on urban myths/legends or just the traditional language, things of value passed down generations.
These usually are slow paced songs that tells about a story which is visually represented through the music videos. The main focus of the camera usually remains on the band/singer in the video or if they’re conveying a story it remains on the protagonist. Unlike pop music videos, folk music video takes a more minimalist approach avoiding complex camerawork.
The overall tone throughout most of these videos remains the same for example Little Talks by Of Monsters and Men and Overgrown Garden by Beetlebug (it does not have a music video but it’s one of my favorite songs so I’ll put it here).
The song ‘’Little Talks’’ talks about the emotional journey of the characters and people struggling with loneliness, ‘’though the truth may vary, this ship will carry our bodies safe to shore’’. The narrative revolves around themes love and loss syncing with the lyrics of the song. Throughout the video the main focus remains on the band members while the camera cutting to other scenes representing the passing of time. The video include subtle visual effects that enhances the overall mood and tone.
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