(2) Critical Analysis of Professional Music Videos

Research into Existing Professionally Made Music Videos
We were tasked with analysing music videos that came out of the professional music industry. This task is helpful to my coursework because it helps me, firstly, familiarise myself with the conventions of music videos, particularly commercial music videos. Furthermore, it will help me gather inspiration for my own coursework/preliminary task.

When searching for videos to analyse, I looked at mainly YouTube as a source for commercial videos of well-known artists. I also tried to focus on different genres of music to get a taste of the conventions of videos from all walks of life.

'Heathens' - twenty one pilots
'Heathens' was released in 2016 and released in conjuncture with Warner Bros. and DC to promote the release of comic-book film 'Suicide Squad'. It is a 'rap/rock' song. The video was published on Youtube, an effective method of reaching the artists' audience of predominantly young people, being the most popular video sharing platform in the West.


Editing
The editing in this video is relatively conventional; the use of cutting-to-the-beat is seen, particularly when the tempo increases. This is an effective method of emphasizing (and thus flattering) the change in music to heighten the viewer's experience of the song, as they're given a visual representation of the music through editing. The editing imitates the music.

Another convention the editor adopted was the use of short takes. Too long takes is very noticeable, particularly when paired with very defined beats such as this one. This is because the slowness would be boring and look out of place, not fitting the rhythmic and repetitive nature of the song. However, in places, this isn't always effective because it ends up looking too chaotic or busy or doesn't allow the audience time to process the frame, this is noticeable when the tempo of the song is quite slow but the takes are quite short.

The use of crosscutting is adopted by the editor, this is used to show both the film, 'Suicide Squad', excerpts and the performance sequences. While to begin with the cross-cutting is subtle and the transitions between the film and the performance sequences are almost unnoticeable, the music becomes more intense and the cutting becomes more obvious and marks the drops in the song. This helps intensify the music, similar to cutting-to-the-beat, the change in scene emphasizes the change in music.

There is some intricate editing in which the movements of the characters in the film are timed to the music, not the cuts. For example, when Harley Quinn cocks her baseball bat, it is in time with the music. This is quite effective because the audience sees a visual representation of the music through movement rather than cuts, which creates a refreshing look. They also use movement to make the transitions more creative and seamless. For example, if a band member quickly moves to the right, it will cut midway through movement to a clip from the movie in which the movement is in the right direction. This creates a seamless and professional effect.


Special effects are used in certain scenes, for example, special effects are used in the creative transition when the performer is looking into the cell, only to suddenly be looking out of a cell. This is a creative use of special effects that make the video more interesting to watch because it's visually intriguing. Special effects aren't common in music videos, making its presence in this more original and interesting. Other special effects, such as the floating guitar or the clothes changing, create a fantasy style, which helps reinforce the make-believe style set by the film.

Performance/Narrative
This video is unique in that it doesn't necessarily tell a story and it certainly doesn't have any plot, however, there is definitely a distinction between performance and 'not-performance'. This is because of the intertextual references and extracts from the film, which don't really have any plot between them, but it can be argued relationships are revealed etc. so there is a sense of story included. Furthermore, it can be argued that the scenes involving the band member inside the prison are a story in themselves in that they show a person in a different environment and emotions are definitely being conveyed through this narrative. This being said, there is very little structural development to this subtle story that it's very hard to say it's effective. Because of the lack of intriguing story, it means the video isn't rewatchable as there is nothing to grip the audience, it's forgettable.

Other small features included are the beginning and end. In modern music videos, it's becoming
increasingly common for the music to start after an opening scene where normal, naturalistic sound effects are used. They're often seen at the end of music videos too. These can help set the tone for the video or even help progress the story, though in this case, it seems to have just been put in for the sake of it.

In terms of performance, this is a little stronger and more obvious. The use of lip-syncing is used to create emphasis on certain lyrics. This is used the music video to help promote the band, as it shows them doing what they do best: performing. Furthermore, it allows them to be featured in the video, which not only works as fanservice (because, after all, those watching the video tend to be fans of the band and want to see them) but it also allows audiences to familiarise themselves with the artists as individuals, making audiences more inclined to like them.

