Music Video Techniques

• Cutting to the beat -

 Every time a beat occurs, there is a different shot. The editing will have to keep up with the beat. an example of this is White Stripe's video Hardest Button To Button.

• Effects - 

Effects are used in music videos to add to the narrative. The Major record labels will use effects in these videos. In the music video, ‘’I Need A Doctor’’ Dr. Dre  crashes 3 Lamborghini cars.

• Miming and Lip sync -

 In every video Artists mine and lip sync their songs. However, in Feeder’s video, ‘’Just A Day’’ they layer homemade fans videos in their video, with the fans miming their lyrics, this allowed for the idea of them already being popular to come into play as well as sell them to other and newer fans.

 


Sinead O'Connors video Nothing Compares To You features long clips of her against a black background. In the end she begins to cry and it allows for viewers to sympathize with her as an artist. This song was originally written by Prince however Sinead interpreted the song her own way. The director of the music video wanted her to cry and she did it in one take by dedicating one of the verses to her mother who recently passed. 

•  Use of multi image -

A multi image is just using multiple images throughout the video. An example would be, ‘’I Bet That You Look Good on the Dance Floor’’ by the Arctic Monkeys.

 

• Camera shots, angles and movements -

 A tracking shot is where the camera moves along with the subject and a panning shot is where the camera moves on the shot. These will be used to cover movement. Close ups will be to capture emotion, an establishing shot is used to set the scene, a high angle shot will be used to show somebody’s innocence and a low angle will show importance and respect.
these camera effects are used in most videos which follow a narrative style or structure. 

• Green screen - 

A green screen is used to protect images onto the back of the screen to show as if they’re at another place. An example is the ‘’Buddy Holly’’ music video by Weezer.




Another example would be Londonbeat's I've been thinking about you. 

 

• Lighting - 

There are two different kinds of lighting, High key lighting and low key lighting. High key lighting will not show shadows of the people features, it makes everything lighter. Low key lighting will be used to capture a darker and more moody video.
An example of this would be Don Broco's video- Automatic 

Another example of this would be game of thrones star Iwan Rheon- Bang! Bang!



And yet another example for intense lighting could be Step's newest single Scared Of The Dark