Conventions of a music video

Conventions:

• The artist will usually appear in the music video

• The song will be the soundtrack to the whole music video

• Artists will usually lip-synch along with the lyrics

• The artist will perform throughout, either dancing, playing an instrument or gesturing

• There would normally be 3 or more locations which may change with each verse/ chorus and the costumes would match the locations.

• There will usually be sections of the video filmed in the studio

• Range of camera movements (tracks, cranes whip pans)

• Close ups for the lip sync, mid/ long shots for performance and extreme close ups for cutaways

• Wide range of shot types/ angles in each location for dynamic editing

• High angles for a vulnerable, sexy look and low angles for a dominant look

• Editing will cut to the beat

• Montage editing

• Slow motion effect to create a sexy or slick feel

• The video will be based around a concept rather than a story
• This concept will inter-cut with the performance