Codes and Conventions

Whilst looking at music videos it is clear that they all have things in common, whatever genre they are in:

• There is a relationship between lyrics and visuals through a narrative which can either illustrate, amplify or contradict the lyrics.
• The artist is usually the main focus and can be the lead in the narrative and not just part of the performance, which is usually requested by the record company so the artist is well promoted.
• Some videos use intertextual references to other music videos (e.g. Pink's reference to a Jessica Simpson video in Stupid Girls), or to television and movies (e.g. Eminem's Batman and Robin reference in Lose It).
• Quick cuts.
• Lip syncing by artist (sometimes by the lead character in the narrative, e.g. Rupert Grint in Ed Sheeran's Lego House).

There are also codes and conventions within genres as well as the general ones mentioned that are usually used across most genres. The two videos that I have analysed previous to this are both rock songs by British rock bands. From them and watching others like it I have found codes and conventions within the genre of rock:

• Usually a live performance, with or without an audience with the full band playing their instruments, (although the Lostprophets video is an example of subverting this).
• Low key lighting.
• Darker costume colours and a generally darker mise-en-scene as a whole.
• A variety of shot types, (close-ups/extreme close-ups of each band member, long-shots of the whole band).

Every artist develops icons that we expect to see in their videos, whether it be through costume or props. For example, in rock videos an artist is mainly distinguished by style, but in pop videos it could be props, e.g. rapper Nicki Minaj's icon is her different coloured wigs and a love of pink.