Task Two – Understand the Styles and Conventions of Music Videos

Different Styles of Music Video

There are many different styles that a music video can be created in. Some styles these videos can be include narrative based, impressionist, surrealist, pastiche, parody, homage, and intertextual. In this post I will explain these styles and include examples of where/why they have been used for certain music videos.

Narrative Based

A music video that is narrative based will use a performance as a way to tell a story. The performance seen on screen will link to the lyrics of the song and will usually cut between shots of the story and the band playing the song. These videos are used to show that the song has a story and is not just about the music, but the meaning the lyrics have. An example of a narrative based music video is November Rain by Guns N' Roses. The video starts showing someone taking pills before they go to sleep; this is the start of the story. This shot then cuts to the band performing the song, and then back to shots of the story. 

Guns N' Roses - November Rain

Impressionist 

An impressionist music video would include various shots to make the viewer/s feel a certain way. This style could either help narrate the story or be used just for entertainment purposes. The shots used can include various different aspects, such as people, locations, objects, and anything to give the video an abstract feel. An example of an impressionist video I have used is for the song Somebody That I Used To Know by Gotye. The video is very abstract and a man is seen standing by a decorative wall in which he is covered in paint to blend in. It's very much like abstract art within the music video. A woman then comes into shot that is also painted but her paint is taken off which means they are now different and someone that he used to know. This is illustrative of the lyrics.  

Gotye - Somebody That I Used To Know

Surrealist

A surrealist music video will include anything out of the ordinary and that is dream-like. The video could be abstract and not actually relate to the lyrics. Surreal music videos are usually influenced by a dream or imagination which is why what you see in the videos is something you only can imagine. An example of a surrealist music video is Don't Come Around Here No More by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers which has its own take on Alice In Wonderland. The music video for this song is based upon the fantasy novel and the images seen within the video match that of the book/film.

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers - Don't Come Around Here No More

Pastiche

A pastiche music video is a style that sets out to imitate the style of another artist's work. It is not intended to makes fun of the work, but to celebrate the style it is aiming to imitate. It does so in a respectful way instead of mocking the style. An example I have decided to use of a pastiche music video is Candyman by Christina Aguilera. This music video is based upon a 1940s World War II theme. She is seen singing with three different hair colours (brown, red, blonde) which is a tribute to the trip The Andrews Sisters. The costumes they are wearing also mimic that of what would have been worn in the 1940s. The style of music, jazz/blues/swing, is also the same as what would have been around at that time. 

Christina Aguilera - Candyman

Parody

A parody music video is one that sets out to ridicule and mock another style of work. Parody music videos can mimic both the song and/or the video of the style they are looking at. An example of an artist I have found that sets out to create parodies of music video is the artist Weird Al Yankovic. This artist created the song White and Nerdy which is a parody of the song Ridin Dirty by Chamillionaire. The music mimics the song as well as the video. The 
parody version of the song sets out to mimic everything the original song stands for. The original song shows 'gangsters' going about their business, with the parody showing a nerd rapping about his life.

Homage

A homage music video is a music video that sets out to honour another media text. It does not try to mimic it like a parody, but to respect it. An example I have decided to use is the music video for Digital Love by Daft Punk. The video is a homage to anime, as the video consists of japanese animation throughout. This video would be a homage to anime as characters can be seen within the video that people recognise. The music matches the visuals as it sounds very futuristic and robotic, which is what the sound track to an anime sounds like.


Daft Punk - Digital Love

Intertextual

Intertextual references are used within music videos which is when the media references another media text. Many music videos use television programmes or films as a starting point to creating a music video. This can either be created by copying the style of the media text they are looking at, or in a parody style. An example I have used to show intertextuality within a music video is the song Roar by Katy Perry. The intro to the music video references Indiana Jones as it has the same text. An actor is then seen who resembles Indiana Jones. The rest of the video is then set to reference Tarzan as she can be seen wearing a similar outfit and swinging from vines in trees.

Katy Perry - Roar