Music videos are primarily used as a marketing device to sell and promote the music which also aims to increase awareness and profits. The first main music video which was used as a promotional technique was "A Hard Day's Night" by the Beatles in 1964. The video was used at the start of the feature length mock documentary style film and also featured "Can't Buy Me Love". The following year, the Beatles started to use film inserts as a promotional tool which songs such as "Strawberry Fields are Forever" and "Penny Lane" examples of film inserts. The inserts were directed by Peter Goldman which was considered avant-garde . The videos used fancy slow motion editing which at the time was considered more sophisticated than previous music sequences that had been created. This led to bands beginning to use music videos more frequently. In 1975, music videos took a new dimension as "Bohemian Rhapsody" by Queen stormed to the top of the charts and stayed there for 9 weeks. The notable thing about this was that it proved to the music industry that videos do sell records.
After this, the popularity of music videos began to rise and by the 1980's, music videos became mainstream with the launch of MTV in 1981, with the first song being "Video Killed the Radio Star" by the Buggles. Music videos then became standard practice for bands and artists as they could be cheaply produced with hi-tech equipment and effects such as the chroma key.
Censorship is used to ensure suitable and appropriate videos for audiences. The British Board of Film Classification regulate with music videos as they are effectively "mini-films" so using inappropriate images must be considered when making a music video. A major example of a music video that was banned was Michael Jackson's "Black and White" in 1991 as one of Michael Jackson's dance moves shows him inappropriately touch himself. Other videos that have been banned by MTV include Queen's "Body Language" from 1982 and was the first video to be banned, The Prodigy with "Smack My Bitch Up" from 1997 and Robbie Williams' "Rock DJ" from 2000.
Music Theory
Some would argue that music videos have made pop superficially based on image and are pop songs enough on their own to make meaning and pleasure for the audience.
"A good music video is a clip that responds
to the pleasure of music, and in which that
the music is made visual, either in new ways
or in a way that accentuates existing
visual associations." - Andrew Goodwin (1992)
1) Music Videos demonstrates genre characteristics such as dance routines shown in girl/boy band music videos.
2) The relationship between lyrics and visuals either contradicts or illistrates the lyrics.
3) The relationships between the music and visuals will either illistrate, amplify or contradicts whats happening on screen.
4) The demands of the record label will include lots of close ups of the artist(s) may develop motifs which reoccure across the style and video.
5) Requent reference to the notion of looking voyerurism of the female body.
6) Intertextual references
Music Theory Questions
What is the basic function or purpose of a music video?
The basic function of a music video is to be a marketing device by the record company as this can increase sales of the record, popularity of the song and help to build the artist's fanbase.
When were the first music videos produced?
Music videos first became mainstream in the 1980s as they became a standard feature for singles by artists. This became more feasibly possible with the launch of MTV in 1981. However, examples of musical sequences existed before this period of time such as can be argued with The Beatles' A Hard Day's Night (1964). The film also included aspects of narrative and some performance, which is similar to modern videos once they became mainstream.
How are music videos comissioned?
Music videos are usually comissioned just prior to the release of a single though sometimes after. A comissioning editor will contact between three to six directors that they deem appropriate for the artist, and to view a showreel of their previous work, before the artist and management decide on which director is best to make a video for them. The directors will then make a treatment discussing what happens in the video, detailing also how it till look, before management and the artist agree on who will shoot the video.
How much time does a music video usually take to produce?
In the music industry, it is not uncommon for a director to be given six weeks from when they first hear the specific track to plan, shoot, and edit the video in question before it is aired on television and online.
According to Andrew Goodwin what are the three different ways in which the visuals in a view can relate to the lyrics of a song?
The three different styles described by Goodwin that the visuals of the video can relate to the lyrics of the song are amplification, illustration and contradiction. An amplification of the visuals to lyrics over-dramatizes the events, making the scenes dramatic and over-the-top; such as a break-up would be emphasied. An illustration of the lyrics is as it sounds - the lyrics are illustrated with visuals. A contradiction of the visuals to lyrics means they don't relate to one another at all, and have no likeness - the visuals are not partaining to the lyrics sung in the song.
What is a music video treatment or pitch?
A music video treatment or 'pitch' is a single page of ideas of what will happen in the music video which will enable anyone reading or hearing it to envision the finished result of the video. Ideas are best to being kept clear and simple so it is easy to follow and negates the chance of things going wrong or being overcomplicated.
What are some of things to avoid in making a student video?
When making a student music video, there are a number of things to avoid. The first is well known songs as the actual artist will be imprinted upon the audience and examiners minds and it will be difficult to start afresh with new ideas. Also over-use of effects, to dress up lack of footage, aimless driving around, or people walking around, speeded up footage to cover up lack of footage once again and footage that is not your own.
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