Carol Vernallis states that there are 9 elements within YouTube music videos to create a popular structure for many music videos to follow, these are (1) pulse and reiteration; (2) irreality and weightlessness; … (3) graphic values; (4) a sense of scale that matches the medium; (5) unusual casual relations; (6) intermediality and intertextuality; (7) sardonic humour and parody; (8) condensation; (9) and formal replication of the web. These 9 elements can then be broken down into 4 key categories which are narrative, editing, camera and movement and finally diegesis, these 4 key categories are all combined to help create a music video.
Narrative
Carol Vernallis describes the narrative of a music video as the visual response to the lyrics of the song and therefore should reflect what is being sung about, this is shown in many music videos where a clear story is being reflected on screen even if it doesn’t fully match the lyrics a similarly narrative is being played out. This can be evidence in the music video Pompeii by Bastille as the music video shows a clear narrative of the protagonist trying to escape the tumbling city and the people with the black eyes until he give in and his eyes also grow dark, the music videos shows a visual response to the lyrics that the audience can easily follow due to the fact that the lyrics are taken almost literally in order to explain the narrative. By having a music video that contains a clear narrative helps target a passive audience would just like to enjoy it without trying to work out the deeper meaning.
However not all music videos have a clear narrative and therefore don’t have a clear visual response but rather a suggested or interpreted response, this would be done so that it can attract a wider audience so that they can apply their own narrative to the music video instead of being forced to follow a literally narrative. This targets an active audience who like to interpret their own response. This can be evidence in music videos by Sia as there is a narrative being played out on screen, but it doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s a clear story that represents the visuals, this may be done in music videos as Carol Vernallis says that the narrative isn’t the only thing driving the music video therefore leaving the narrative open.
Editing
One of the biggest conventions of editing in most film making in continuity however, in music videos it’s a convention to break the continuity in editing meaning that the music videos can cut to something irrelevant to the narrative. This can mean that the music video can have a non-linear narrative or even multiple narrative cutting back and forth. Carol Vernallis also states that although most music videos have a narrative the editing can become better known as the basis of the music video rather than relying on a story line. The main types of editing styles found in music videos are jump cuts, to express how it’s not continuous, breaking the 30-degree rule to confuse the audience, juxtaposed frames to further confuse the audience and emphasise the non-continuous narrative and finally cutting to the beat or the lyrics best describes as pulse and reiteration to help the music video flow steadily.
Camera and movement
Carol Vernallis also states that establishing shots are one of the key elements in music videos, particularly at the very start which then follows throughout the music video to establish where the music video is set, she states that this is also used alongside close ups of the artist or the protagonist, this can again be evidence in the music video Pompeii by Bastille as the very beginning shot is an establishing shot which cuts to a close up of the lead singers face, this may be done to establish the artist or allow the audience to try and gain the gratification of personal identity to help anchor their attention and get the target audience to watch the music video. These two shots are often used alongside master shots which allows the music video to establish all of the characters and keep them in constant view and to continuously reinforce where the music video is set.
Along with this Carol Vernallis states that the movement of the camera is often in time to the beat of the music or in time with the lyrics, this will be done to allow the music video to run steadily and to not confuse the audience too much in order to keep their attention. This can be done by panning on way or the other or by zooming in and out in time to the beat of the music. The camera may also move along with the characters movements to give the music video a more realistic feel to it or to add a sense of verisimilitude if they are trying to get across a very strong message.
Along with this Carol Vernallis states that the movement of the camera is often in time to the beat of the music or in time with the lyrics, this will be done to allow the music video to run steadily and to not confuse the audience too much in order to keep their attention. This can be done by panning on way or the other or by zooming in and out in time to the beat of the music. The camera may also move along with the characters movements to give the music video a more realistic feel to it or to add a sense of verisimilitude if they are trying to get across a very strong message.
Diegesis
This may concern elements, such as characters, events, and things within the main or primary narrative but is also often described as the ‘world of music videos’. Carol Vernallis says that not all aspects of the music video or the action carried out will be completed therefore some parts of the music video may be left unfinished in order to focus on more important aspects of the music video which may be done by repetition of certain shots which often have higher emphasise placed on them to show their importance. The importance of these shots may also be emphasised due to the way they are shot or edited into the music video during post production.
References
Carol Vernallis (2013) YouTube Music Video, and the New Digital Cinema, 198 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10016, Page 10 - 
No comments:
Post a Comment