Setting
The music video is set in a high-security prison, and although it can be argued this is a feeble attempt to appeal to their edgy fans, it is set here to match the setting of Suicide Squad, and therefore carries little meaning other than that.


The location and lighting help create a gritty and dark tone. For example, the greyness of the set
creates a dark style and the high-contrast lighting creates stark shadows, creating a heavy mood. This is reinforced by the grey/blue palette used when colour grading - because the blues are heavily emphasized in post-production, it continues to establish the gritty mood. Furthermore, because the film is graded like this too, the music video editor has also graded the footage to emphasize the blues to ensure seamless transitions between the film clips and the performance sequences.

In terms of time, it is clear from the beginning that it is modern day, however, inside the prison shows very archaic methods of dealing with criminals and removes any sense of time. For example, the way in which the characters are detained is quite barbaric. Therefore, the emphasis on the modern inventions at the beginning, such as the huge jet plane etc. juxtaposes the brutality of the prison, as in a modern society these methods shouldn't exist. Furthermore, the time period, like most of the video, is in sync with the film, so again, carries very little meaning.

Costumes/Props
Costumes are one of the few things used effectively in this music video. For example, when the band
are performing, the singer is wearing a bright yellow blazer. The use of this vivid colour contrasts with the very dull and gloomy palette of the rest of the video. This allows the band member to stand out which, in the process, works as a form of promoting the band because they become the main attention. Furthermore, it allows the band individuality when all the other characters surrounding them are dressed in the same clothes - this lets them express their own identity and help familiarise the audience with them as individuals further.

The props aren't particularly noticeable, except when there are instruments. The instruments are purposely used to stand out and look out of place. This helps bring a sense of the band's individuality to a video otherwise dominated with Suicide Sqaud advertisement. Taking back ownership of their video helps promote themselves.

Camerawork and Composition
The camerawork doesn't particularly stand out. It contains a lot of dynamic shots, which is very conventional of music videos which, today, have almost come to rely on smooth camera movement for it to even be a music video. The camera angles are predominantly neutral, this is effective, particularly when looking at the band members because it allows the audience to see them from a natural perspective, summoning respect for them. However, in terms of shots, the framing tends to be quite distant, the closest the camera gets is a mid-shot. The lack of intimacy reflects the nature of the lyrics and the song, as it's about outcasts. Being set in a prison reinforces the idea that the characters are separated from society and the distant camera shots help reflect the idea of alienation.


In terms of composition, its effectively used to suggest the importance of characters. For example, the band members are often always positioned in the centre of the frame, in front of the objects. This stresses their significance to the audience. However, when the singer begins to grow anxious around the other inmates, the view of him is often obstructed by the inmates' heads as they are positioned closer to the camera than the band. This may reflect a lack of control in the situation, effectively telling the story subtly.

Creativity
Overall, the video isn't particularly creative, not much is used to tell any kind of story to the audience and there isn't enough substance to grip the audience. Although music videos don't often contain film clips, this decision cannot be regarded as creative or original because it's a common practice when a song is written in association with a film. Although there are some creative techniques used, such as the special effects or the use of transitions, the video is otherwise quite dull and doesn't stand out very much.

What Did I Like/Dislike About the Video? 
Personally, there wasn't anything I really liked in the video, except the singer's yellow blazer. As a whole, it was boring and lacked story and substance. Almost every aspect of the video was average and the use of film clips made the video seem more of a poorly made fan-trailer than a professional music video. The visuals were too dull to keep my attention and the editing was entirely basic.


'Swalla (ft Nicki Minaj and Ty Dolla $ign)' - Jason Derulo
'Swalla' is a pop/dance song released in 2017 on YouTube. 




