Conventions of a Music Video

Andrew Goodwin in 1990 wrote dancing in the distraction factory which broke music videos down into easily definable features.

He stated that most music videos shared similar characteristics or conventions that demonstrated how they were different form television programmes or films.

• discontinuity editing techniques are employed. This means shots can be repeated, the narrative or story of the video doesn't need to make sense and many different locations cab be used to sell the artist and the song. 
• It is only the length of a song and generally features no dialogue just music.
• It is a promotional tool for the artist and therefore features close ups designed to sell the artists star image.
• lip syncing is generally a key feature and is employed to sell the artists looks and image.
• Lyrics tend to match the visuals 
• Music videos tend to be cut to the beat of the song. Music matches the visuals.
• The male gaze is always employed in music videos as 'sex sells'. Women are generally viewed in more sexualised manner with more scantily clad clothing.
• Music videos play intertextual reference to other media products (e.g. they are often influenced by films)
• Scopophilia (the art of watching or being a voyeur)

Analysing Bad Blood music video:

• through the use of the mirror appearing we see a long shot of Taylor swift demonstrating the notion of scopophilia as we see that she is being watched through the mirror
• further notions of scopophilia is seeing her reflection in the broken glass
•  the use of the title and font in rent is reminiscent of the film pulp fiction, showing the inter textual reference point
•  Close ups of her in a sexualised position is used to sell her star image 
• more sexualised shots 
• we can clearly see that its cut to the beat as when she says 'hey' the shot changes
• editing techniques such as slow motion, dissolves and jump cuts as well as split screen are used repetitively throughout as many of the shots are used over again.
• sword fighting is also cut to the beat
• There is a mixture of performance and narrative 
• Every time there is a chorus, it goes back to close ups of her to reinforce her star image, as well as showing that she is the one that is singing the song
• Lyrics match the visuals when she is singing bad blood and there is a fight on the screen
• arrange of different locations are used to sell her star image including her on a bike, in a boxing ring, being operated on etc.
• Through the use of fire and the girls shows and inter textual reference to films like charlie's angels.
• Low angle shot is used to sell her as powerful.