Task 2b(ii): Styles & Conventions

In-concert and ‘as live’ footage (performance)



This is an example of In-concert music video; in the music video above, you can see the artist performing on a live stage in front of audience, this is also another example of performance music video. Although this song's genre is Pop, this type of music video are very common in rock music videos, it's their genre convention. This music video contains different clips of her performances and behind-the-scenes footage taken from her world tour The 1989 World Tour. They have recorded it live and turn the footage into a music video so this way, they can show their audience what it would look like if they came and watch one of their performances live. Music videos like this can help artists/bands make more money as it can attract the audience into buying tickets as the audience may want to experience the live performance. This also make the company more money.

Taylor Swift ~ New Romantics (YouTube Comments)

Interpretative

This is an example of an interpretive music video. This song is called ‘The Hills’ and it is sung by The Weeknd. Interpretive means something that looks like something else but has a different meaning. These types of music videos usually make the audience to make their own theories of what they think the music video is about, as the music video doesn’t have a clear meaning. This music video links to the artist's other music videos.

The video begins showing a wrecked car that has been flipped over, but it is unknown why the car was flipped over which give the audience to come up with a theory. The Weeknd is then crawling out of the car then he walk to the other side of the car to help other two women to get out the car. As the song continues, The Weeknd is walking by himself down a dark street which low-key lighting was used in most scenes. Around 1:50, the wrecked car explodes behind him, which was sync on the beat drop. Later he entered an abandoned mansion and went upstairs to a room, which is illuminated with red light. In the room there was a man who was holding an apple that seems to be waiting for The Weeknd, the two women from the car scene was also there sitting with the man. The video then cuts to black.

This music video make the audience interpret their own meaning on the video as it isn’t made clear why the car was wrecked and flipped, who was those two women, where is going, why did he go into the mansion, who was that man in end, is that the same man in other (The Weeknd’s) music videos? etc.

Narrative



This is an example of an narrative music video. Narrative music video is a style of music video that tell any kind of story in linear. Similar to short film. Most narrative music videos are more likely related to the lyrics of the soundtrack. Love stories are the most common narrative theme in music video as you can see a love story in this music video, it was about a man who's returning home and finding out she has been unfaithful, there was also a twist at the end. In the music video, there was no lip-syncing at all which mean there's no performance linked to it so therefore it's 100% narrative although the artist is in majority of the video as he is the main character/actor of the story. Narrative music video usually cost a lot for a record label.


Impressionist (Conceptual)

This is an example of an conceptual music video. Conceptual music video is when the purpose of the music video is to create meaning. The meaning doesn't tend to relate to the song and they usually consists of montage used to create meaning.This music video does not really have a narrative storyline but it has a meaning about it. This can mean many different things. For example, J. Cole ~ Wet Dreamz, the video uses a pair of dogs to humorously represent the lyrics of the song. The song tells the story of J. Cole losing his virginity.

Referencing (Intertextuality)



Intertextuality is the way in which one media text is referenced in another that producers think the audience will get the reference. There many reasons why they used intertextuality in music videos, for example, other artists of the younger generation could be playing tribute to older stars, likely well known or they could be a reference to motivate you or a reference to other songs etc. Intertextuality could be lyrical reference or visual reference or both. Intertextuality are very common in Hip-Hop and Parodies of an movie or music video, for example, parodies usually make fun out of famous particular stars or movies. Another reason they may be used in song/music video is to help the song flow more and give it a deeper meaning. 

An example, The Script ~ Hall of Fame ft. will.i.am, it contains lyrical reference to the film King Kong.

At 0:52, the lyric is an allusion to the film King Kong. There was a scene where King Kong bangs on his chest on top of the Empire State building. According to Genius (a website that allows you see the interpretation of song lyrics), the line symbolizes strength, courage and pride of achievement. As King Kong is on top and doesn't seem to be scared to fall as he is banging his chest, being on top represents success, not being scared to fall represents courage and banging your chest can represent strength. This song is basically motivating you as they're saying you can reach to the top.