Editing
In terms of editing, the video is particularly conventional according to the research I previously collected. This is because it utilises the 'cut-to-the-beat' technique, in which the shot changes in time with the beat. Although it doesn't cut to every single beat, it does cut in time with the beat when the beat alternates and there is a notable change. It can be argued that the reason for this is so that it emphasises the change in tempo of the music, drawing the viewer's attention to the music. Furthermore, the short shot lengths paired with the rapid beat creates an overwhelming experience with the aggressive flashing, heightening the viewer's experience, thus making the video more memorable and hopefully more enjoyable. Another reason, which is the most common reason for this technique, is so that the repetition of cutting-to-the-beat (or not cutting to the beat) doesn't become too boring and predictable and therefore reflect this on the song, as the entire purpose of a music video is to compliment the music.

 Another convention the editor adopted was the use of short shot lengths. Too long takes are very noticeable, particularly when paired with upbeat or fast songs like this one. This is because the slowness would be boring and look out of place, not fitting the rhythmic and repetitive nature of the song. The editor also chose to use cross-cutting. This is most commonly used to introduce a new featuring artist when their segment of the song begins, but to also mimic the changes in the song. For example, when the chorus begins, it straight-cuts to a different scene to emphasise the drop in the music.

Another editing technique seen in the video is the use of overlaying. This effect doesn't really have much reason for it besides the aesthetic, however, it is commonly seen in music videos. Lastly, the
use of text and animations to introduce the song, although this isn't seen in most music videos, it's a trend becoming increasingly common in modern music videos. This technique has been used to set up the video and create hype for the artist's featured in the song. After the music stops playing, slow motion is used paired with the artists walking off stage, this is a conventional, if not cliched, technique.

Narrative/Performance
There is no use of narrative in this video, which seems to be more conventional in this genre (dance/pop). The choice to not incorporate a story may be because it will distract away from the music. An alternative reason may be that the director wanted to solely focus on the artist and promoting them as opposed to focusing on the more artistic conventions of music videos. The lack of artistic purpose may also relate to the lack of artistic purpose and meaning of the song - it's a song without much meaningful substance and therefore a meaningless video helps reflect the more lighthearted, fun-driven nature of the song.

There is a strong element of performance to this video. This is because it features all of the artist's lip syncing to the vocals. This creates a sense of professionalism and separates the video from a short film. Furthermore, the use of performance helps promote the artists as they are the most heavily featured part of the music video.

The director also chose to incorporate dancers to accompany the musicians. This is a conventional choice as it helps add visual representations of the song through the use of dance. Furthermore, it attracts further audiences because people enjoy watching dance.

Setting
The most noticeable part of the video's mise-en-scene is the use of colour and lighting. Although harsh colour and lighting are common in Dance music videos, this video uses it excessively. The bright use of artificial colour and lighting is reflective on the electronic and upbeat nature of the song. The lighting is high-contrast and therefore isn't naturalistic but creates harsh shadows across the performers' faces, creating a more glamorous aesthetic than artistic.

The location is quite conventional in the way that it's a simple studio with black walls mainly - however, there is a use of colour to make the place bright. On the other hand, the set-designer chose to put a shallow level of water on the floor for the performers to dance in, which is not a conventional technique. This choice was likely made to improve the aesthetic of the video rather than add a layer of meaning. In other locations, there are vibrant, geometric patterns on the wall to create a 'trippy' effect and reflect on the upbeat nature of the song.

Costumes and Props
The costumes of the performers depend heavily on the gender. The male musicians, Derulo and Ty Dolla $ign, are fully covered and tend to be wearing very dark, urban fashion. This reflects their
interests and identity and suits the modern feel of the video. It also helps neutralise the excessive
use of colour. The female performers, however, are wearing more revealing, brightly coloured clothing that is more noticeable, despite being more of a background piece than the central image. Even Nicki Minaj is dressed in a way that expresses her sexuality, despite her being a central figure in the video. The use of revealing outfits on the females is the director's method of trying to appeal to the male gaze, as the target audience is likely to be men.

