By Amber Gardner

*Music Video codes and conventions

The meaning behind Codes and Conventions

The pure purpose of codes and conventions is to form a meaning in media texts. A system of signs collaborated to form both technical and symbolic meanings behind a media text.

Codes – hidden meanings to convey a range of signs to be discovered by the audience

Conventions – generalised views that are genre specific to a medium

Styles of music videosPerformance – the band or artist directly performing in sync with the music,often lip syncing is used to imply a live act – Example Mumford & Sons – I will Wait

Narrative – displays a sequence of a story line that represents the genre and mood of the song – Example –

Mixture – both performance and narrative are used to construct a music video with a variety of scenes

Cameo – the band or artist features in the narrative but does not directly perform to the audience

Animation – a sequence of drawings combined to create 3D animation, can create a narrative or even a mock of a performance

Camera useCamera shots-• Music videos use a large variety of different camera angles and shots which a

regularly determined by the genre.• Close-up shots are an often feature of music videos to focus on the main

artist/band. These shots are often used to establish the importance of the characters in the music video and to draw attention to facial expressions to reveal emotions. Often lip-synching shots are close up to demonstrate that they are singing as if it were live which is entertaining for viewers.

• Low angle shots are often used to establish dominance of a band or artist to make them look superior by physically looking up to them.

• Crane shots are a very common shot when a band is performing to give an overview of the set up and entertains the audiences viewing as different perspectives of shots of the band/artist are displayed.

Camera movement-• Panning and tracking are good filming methods to follow the artist/band to highlight

their importance and create them as a main focus so that they can create an image to their music.

• Pedestal camera movements are also used regularly in music videos to focus the camera vertically up/down to the main subject which is often the band/artist.

• Dolly camera movement is another way of producing a follow shot by mounting the camera on a cart on tracks to get a smooth movement of the main subject.

Editing

• The footage must be combined together so that it is in synch with the audio of the music so actions and lip-synching are on time and make sense.

• Many music videos enhance the visual shots with colour filters, text, graphics and light leaks and special effects to make the music video more visually satisfying and entertaining to watch.

SoundSound is used very formulaically with a set structure of set audio music to construct the music video. Often sound parallel is used to match audio music with visuals in music videos to make sense to the audience. Diegetic sounds are occasionally edited into music videos to add emphasis on the narrative and often to establish a location such as audio of the waves crashing to suggest a coastal theme. Music is technically non-diegetic sound as it is edited over the top of the music video however many f=dance routines and direct actions involving the music makes the sound appear diegetic as if the characters and artists are creating the music live.

Mise-en-scéneThe codes and conventions of the mise-en-scéne create symbolic meanings to represent narrative and genre. Music videos often use a variety of props as well as sourcing a combination of settings to film in. Music videos have a focus on the mise-en-scéne involving lighting, costume, hair, makeup, setting to represent a certain genre the artist produces music in. The use of mise-en-scéne in music videos highlights the personas of each character and establishes their importance in the narrative.• Lighting – natural, artificial, bright and light or dark and

shadowy, coloured lights• Props - instruments, equipment or items of importance• Costume – clothing choice• Hair and makeup – natural or heavily made-up• Location - studio, city, set, countryside, coastal, exotic

Codes and conventions of different genres

Pop codes and conventions –• Colourful costumes• Upbeat and cheerful mood• Sexualized• Studio setting/ backdrops• Well made-up hair and makeup• Trendy mainstream R&B codes and conventions –• Hood streets theme setting• Provocative clothing of females – sexualized• Wealth displayed in props – gold chains, money and cars• Dancer/strippers• Club setting is common• Black characters – often AmericanRock codes and conventions –• Dark with artificial coloured lighting• Shadows• Band and instruments performing• Special effects – smoke fire and strobe lighting• Dark clothing and heavy make-up• Studio setting often