Codes and conventions of indie pop genre music videos: Cinematography, Editing & Sound

In the indie genre it is very common for artists to use live performance videos as their music videos. This focuses the whole video on them and the music itself other than focusing on a narrative playing out. There are also two different types of performance video. The first being the artist playing live to an audience at a festival or show. The second is them performing on their own for the music video. Examples of these videos are:

This music video is 'I Will Wait' by Mumford and Sons. The video is them doing a live performance of the song to an audience. In this video a live version of the song has been recorded to go with the video to give a live performance feel to the video. The editing pace of this video changes along with the pace of the song. During the chorus the video the edits are a lot quicker. The editing that has been used are straight cuts. This again conforms to the conventions of music videos.
A cinematography techniques that is conventional in music videos are close-ups of the artist/performer. This performance video also conforms to this. Close-ups put emphasis onto the artist.

They also use long-shots and extreme long shots that show the whole band performing on the stage. This is another convention of this type of performance video. In the long-shots you can see them with their instruments and also the outfits/costumes that they are wearing. 

The last image is a example of a extreme-long shot from behind the audience. This show how small the band are when compared with where they are and the amount of fans that they have. The image before is similar but from behind the band. In these shots you can see the setting of the performance. The stage seems to be surrounded by rock and trees. The majority of the lighting comes from the lighting on stage while the audience are in the darkness. I am not sure if this is a convention of this type of performance video.

Cinematography camera movement conventions that are used in this video are pan shots and tilts as well as zooms. 

This is a example of the other type of performance video from the same artist. This song is 'Little lion man' also by Mumford and Sons. This performance video has been staged and is not a live performance as in the last video. The editing in this video also uses straight cuts as it is the convention. Montage editing is again used in this style of video as it is the convention for the form. The pace of the editing is again matched to the pace of the song and changes throughout the video.
In this video the majority of the shots are close-ups and extreme close-ups. Close ups are conventional and were also used in the last style of video.

These two images are also good examples of how the lighting in this video is different when compared with the live one. This video has studio lighting giving it the more dramatic look from the use of things such as shadows.
During the first chorus a slow zoom in is used from a long shot. This part of the video emphasizes the band and chorus of the song. A slow zoom has been used because the pace of the song is quite slow here. In this long shot you can see their costumes. These costumes are conventional of the indie/folk genre that the band is in.

Another common type of Indie music videos are ones with more of a narrative.

This example of a music video with a narrative does not have any performance from the artist, therefor this video has a few different conventions. As in the last couple of videos Close ups and extreme close ups are used quite often, however the difference in this video is that they are of the actor instead of the artist. 

A few examples: 

The close up shots emphasis the actor and their expression. From the first image you can see that the character looks sad, this matches with the mood of the song at this time.

The shots in this video last for about 5 seconds or more. This is a lot longer than the last couple of examples. 

Sound: 

Sound is important throughout each music video. The main soundtrack is from the song that is being promoted through the video. Other sounds are also sometimes kept so that the video has a more realistic feel to it. The lyrics of the song (usually the chorus) is what decides the narrative of the video unless the video is abstract. Abstract music videos do not really give a meaning or story for the song. This video is sort of abstract however it does sort of tell the audience the story of the person/actor. The song also decided the pace and style of editing. 

In this video the music is slow to begin with, this is then represented in the editing through slower paced editing giving longer varying longer shots of 5 seconds or more. As the pace of the song increases so does the editing pace giving the video a quicker look. These parts of video only last between 1 and 3 seconds. 

Chosen song

Song: Smarter

Artist: Eisley

History of Form (Music video)

The history of music videos: 

According to music historian Donald Clarke feature films such as 'Lookout Sister' by musician Louis Jordan are the ancestors of music video. This film came out in the mid 1940s and was made up of a range of short films for his songs. Jiles Perry Richardson was the first to coin the phrase music video in 1959. In 1964 The Beatles starred in their first feature film A Hard Day's Night which features songs of their album. The mock documentary directed by Richard Lester was shot in black and white. The opening sequence is arguably one of the prime archetypes of the modern performance-style music video. They use rhythm cross-cutting and close-ups as well as long shorts.