In terms of props, this video is less conventional as it has created a sweet shop theme and therefore incorporates candy, which is original. However, the way in which the props are used is very conventional. This is because the props are used by the women to make allusions to sex, for example, many of the dancers are seen licking lollies seductively, again, appealing to the male gaze.

A car is randomly used as a decoration, despite having no correlation with the theme of the music video (candy shop). This is very common in mainstream music videos and is used as a method of making the artist seem higher in status and impressive.

Camerawork and Composition
The camerawork is particularly generic in this video, using a variety of wide and close shots. This is considered a 'safe bet' because of its neutral effect. However, through the video, although the majority of angles are eye-level, a lot of the angles for Nicki Minaj are high so that she is looking up into the
camera. This may portray her in a more victimised way, according to basic rules of cinematography, however, it was likely used to emphasise her beauty or the seductive nature of her sequences as submissive, flirty-eyed females are often tools used to grab male attention. Some low angles are used to capture Derulo, these are used to make him appear dominant and to demand respect/intimidation from the viewers.

In terms of camera movement, the video is less conventional as camera movements play a huge role in the conventional appearance of a music video. However, this video rarely uses camera movements and is generally very static. When movement is used, however, it is very subtle. For example, a slow zoom is used occasionally, especially when Ty Dolla $ign is the subject of the frame. This may have been used to show the importance of him and therefore summon respect from the audience. Later in the video, though, when Nicki Minaj is present particularly, a lot of movement is used, particularly zooms. This stresses her importance but also accentuates the wackiness of the scene.

The composition is not particularly noticeable and is very generic. For example, the subjects are almost always positioned in the centre of the frame. Furthermore, there is little depth to the footage and a deep depth-of-field is used to conceal any depth there is. This is effective because it makes it seem more two-dimensional, fitting the use of solid colours and defined mise-en-scene: it takes away any subtlety and naturalism, suiting the electronic nature of the song, once again.

Creativity
The video isn't particularly creative - it used generic techniques of its genre such as the excessive use of vivid colours or chaotic, fast-paced editing. There was no story which made it uninteresting to watch and the busy visuals were far too over-the-top to make up for this. Furthermore, the use of scantily-clad dancers was cliche as this technique has almost become a currency of modern mainstream music videos, making the video even more uncreative than it already was.

What Did You Like/Dislike About the Video?
I personally didn't enjoy the music video - there was nothing gripping enough to make me want to re-watch it and the unoriginal use of dancers is so common I could select any other music-video and have the same reaction. The use of bold colours and camera zooms towards the end was almost headache-inducing with how over-the-top it was.


'Virgin' - Manchester Orchestra
'Virgin' is an alternative-rock song released in 2011.


Editing
In this video, the editing is less conventional than other music videos because it focuses more on delivering a message as opposed to flattering the music. For example, long takes are used throughout the video. Long takes are quite rare to see in music videos because often the rhythmic nature of songs don't suit the slowness of longer shots, whereas this video uses long takes to draw attention to the image rather than the song. When short takes are used, they're usually not in correspondence with the song but merely used to create an effect that reflects on the narrative. For example, the flashing sequence of the magazine covers reflects the way in which we consume media, so it's used for an artistic purpose. Whereas, in other music videos, flashing sequences and short takes are often used to look cool for the sake of it, and not carry any real purpose or meaning.

While the music video isn't really used as a device to promote the band, special effects are used cunningly to reference the album the song is from (Simple Math), as while the TV grows closer to the camera, a geometric image quickly flashes. This image is featured on the cover art of the album. This is a sneaky and creative way to subtly promote the band without making this the sole purpose of the video.



Another technique used by the editor is the use of transitions. As transitions, black screen intervals are used instead of using straight cuts like the majority of modern music videos. This may be to allow the audience time to reflect on what they've just seen, or perhaps to create a more dramatic introduction to the next frame.

Performance/Narrative
Unlike most of the music videos analysed so far, this video has no element of performance whatsoever but purely focuses on the narrative. This is a brave decision to make as performance - particularly when the band members are involved - is a very effective way of helping to promote themselves and their personalities.

