What is a Music Video?

What is a music video?

A music video is a short film integrating imagery and song. The first music videos came up during the 1980's. Music videos are made to promote a song or album as well as the artist in an appealing and interesting way. This is done in order to make as many sales as possible. The majority of music videos tell a story or deliver a message, this is done to embrace the audience and grab their attention, this is to make them more interested in the song/album and to persuade them to buy it. Music videos are a good way for directors/film makers to express their creativity and passion. They use a wide range of techniques and styles in order to promote their video. A music video helps the artist/band become famous as the video not only promotes their song but also their acting skills within the short vvideo. Music videos aren't only made to promote a song or atist but also promotes the director and sometimes products which are placed within the music video. This is called product placement.

Product Placement

One example of product placement within a music video is The Black Eyed Peas video which feacutres a Nokia phone, Beats By Dr Dre Hedphones and a HP laptop. The use of product placement is well known in music videos as it is an effective way to help promote manufactures products to a much wider range of people. Manufacturers allow music videos to do this as they know that the video will be popular therefore more people will see their product, which helps promote the product and therefore make more sales.

Styles

There are many different styles of music videos, these help make the video interesting and unique compared to other music videos. Below are the different styles;

- Narrative

A narrative is a music video that tells a story throughout the video and describes a sequence of non-fictional or fictional events, normally shown as a short story or film. These music videos are normally very popular as it engages the audience in the story and the story can often relate to the audiences experiences. A large range of artists now include narratives in their music videos as its different to usual music videos and the story that the artist has chosen may be a special topic for them.

- Interpretive

Interpretive means something that looks like something else, but has a different meaning. Interpretive music videos normally want the audience to make their own interpretation of what they think the music video is about.

- Parody

A parody is a spoof and is an imitative work created to mock, comment on or trivialise an original work. Its subject, author, style, or some other target, by means of humorous or ironic imitation. Parody music videos aren't the most popular way in which an artist chooses to promote their music however it is becoming more popular especailly amongst the audience.

- Performance

A music video that features a live performance or footage from a live performance. This is effective at promoting the artist.

- Surreal

Surreal is something that is so strange so you can't believe its real.

A music video can be a mixture of these styles.