In 1965 they began making promotional clips for distribution and broadcast in other countries. In May 1966 they filmed two colour promotional clips for their singles Rain and Paperback Writer both being directed by Michael Linday Hogg. In 1967 they made promotional clips for Strawberry Fields Forever and Penny Lane. They used techniques borrowed from film including slow motion and dramatic lighting. 

Don't look back is a documentary film about Bob Dylans tour of the UK directed by D.A Pennerbaker. The opening black and white clip of Subterranean Homesick Blues shows Bob Dylan standing in a alleyway with cue cards of key words from the song playing over the top. This is one continuous shot, this makes it different from any other music videos before it. 

In the 1970s Top of the Pops began playing music videos for the first time.

MTV launched in 1981 in the U.S first showing the music video to Video Killed the Radio Star. MTV began showing music 24 hours a day. This lead to music videos being important in marketing the latest popular music. 

The next development for modern music video was the creation of inexpensive and easy to use recording and editing equipment. With the easier to use equipment acts could produce music videos quicker and significantly cheaper than before. This lead to them beginning to develop better effects in the videos and creating a plot to them. 

One of the most iconic music videos was released in 1983. Michael Jacksons Thriller video was directed by John Landis. This video cost $500,000 despite the cheaper equipment. 

The next step in the history of music videos is when they became available online. In 1997 the website iFilm was launched. This hosted short videos including music videos. In 2005 Youtube was released and is currently the most popular website for music videos. These websites made viewing of music videos much faster and easier. 
In 2009 30 Seconds to Mars uploaded their single Kings and Queens to Youtube on the day of its release. It gained over 100 million views. It also received over 40 million plays on MySpace. 

Song choices

These are the songs that I have been considering for my music video withing the indie pop genre. 

Analysis 3

Song: Give it all back

Artist: Noah and the whale

Analysis: 

Cinematography:

The cinematography techniques used in this video are a bit different from the style of the last two videos. In this video there are more long and medium shots, from what I have researched conventionally a lot of close-ups are used. Another more un-conventional cinematography technique used is Zooms. There are quite a lot of zooms (both in and out) on the artists and actors while they are performing. These were not used much or at all in other videos that I have looked at. The use of zooms in this video have been used to draw the audience into the story. Quite a few low angles are used while the lead singer is performing, these give the impression that we are looking up to him.

Editing:

The editing style used in this video is montage. Through different shots the audience can see time passing. Straight cuts are used throughout the video with each shot lasting about 2 or 3 seconds each. These type of cuts are used so that the audience do not really notice them. The editing pace of this video is in time with the song. The video is split between the actors showing what the song is about and the band performing the song. Cross cutting is used for this and gives the audience the idea that the actors are meant to be younger versions of themselves and the song is about how the band started. The most noticeable part of the cross cutting is towards the end when both the little band and the real band are performing at the same time. Both bands doing the same thing shows the audience that they are the same.

Mise-en scene:
The costumes that are worn in this video are dark suits. I think that they have all chosen to wear the suits because it makes them look similar and as though they are part of a group. The younger versions of themselves also wear similar costumes to what the band wear and their hair has been styled also in a similar way, this is to show the audience that they are meant to be the same people at different times. The suits contrast what other children are wearing instantly showing that there is a difference between them. This leads to the idea that they are outcasts and don't seem to fit in with the others. There are a few different settings/locations throughout the video. The locations used in this video are a school, talent show stage and different rooms of a house. While the little band are performing on the talent show stage towards the end of the video, the main band is performing in-front of what looks like lockers in the school.

Sound:

The majority of the sound is the song that is being performed. However there are also some other diegetic sounds such as the school bell and the clapping at the end of the talent show. The song is what influences the video. This song is about if they got to go back in time they would do everything the same because it lead them to becoming a band. This is why the video shows the younger versions of themselves when they were starting a band. The pace of the song determines the editing pace of the video.

Narrative:

The narrative of this video has been influenced by the lyrics of the song being performed. The song is saying that if they could go back in time, they would do everything the same. Therefore the video shows the audience the past and what they wouldn't change. The video cross cuts from present time with the band performing their song and the past where they are in a talent competition. At the end they do not win the competition.