While the band are relying solely on narrative to carry the video, they do it very effectively. This is because the way in which it is executed is quite original; there is no use of plot but there is a story to learn. The story is conveyed through iconography and motifs and is reflective of a modern American society and its toxic obsession with commercialism. While there is no gripping plot to make the audience excited, the narrative carries such profound meaning it provokes thought in the audience. The visual imagery also leaves a deeper layer of meaning on the lyrics of the song - as the narrative is not used to retell the lyrics but to develop or give meaning to them to invoke further analysis from the audience. The video is merely an interpretation of the lyrics.

What's least conventional about the narrative is the fact that it doesn't need to be in a sequence to have the same effect. Each frame is more of a moving photograph that tells a story in itself - that you
can infer meaning from it without the need for it to be in a sequence. Taking one shot, for example, of a digital billboard that reads 'CHILDREN ARE OUR FUTURE', accompanied by the photograph of a small child - a form universally associated with innocence. The image projected onto the billboard suddenly changes to an advertisement featuring a naked woman - a naked woman often being a physical symbol of sex and lust. This one shot alone makes the audience wonder how the children of the world are being socialised on a day to day basis, the juxtaposing ideas demonstrate how capitalism and the commercialised sexualization of the female form can affect how children think. Moreover, the contrasting ideas also demonstrate the contradicting priorities of a capitalist American society.

Setting
In terms of time, the music video is set in a modern America based on the mise-en-scene and the frequent images of the American flag. This choice of setting allows the social commentary made by the video to be more relevant, as its observations apply to a modern American society. If the video had been set in a fictional setting, then the social remarks made would have been less dramatic and draw less attention to the issue prevalent in America as it doesn't hit close to home - this makes the message carried weaker because the chances of the audience applying it to their own situation would have been less likely, making the setting appropriate for the video.

Costumes and Props
Props play a huge role in conveying meaning to the audience, as they're often used as symbols of deeper things. For example, the man wearing a gas mask while carrying a television may represent the toxicity of media and commercialism, as the gas mask is used to shield themselves from the 'noxious gases' of the television, which is a physical embodiment of the media. Other props highlight the commercialistic themes, such as the cigarettes on the dinner plate or the stack of burgers.


A prop that frequently appeared in this video was an American flag. Although the flag, like the other props, acts as a metaphor, its primary purpose is to help establish the setting and thus make the lesson relevant to modern America.

In terms of costumes, this aspect doesn't really stand out. Most of the character's featured wear ordinary clothes that suit American culture - reinforcing the setting and message.

Camerawork and Composition
The camerawork, again, is predominantly used to emphasize meaning as opposed to adding visual flare like most music videos. For example, a mid shot is used to focus on the child not listening to their father scolding them. The father is partially featured in the frame, to show his insignificance and emphasise the fact that the child is not listening. It's almost from the perspective of the child as the audience are seeing what the child prioritises: not his father. Overhead/high angles are used to emphasize the victim status of the woman etc.

In terms of movement, the video is generally static and any movement that is used is very slow and subtle. For example, slow zooms to direct the audience's attention to something.

The composition is used effectively too. Such as the use of framing with objects like windows or
doorways within frames to draw attention to one aspect of the shot. Important figures are generally positioned in the center of the frame so the audience immediately looks at them. Movement and composition help tell a story in a single frame, for example, when the man holding the TV walks up from the sea and eventually fills the entire shot with him, this links to the idea that commercialism has taken over American culture as it slowly grows more prominent in the frame to then very quickly filling it entirely.

Creativity
Overall, the video is quite creative as it works with the idea of narrative versus plot very well, breaking rules of narrative structure. Furthermore, the fact that everything is done with a purpose rather than aesthetic is more original, as most other videos focus is on complimenting the song or looking good. It's creative in that it's reflective on a social situation rather than telling a simple story about a character - it teaches a socially relevant lesson that benefits the world on a grander scale rather than providing simple entertainment.

