Analysis Of Music Video Genres - Miss Georgiou**

There are many ways in which music videos engage their audiences. Whether its the style of video e.g narrative, performance or concept or the micro elements used such as editing e.g effects, these all attract the audience into watching the music video. In order for a music video to be successful, it has to be interesting to watch for the audience, for example a narrative could intrigue the audience with a story included and make the music video seem more as a story than a music video which they could pass along to others, which creates talk around the video. Moreover the micro elements; cinematography, editing and mise en scene are imperative when it comes to a music video. These elements help build the music video together and are essential when engaging the audience and matching the type of genre. In this post i'll be discussing further how different types of genre engage their audiences through the use of cinematography, editing and mise en scene. 

Drake - Over (Rap/Hip Hop)

The music video for the song 'Over' by Drake comes under the genres Hip Hop/ Rap. The style of video is concept based. The concept of the video is about "the struggle between the purities of his past life and what his new life has to offer". This concept is seen through out the music video especially through the use of editing.

An example of this is the filters used on top of the artist when drake is sitting on the bed between 0:00 - 0:11. What we see are flashing images such as fire flames, drake himself standing alone and 2 different types of girls (representing bad/good girl). The use of the flashing could represent different elements of his life , especially when we see the two girls shown differently. This links in with the concept of being stuck in the middle of his past life and what his new life has to offer and is conventional to the rap/Hip-hop genre as artists often incorporate what's going on their life in their music, which engages the audience as it makes them relate and build a relationship with them.

Another example of how editing is used to engage his audience, is through the use of fast editing which is apparent when he is rapping. This shows how passionate Drake is when his rapping which shows how much the lyrics mean to him. The fast pace of the music video could also imply how fast and busy his life is and how he copes with it through his body language seen. This engages the audience and gives them an insight of the artist life which grabs their attention.This conventional to the Rap/Hip Hop is usually fast paced as the artist expresses themselves through rapping. Also, the fast pace could also grab the audiences attention by getting them excited and energetic allowing them to express themselves just like how the artist is. 

Drake Close Up 

In the over music, cinematography is used to engage the audience.The use of frequent close ups of Drake is seen throughout the music video, for example when he is rapping lyrics from 0:23 - 0:30 " I know way too many people here right now, that i didn't know last year, who the f*ck are y'all?", there is a close up of his face. The use of this close up shows his facial expressions and emphasis on what he's saying. The close up complements his semi aggressive facial expressions,especially when he says "who the f*ck are y'all" and represents him as arrogant and careless about other people as he's says this whilst looking straight at the camera. The use of this may make the audience react to it as he's saying it right in the camera, which may feel intimidating but exciting to watch, which engages them to continue watching the video to see what else he has to say. This could be seen as a 'dig' to other artists as Drake is establishing himself as being known by many, but not knowing them (too famous) which could make other artists, particularly in the Rap/ Hip Hop genre feel threatened by him. This is conventional to the Rap/Hip Hop genre as they usually compete to be the best, and close up's like Drake's makes the audience feel intimidated and hyped about what he said which creates more of a buzz around the music video, as they'll talk about what he said in that camera shot. 

low angle shot in puddle 

Another camera shot used in the music video, is a low angle shot. This is evident when we see Drake rapping between 2:17 - 2:25. The low angle shot is seen through a puddle affect which makes it look like the audience is looking at him upwards from the puddle. The use of this makes him look superior and represents him as dominant and powerful. This is conventional to the Rap/Hip Hop genre, as artist usually avoid conveying themselves as vulnerable and weak, so the low angle shot demonstrates them as being confident and more important than the artists. 

