Conventions of a Music Video (part 2)

1. Conventions of narrative music videos 

the music video contains a series of events that both make sense to the audience and appear to be       

unified in time and space. So as to ensure repeated viewings and the effective marketing of the   band/artists and song, the narrative code must be 'loose' or simply 'suggestive' rather than 'realistic' or    'detailed'

Arcade Fire - Everything Now:

- the narrative was about abandoned children who were playing through an empty desert location,        whilst an indie pop band were singing around them. it is designed to make the audience question the music video and so therefore encourages people to watch and talk about it.  

- I feel that the music sold to band to be quite indie through their use of location and props. It also showed them to be professional as it was a high quality music video.

- I feel that the intended target audience for this music video is for audiences ages 20-30 years old who like alternative music.

2. Conventions of band performance
A degree of authenticity of the performance is sought by the band an the directer so we often lip-syncing close-up, mimed playing of the instruments, repetition of chorus shots to enhance 'repeatability; unusual camera shots and angles (e.g. the micro camera shots attached to the neck of the guitar, sweeping crane shots to dilm the audience reaction to the band playing etc.)

Foo Fighters - Run:
- The music video features many scenes containing violence and rebellion and so therefore it attracts audience members who are fans of rock and rock music is associated and with these two aspects.
- The music video would appeal to all ages as it is funny and so would attract a variety of different ages.
- There are a range of different conventions of band performance as it includes a variety of lip synching, playing of the instruments and has a clear narrative which is not realistic as it shows the elderly turning violent.

3. conventions of a solo artist performer

many of the band performance conventions plus choreographed dance routines are used to enhance 'repeatability''. Also, a first-person mode of address directly engaging the viewer through the camera which involves many close up shots of eyes rolling and gesturing and if the video is a hybrid from cutting from cutting between performance and narrative then the solo artist or band lead singer often becomes part of the narrative story, acting as a narrator and participant at the same time. 

Katy Perry - Roar:

- Close ups, mid shots and low angle shots are used to sell her star image

- Clearly Katy Perry was part of the narrative story as she was singing about lions, whilst she was in the jungle

- Pop music videos use brighter colours in order to appeal to their target audience of young people

- Visual effects were used to encourage the audience to watch the video again

- Eyes rolling and gesturing to the audience, which allows herself to make her available to the audience.

- A lot of lip syncing to portray that she is the star performer

- Lack of instruments connotes that she is the star and is not a part of a bad; she is just a singer