Ideology:
I think that this video gives the message that even though you may fail the first time, you shouldn't give up on it. This gives positive messages and values to a young audience. The song is also something that the audience can easily relate to.

Genre
This music video is a example of the indie genre. This is the genre that I have chosen to create when making my music video. The genre has been established initially by the style of music and then re-enforced through the mise-en scene. The things such as costume and props give it the indie look. 

Analysis 2

Song: Stubborn Love
Artist: The Lumineers

Analysis:

Cinematography:
This video uses mostly close-ups and extreme close up shots throughout the video. The majority of the close ups are either of the girl or from her point of view. Close ups on the performer/character show the audience their emotions. Close ups from her point of view show the audience what she is seeing and this gives a bit more understanding and background to why she is feeling the way she is. The flashback scene is a example of something from her point of view at times. During this the camera moves like a person, this adds to the impressions that it is from her point of view. The movements are quite natural and this tells me that it could have been a handheld camera used. In this scene they use a low angle of her dad to show her looking up at him from the car. This tells the audience a lot about the narrative of this video. Not a lot of other camera movements is used in this video apart from pans. The best example of the use of this is when they are driving past the band. The pan has been used so that the whole scene is seen by the audience.

Editing:
Montage editing has been used in this video because time is condensed. They have used straight cuts between each different shot. The edits are usually in time to the song. And I have found that this is a convention in music videos. In this video the length of the shots is quite short, about only 2 or 3 seconds. There are a few longer shots used when the camera is panning. A example of this is the scene with the band. This is a longer length. The opening lasts for about 14 seconds, this has been done because this part of the song is much slower.

Mise-en scene:
This video comes from the viewpoint of the little girl while in the car with her mum. Because of this narrative the location of the car does not change however the locations on the outside do. The beginning of the video is a sunny location (which may reflect the emotions of the girl) However next is a flashback and in this the weather is dim, grey and raining. The rain and darkness is representing how the little girl is sad about leaving and doesn't want to. As the video goes on and the surroundings change is gets sunnier. This tells the audience that she is starting to feel a little happier.
Throughout the video the audience cannot really see her costume as the majority of the camera shots are close ups however sometimes you can see a yellow and white jumper. Yellow is a cheerful and happy colour which is representing her mood at the end of the video but contrasts to her mood at the start. The white represents her innocence and could give the meaning that she doesn't really understand what is going on.

Sound:
The soundtrack/ song is non diegetic. It has been recorded and added to the video. Because this video does not have any lip-syncing this will have been a little bit easier. There is no diegetic sound in the video. The song directly influences all the other aspects like cinematography, mise-en scene editing and narrative. The narrative is usually influenced by the lyrics of the whole song or just the chorus. Editing and cinematography are influenced by the sound and pace of the song.

Narrative:
This videos narrative about the girl in the car. The whole video focuses on her and what she sees. My impression of the story is that the young girl and her mum have left her dad and they are traveling to a new place or home. They pass people that are living their lives unaffected by what has happened to the girl.The narrative structure used in this video follows _ theory.

Ideology (messages and values):
I think that the message that this video is trying to give its audience is that peoples lives carry on and are going on all the time regardless of what is happening in your own and that the girl is seeing this for the first time. I think this because throughout the video they show different things happening to different people outside the car with the girl watching them.
The values that this video represents is

Genre: 
This video type is narrative with a small part of performance. The performance aspect comes when they show the band while they are performing their song however this is a relatively small clip through the video. This genre of music comes from the indie genre and is recognizable by the sound. Unlike mainstream Pop music, the Indie music genre generally has band music such as guitars and drums etc rather than electronic studio sounds. This band is becoming a big name within the Indie genre.

