What is a music video? When I decided to do my A-level media studies project, the idea of shooting a music video immediately captured my attention. As a teenager who has a passion for music, as well as playing it, I knew it was what I wanted to do. So let's look into what a music video really is.
A music video isn't just a silly little film to keep you entertained while listening to the newest Taylor Swift song- it's a visual exploration of how music is supposed to feel and evokes imagery of the song to the watcher. It combines an artist's song, with artistic cinema, engaging fans of both music producers AND film producers. Some music videos are more cinematic, like the Taylor Swift one above, and some are more simplistic, like the ABBA one below.
Usually, music videos range from 2-6 minutes, depending on the length of the song. The timeframe of the song allows the music video to showcase an engaging storyline, creativity, and other visual elements, depending on the goal of the music video. For my music video, it will be 4 minutes and 22 seconds long, which is how long the song I chose is.
For my music video, I'll also make sure to follow SPAM. No, not the meat. SPAM is just a quick acronym I made to summarize the main parts of my music video production.
Storytelling: Music videos are made to enhance the song by telling a story. This includes characters, a love story maybe, and evokes emotions from the watcher.
Performance: After I make my story, I'll also want to recruit some friends to be the actors for my video. This is where performance comes in. I'll have to do more research on directing in order to execute my musical vision though.
Artistry: For artistry, it's all about effects. This is where editing styles, camera angles, lighting, and production skills come in handy. I'll take advantage of the photography and cinema skills I learned about in my AS Level media studies class to help me artistically.
Metaphor: Lastly, the metaphor. What's the core idea or symbol of my music video? While having symbolism isn't a requirement for a music video, I'd like to have one for mine, as it can help enhance the viewer's experience, leaving room for interpretation and discussion among watchers.
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