Level 3
YEAR 1
Film & TV
MUSIC VIDEO
Why are music videos used?
A video connects an artist and a listener, as well as connecting a listener to an audience.
The music video is often used as a marketing tool for promoting an album or single, but with help from top tier artists, music videos can also be impressive works of art in their own right.
Music videos are still an important jumping off point for directors to hone and explore their creativity. They give young talent an opportunity to break into different areas of the film industry.
Many directors cut their teeth in music videos before going on to make films — Spike Jonze, Michel Gondry and more recently Daniel Wolfe are poster boys for this. These are visionary filmmakers who, without the existence of music videos, wouldn’t be making the exciting and experimental work they are now. It’s an outlet of inspiration no matter where you’re at in your career — they will always excite people.
narrative music videos
Music videos, for whatever reason, have a long history of attempting to not be music videos. Whether it’s homages to classic early 2000s comedies, like Ariana Grande’s “thank u, next,” or sprawling “visual albums” like Beyoncé’s Lemonade and Janelle Monae’s Dirty Computer, video directors love to imbue their works with “cinematic” elements almost as much as viewers love to watch them.
A narrative music video tells a story, logically or sequentially through a chain of events that are put together to run parallel to each other. At times it may even seem like a little film that stars a main character who communicates with the audience. Narrative music videos are good at creating emotional bonds between the artist and the viewer. Sometimes the style of the narrative can even define an artist.
performance music videos
Performance music videos consist mainly of the artists lip syncing and performing their song. There is not usually a narrative or other scenes in the video, although a hybrid of narrative and performance is another popular style of music video. A performance video, if done well, can be a powerful and cost effective way of unfolding a group's personality for their fans, and displaying their charisma to a wider audience.
Performance videos can be deceptively simple - these examples show there are many creative ways to show artists performing. With a bit of creative thinking, and committed people to film, performance can be a gateway to an iconic video, and a unique chance to show a different side of an artist to their fans.
ABStract music videos
More and more artists are using their videos as a way to experiment with design and push creative boundaries. While some artists have implemented unique color schemes, others have employed animation elements, and some have even made their videos accessible through non traditional mediums.
The phenomena of artists, whether they are painters, photographers, or even digital animators, directing music videos may not be anything new. However, over the course of the last few years, artists have worked harder than ever to bridge the gap between art and music.