The history of music video (2) and notes from class

Camera movement may accompany movement of performers (walking, dancing, etc.) but it may also be used to create a more dynamic feel to stage a performance, for instance by constantly circling the band as they perform on stage.

The close up does predominate, as in most tv, partly because of the size of the screen and partly because of the desire to create a sense of intamicy or the viewer.

Techinical Codes - Editing

Through the most common form of editing associated with the music promo is fast cut montage, rendering many of the images impossible to rasp on first viewing thus ensuring multiple viewing, there are videos which use slow pace and gentler transitions to establish mood.

This is particularly apparent for the work of many female solo artists with a broad audience appeal.

Often enhancing the editing are digital effects which play with the original images to alter different kinds of pleasure or the audience. This might take the form of split screens, colourisation and block buster film from style CGI.

Example: (The Verve - Bittersweet Symphony) 



Cinematography:

- Tracking backwards with performer in centre of frame
- Hand held close ups
- Over the shoulder
- POV shot of girl in the eyes of performer  
- Low angle mid shot of group of men
- Depth of field (focusing on him as a performer)

Editing:

- Cuts every 2-6 seconds
- Blue filter/negative saturation to portray cold and moody atmosphere
- Uses continuity editing for seamless cuts

Development of technical codes

The key innovation in the development of the modern music video was, of course, video recording and editing processes along with the development of a number of related effects such as chroma key or green/blue screen.

The advent of high quality colour video recorders and portable video cameras enabled many pop acts to produce promotional videos quickly and cheaply in comparison to the relatively high costs of using film.

In the 1990s, a number of technical codes became common:

- Most common form of editing associated with the music promos is a fast cut montage
- Many images are impossible to grasp on fast viewing thus ensuring multiple viewing
- Split screens, colourisation are also commonly used effects
- Non - representation techniques in which the musical artist is never shown, became more common
- Lack of edits; long takes/steadycam a common experimentation
- However as the genre developed,music video directors increasingly turned to 35mm film as the preferred medium, while others mixed film and video
- By the mid 1980s, releasing a music video accompanied by a new single had become the standard