Music Video Conventions

Hello! So today I did some research on common characteristics for classic rock music videos. This is what I found:

• A rock music video will usually use low-key lighting to create that dark atmosphere to set the mood for the song. However, some videos do not use low-key lightning as the song is more upbeat and transmits another feel or vibe.
• The location varies depending on the song. But a lot of rock music videos are set in outdoor areas and cities. Usually, the location is very simple and secluded as the direct focus is the band and not the background.
• The performers use a lot of facial expressions to express the feeling of the song or to for the audience to see how involved they are in the song. A popular gesture is the rock on hand sign, as seen in the last blog.
• Music videos usually have a storyline to it, in order to make it more entertaining and easier to watch. It usually cuts back and forth between the story and the band playing.
• The video contains diegetic sounds to create a realistic narrative performance in the video plus the song itself.
• The editing of the video depends on the pace of the music. If the song is upbeat it will need tighter editing but if the song is slow, the editing might not be fast-paced.
• Some videos include visual effects to add more excitement. Or include multi-mage which is a technique where multiple videos are on one screen. Done to illustrate many things at the same time.
• Classic rock videos include a lot of close ups of the members playing the guitar or the drums, as well as, close ups of the singer. 

Citations:

islalee1 Follow. “Codes and Conventions of a Rock Music Video.” LinkedIn SlideShare, 7 Oct.

    2015, www.slideshare.net/islalee1/codes-and-conventions-of-a-rock-music-video-53663586. 

“Styles, Conventions and Techniques.” Music Videos, music--videos.weebly.com/styles-conventions

    -and-techniques.

Westmore, Molly. “Codes & Conventions Of A Music Video.” MindMeister, 22 Sept. 2016, 

    www.mindmeister.com/760447871/codes-conventions-of-a-music-video.

Feel the beat,

SABRI