Codes and Conventions of music videos

A particular video that has stood out to go against the codes and conventions of this genre has got to be Skepta - Rescue Me, as the song is about wanting to be rescued, the narrative follows this, but instead of a normal situation the audience may be able to relate to, a Mental Asylum is used, to represent the feeling of being trapped with no escape. The use of narrative in this performance highlights that they can all be normal, with the extreme long-shot of every member playing football, but then the lyrics are anchored down by the workers there taking the football off them, as though they are not allowed to be normal. The     use of mise' en scene signifies that it is a very pure place, with the use of the colour white, however it is for the wrong reasons, due to the place in which the video is set.

In the video Eminem - Not Afraid it is about a journey coming out of the darkness onto the main stage again, which reflects the stage in his life, as he has just recorded a new album to highlight his importance in this genre. The music video reflects the lyrics that have been chosen, which is the common stereotype of this genre. One of the main things that stand out in this video is the use of single person shots, to signify that it is a journey that he needs to take alone, with no help.



In the video Iyaz - Replay, it is a song about Iyaz and a girl he is met, but the lyrics show this relationship through an Ipod, which is very unusual compared to other ways relationships are shown in this genre. The use of colour in this video is significant, which can relate to the happy relationship he is in, but in an oppositional reading it could be used to reflect the ever changing technology of the modern day, with the use of colour, expense and value, but in a different way.

The embed code to this video has been disabled on request, but here is the link to it! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZoG5jJ3E8rg&ob=av2el

In N dubz - papa can you hear me, they have gone against the general codes and conventions of rap as it is an animated video of themselves, floating through the air and including images of their parents, which relates to the song lyrics. This is not one of the best videos I have seen, due to the limited shot variation, as it is just mainly long shots showing the singers singing.

Sean Kingston - Facedrop is a better example of an animated video, where the lead singer turns into an animated version of himself, then followed by different people on the street to go to a party to see his ex girlfriend.

Embed code disabled on request, but here is the link. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jiQgs_wplM8

Sum41 - In to deep, a punk video goes against the general codes of this genre, by following a narrative but having it set in broad daylight at a diving centre, which reflects the narrative. Normally you would have it said at night with cuts to the band playing.



Blink182 - I miss you, is another punk / pop video which goes against the codes and conventions, but this time it is actually set at night but black and white filter is used to make it unique. During this they cut to the band playing but to a girl who the lyrics may be about.



Blink182 - What's my age again, reflects the narrative once again, but the band acting out different things that they surely would not have done at their age, to show the audience that it doesn't matter how old you are.



Eminem - Love the way you lie, is a very new music video which has sparked a lot of controversy, due to the video being set infront of a house on fire, and which a lot of violence between the couple in the house. In defence to the music video, you would not watch this artist anyway if you found his video inappropriate, because a lot of his lyrics are also unsuitable.



Weezer - Island in the sun, is a pop / country song which is filmed in a remote place, with lots of strange things happening to do with animals acting as they may not normally have acted. The video reflects the song title and the narrative and is all shot in the daytime, which creates a peaceful atmosphere within it.



The King Blues - Save the world get the girl, is another pop video which shows a journey the band are taking through the video, which once again relates to the title. The amount of different shots / lighting shows that the journey is taking a long time.

Embed code disabled on request, but here is the link. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rs8ZSlJO34Q

Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly - Find the time, is an usual video where it is all done in 1 continual camera turn, but reflects the song title by things are changing around him, showing that things change all the time.



Pendulum - Showdown, a drum and base band has their video set underground in a fight scene, but unsually it is two women fighters, whereas the steriotype would be men. They use many different camera affects such as zooming in and slow motion, to enhance the one fight scene.




Justin bieber - Baby, a pop song which target audience is teenage girls, is set at a party at a bowling alley, which is a steriotypical place for teenagers to be with their friends.



Enter Shikari - Sorry your not a winner's video is just based in one small room, with the band playing in the middle and lots of teenagers 'moshing' to their music. They use lots of different shot types and have very fast paced editing to relfect the genre and to keep the audience entertained.



Italobrothers - Stamp on the ground is another drum and base group and in their video it is set in a hotel where the hotel worker suspects that something unusual is happening in their room, to do with a party.



30 Seconds To Mars - The kill is a music video which has an intertextual reference to the shining. The thing that makes this music video stand out is that if you stop it in certain sections, you see shots you would not otherwise have noticed, which links to the physcological thriller of The Shining.



Paramore - Decode is another video with intertextual references to a film. This time the film it relates to is Twilight, and the genre of music affects this intertextual refence. The way in which the band are in the middle of the vampiric action signifies that they themselves are related to the vampires, and therefore not harmed.