The Codes and Conventions of a music videos

The codes and conventions of music videos can be broken down into various different sub-sections; these have been devised by many media theorists but some of the more general apparent areas include:

· Camerawork
· Editing
· Star Image
· Voyeurism
· Intertexuality
· Narrative and performance

All of these areas that make up a music video interlink together, and have specific meanings behind them:

· Camerawork:
The way, in which the camera is manipulated and positioned, can all be interpreted in different ways? The movement and position can also often enhance or accompany the visual image on the screen. This is regularly used as it creates a mood or a feel to the on screen narrative. The camerawork in a music video has a general tag of having, short sharp close ups, with quick edits for effect.

· Editing:
The main code that is associated with the editing of a music video includes the fast (straight) cuts. As there is always codes and conventions there is always videos that stretch of change the generalised image of music videos. These include videos that are slow paced, tension build up trying to establish a certain mood or feeling. There has been the enhancement of images throughout the duration of the music videos life, which are aimed at creating different greater viewing experiences. Andrew Goodwin also recognises the editing and shot size in his codes of music videos ‘need for lots of close ups of the artist and the artist may develop motifs’

· Star Image:
The star image was expressed as ‘a star is an image constructed from a range of materials’ by Richard Dyer 1979. The star image overlaps not just from the music video, through the whole media range, from the CD covers, to the live performance and the advertisement. The music video should reinforce the overall star image but also take the image into new directions. Steve Archer refers to the use of star image from there being too ‘few big name stars to fund’ the music business.

· Voyeurism:
This involves the idea of genders giving pleasure on screen to the audience, mainly by the option of looking good on screen. It’s seen as a way of gaining males attention by objectifying women on screen, often through a combination of camerawork and editing with fragmented body shots emphasizing a sexualized treatment of the star. Voyeurism is also abundant in music videos through the use of screens within screens- characters shown watching performers or others on television. Goodwin also recognizes the voyeuristic treatment of women in music videos, ‘treatment of the female body’.

· Intertexuality:
Many of the major media theorists all acknowledge the use of intertextuality, in music videos between other media elements, for example, films, other music videos or TV programs. These theorists included Andrew Goodwin and Pete Frazer. It’s known as using ‘an existing media production in order to spark recognition in the audience’ this lifts the music video from others and stands out to the audience, and stick in there head. There are three main ways in which intertextuality has and will happen summed up by John Stewart as being, ‘cinema, fashion and art photography’.

· Narrative and Performance:
Andrew Goodwin separates the narrative and performance down into a mainly performance base stating that, ‘music genres may have their own music video style and iconography’. Narrative and performance in music videos is seen to be fragmented and a link to a drama unfolding is always apparent but never acknowledged. Videos also often cut between Narrative and performance in order to stop the music video from being too complex and hard to follow.
All of these music video codes and conventions are a generalized base for what has been done in the past however there has and will always be changes and artist to push the boundaries of these generalized notes.