Analysis 1

Artist: Gabrielle Aplin

Song: Home

Analysis:

Cinematography -

The cinematography techniques used in this video are conventional for music videos and also the genre. The first convention that has been used in this video is the close-ups. The close-ups are used on the artist while they are performing the song. They show the expression and emotions that they are feeling about the song and this shows that it has meaning to the artist. At the start her facial expression shows her to be sad and maybe lonely whereas towards the end the close-ups show her to be much happier.
Another common cinematography feature are the long shots and extreme long shots. In this video the long shot show the artist while they are in their surroundings and location. The changing locations are important to show the audience how the story is progressing. If they do not see the locations they don't know that they have changed.
A camera movement that is used regularly within the video are tracking shots. These are used to follow the artist movements. Tracking shots with the artist walking forward give the representation that the story is moving forward and that the is walking towards something. The camera wobbles quite a lot giving the impression of a hand held camera being used. This could be so that the audience feel like a person walking along with her. They are quite natural movements that a person would use. 

Editing - 

Montage editing is used in this video, this is a range of different shots edited together to show the audience the passing of time. This video uses straight cuts between the different shots and they last about 3-5 seconds. Most of the video is in a linear format where the story is told in order however towards the end of the video cross cutting has been used to show two different time frames. The first being while she is performing to the people standing around her and the second is while she is running down the road from earlier in the video. This signifies to the audience how much she has changed over the space of time. 

Mise-en scene -
During the video her costume changes over time. She starts with a grey t-shirt and blue jeans and jacket. And at the end of the video her costume is a silver top and shorts. This (like the cross cutting) shows how she has grown and changed over the space of time. Another thing that links with how she has changed is her performance changes. At first she seems unhappy and doesn't really interact with people well and towards the end she is singing to them and looks a lot happier. This tells the audience that she has found something that makes her happy.
The location of the video changes quite a lot because of the montage editing. The location that appears the most is a dusty road with mountains/hills along the sides. This location is quite and deserted, this links with the way she feels at that moment. Although the location is sunny and bright the mood of the song and video does not reflect this. 

Sound -
The main soundtrack is non-diegetic. The song has been previously recorded and layered over the top of the video in time with lip-syncing. There are some diegetic sounds that have been kept in the video such as clapping and people talking towards the end, and this gives the audience the illusion that the song has actually been performed. The song directly influences the cinematography, editing, mise-en scene and narrative of the video. The lyrics influence the narrative and mise-en scene and the cinematography and editing is influenced by the pace and beat of the song. The beginning of the song has a slow pace, in the video during this section of the song there the shots last longer. The lyrics of the chorus are what influence the video.
'Cause they say home is where your heart is set in stone
Is where you go when you're alone
Is where you go to rest your bones
It's not just where you lay your head
It's not just where you make your bed
As long as we're together, does it matter where we go?
Home home home home'
These lyrics tell the audience what counts as a home in the artists opinion. The video shows her finding a home after she thought that she might not.

Narrative -
The narrative of the video has been influenced mainly by the lyrics of the chorus. Because the chorus talks about what a home really is the video reflects this. The start shows the artists car and belongings being stolen and she can't get home, she then goes on a journey to try and find home. She ends up finding that she feels at home performing music to people. Throughout the majority of the video her performance reflects her to be unhappy and alone, this is done so that the audience can instantly recognize the difference between this and when she has found home. Audience expectations for this video may have been subverted, initially the expectation would have been that she travels to her house/home that she has family in. This was not seen in the video giving me the impression that she was maybe alone before the disruption at the start.
The narrative follows Todorov's structure.
Equilibrium - Walking to her car.
Disruption - Car and belongings stolen so that she cannot get home.
Quest - Travelling to find home.
Resolution - Finds a new sense of home.
Re-equilibrium - Artist seems happy again with the different kind of home.

Ideology - (messages & Values)
The message of this particular music video is that you can find a home anywhere and it doesn't just have to be with your family. The values of the artist are represented through the costumes and performance they give. In some pop music videos now the artists dress in dramatic costumes whereas these costumes are more normal. This gives a sense of realism to the video to go with the song.

Genre-
This music is an example of the indie/pop music genre. I decided to analyse this video because this is the genre that I chose for my music video. This genre of music has a smaller/niche audience than the mainstream music that is in the charts.

Chosen brief

1: A promotion package for the release of an album, to include a music promo video, together with two of the following three options.

• A website homepage for the band;
• A cover for its release as part of a digipak (CD/DVD package)
• A magazine advertisement for the digipak (CD/DVD package)