What Did You Like/Dislike About The Video?
The main thing I liked about the video is the fact that it was a compilation of images that spoke words rather than a sequence that told a story overtime; this is something that I don't often see. I like that each frame carried a meaning and I like the story it was trying to reflect.

This being said, considering it's a modern video (2011), the quality isn't as high as other music videos of the time. Granted, it probably had a smaller budget being a less successful band, but I felt that the quality made it feel more amateur than most. Furthermore, I think the video should have been more visually interesting, as the footage is quite ugly. Similarly, I think the creativity and message of the video could have been enhanced with the creative use of colour, as colour carries the power to really improve storytelling with symbolism. Considering this was an artistic video with the purpose of conveying a deeper meaning, I felt that colour was heavily neglected as a tool to do so when it's one of the most powerful aspects of storytelling in video nowadays.


'Bon Appetit' - Katy Perry
A pop song released in 2017



Editing
The editing in this video is relatively conventional: this is because it has many short takes as opposed to long ones – the reason for this is because long takes don't match the rhythmic nature of music. On the other hand, a less conventional technique – although it is a little common – is the fact the editor chose not to cut to the beat. In the video, the editor chose to use continuity editing as opposed to cross-cutting. This is because the video involves a narrative where the performance element is merged with the narrative, meaning there is no need to cut back and forth from performance to narrative.

Another convention the editor adopted was the use of overlaying, which is used for aesthetic purposes rather than for effect.

Narrative/Performance
This video includes both performance and narrative. It follows a woman (played by Katy Perry) being served up for a group of (assumedly) aristocrats, however, she rises against them and makes them into a pie. The story itself and the way it is delivered is original.

In terms of the performance, the performance element is merged with the narrative so that Katy Perry (as the character) lip-syncs while the story unfolds. This saves from the frequent cross-cutting between both performance and narrative and it is a creative way of going about things. There is an interesting use of characters as in music videos, aristocrats/elite and humour is often not involved, so this is an original selection of characters. Furthermore, the video is rather humorous, which isn't common in most music videos of serious music. After the music stops, the video continues for a little bit to reveal something at the end, this is a very conventional technique.



Setting
The setting is odd because it is set in a kitchen/restaurant area, which suits the theme of the video. However, some locations are very common, such as the basic studios with white backgrounds etc. This creates a professional effect.

The use of colour is typical as it uses quite neutral colours that are very solid – there is no mixture of various colours. Furthermore, the lighting is neutral – although is obviously the product of artificial lighting, which creates a flattering effect on the characters in the video.

Costume and Props
The mise-en-scene is less conventional because of the extensive use of food and props. However,  Katy Perry's costume is very revealing as she mainly wears a bodysuit throughout the entirety of the video – this is conventional, particularly in pop music videos. However, the less conventional costumes are worn by the extras, such as the chefs and aristocrats.

The featuring artists are fully covered in dark clothes and urban fashion, which is conventional of male artists, particular hip-hop artists.

Camerawork and composition
 The camerawork is relatively generic as most of the shots vary between mid-shots, wide shots and close-ups to capture the presence of the artist. However, overhead shots are used to make Katy Perry appear as a victim.

There is an extensive use of the iconic 'music video camera movements', such as slow pull ins/outs. These help provide the video with a professional look. In terms of composition, Katy Perry is almost always positioned in the centre of the frame to signify her importance and is always in focus. The composition is more complicated than other videos, however, because of the extensive use of props and characters, there is a lot more things filling the frame to create a chaotic or busy appearance.
pans and tracking shots.

Creativity
The video is more creative than most pop music videos, such as the theme of food etc. The video is also creative because it provides a message through the use of lighthearted themes and humour. For example, the video counteracts the objectification of women in music videos, but this is conveyed very subtly so the video is still entertaining without becoming too political.

What Did I Like/Dislike About the Video?
The main thing I liked about the video is the fact it had a deeper meaning to convey compared to most music video which solely focus on promoting the artist or song.

On the other hand, I didn't like the boring use of editing and camerawork, as it made the video very generic to watch.

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