We established that the role of the camera is to make the performance more dynamic and/or energetic, so that the artist or band are shown in an appealing way to the viewer and consumer. The camera should always be following the performance, and unlike in films it should not be centered around telling a narrative, it should be very abstract (with a variety of different shots and movements)because music videos are not meant to represent reality but the abstract world of the artist.
Another important role of the camera is to sell us the artist, this is done by using close-ups and framing. Close-ups of the artists in music videos create a sense of intimacy between the consumer and the performer this important because then we begin to like the singer and are more likely to recognize their face in stores and on billboards. Close-ups show that the artist is a commodity on sale.
We also talked about editing, and how that is used in music videos.
The most common form of editing we see in music videos is montage, which is fast cut and fast paced, it is used in many genres of music but usually for quick songs.
Slow songs are slow paced and have gentler transitions to establish the mood.
It is important that the pace of the editing matches the pace of the song.
Another thing that is common in editing is that the main artist is usually given more screen time, meaning that the duration of the shot on a particular artist relates to how important they are, for example if you are editing a music video for a band you would usually give and equal amount of screen time to all the band mates but the most to the 'leader' or the main person.
Another part of editing is the post production and special effects and digital effects. In films and TV shows special effects are meant to be very realistic and life like and verisimilitude but in music videos special effects are there to make the whole piece more abstract, interesting and thought provoking. Sometimes digital enhancing is just used to make the video more dynamic.
Below is a music video that is a good example of the things I talked about in this post:
Camerawork and special effects are also making the video more exciting than it actually is, she is just dancing and singing in front of a colorful background but because of the fast paced editing, the varied camera shots and movements, and the special effects (like the lens flare and the blur) we as the viewer can stand to watch her without being completely bored.
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