White Tracksuit 

Trench Coat 

Mise en scene, costume is used in the 'Over' music video stereotypically and unconventionally. Firstly, we are introduced to drake wearing an all white tracksuit and a gold chain when he is seen sitting on the bed. The use of wearing a tracksuit and chain is conventional in the Rap/Hip Hop genre, as they're usually associated with gangs which the genre developed from and typically worn by people in them. In addition, the colour white catches the audience eye which could portray him as good and pure and different to other rappers, which makes him stand out more. Also, the use of wearing a tracksuit could be used to help build a relationship with the audience, as tracksuits are seen as normal clothing which could convey him as 'normal' which makes him relatable to his audience. Overall the costume in this particular scene is conventional to the Rap/Hip Hop genre. In contrast to the white tracksuit, we do see Drake wear an outfit that looks more luxurious. For example when he is wearing a a smart trench coat which looks expensive. The use of this represents him as wealthy and having expensive taste in clothing which is a shift away from the stereotypical look for the Rap/Hip Hop genre. The contrast between the two outfits convey how Drake is a part of both lifestyles and shows he's relatable but to an extent obviously because he's a star. 

Another element that is clear in this music video is the positioning of the artist. The positioning of Drake in this music video is generally in the middle, which conveys his importance and dominance within the video, as the audience focus on him. The use of this builds a relationship with the audience, as the position of being in the middle engages them with Drake, which makes them focus on the actions and expressions he's doing. This is conventional to the Rap/Hip Hop genre, as artist like to convey that their powerful and dominant in the rap scene through the use of the positioning in the middle of their videos. 

The use of lighting and iconography is prominent in the video as it sets the atmosphere and mood. In the drake 'Over' music video, the use of low key lighting is used at the beginning of the video. In this shot, the only source of lighting seen is from the iconography of two lamps at both sides of the bed, however Drake himself is not seen and is just shown like a silhouette. The use of the low key lighting could convey the darkness that he's experiencing in his life, but the lamps are a sign of hope for him. The use of this lighting and lamps as iconography, makes the audience understand a little more about the artist, and also makes him relatable as expressing that theres always hope even in dark times.    

Drake is found in numerous of locations in the music video, however the setting of the whole video is always in isolated places as he is always seen alone. For example, we see him sat on the bed alone. When this is happening there are images shown on a projector behind him e.g people's walking fast. The use of this is unconventional to the Rap/Hip Hop genre, as you expect artists to be in the 'hood' and in gangs with lots of girls around them. However, Drake takes the subversive approach and uses a normal like setting e.g bedroom, which builds a relationship between him and his audiences because it conveys realism that they can relate to. In addition, the use of a bedroom as his setting shows how he's comfortable and letting his audience in, as bedrooms are places of privacy where people can be themselves.  

All About That Bass - Meghan Trainor (Pop)

The song I will be analysing for the pop genre is, All About That Bass by Meghan Trainor as it is conventional to the pop genre. Firstly, the use of cinematography showcases the pop genre, especially through a long shot. In this long shot we see Meghan dancing with a bunch of dancers whilst singing. The use of this long shot, shows off her dance moves and shows how she is multi talented because she's doing two things at once. Also, it shows off dancing which is conventional to the pop genre, as artists want to make themselves look fun and young. This makes her audience engage more with the video and also learn more about her as an artist as they see her do more than just singing. 

The second cinematography that is found in this music video, is the use of a aerial shot. This is evident when Meghan is laying on a colourful floor of fabric. The aerial shot is taken from above the scene to establish the landscape she's in and the relationship she has with it. Within this shot, you can see the colourful background which represents her as a fun, cheerful and colourful which is conventional the pop genre and appealing to the target audience as they'd want to feel the same way.

When it comes to editing, the technique used all depends on the mood of the song. In pop it is usually varied, however in this particular music video, its quite upbeat. This is evident through the use of jump cuts from 2:12 - 2:15 when we see Meghan standing next to a boy, then it jumps to a scene of her surrounded by girls then back to the boy. The use of this jump cut establishes that she is more of a girls girl as theres more of them than the boy. Also the jump cut creates a live atmosphere for the audience which is conventional to the pop genre because the video is not smoothly run. 

Mise en scene is apparent in the music video, as it is very vital in conveying the pop genres. Firstly, the setting for the All About That Bass video is a hot pink coloured setting which similarly looks to be like a doll house. Iconography of a doll house used by the two little girls in the music video suggests the theme of the music video as a whole being like a doll house. The use of this setting and iconography is to create a vibrant, girly and fun atmosphere but also appeal to the target audience e.g little girls, through the use of doll houses which they in particular are likely to play with. This is conventional to the pop genre, as artists often use elements of their target audiences life, so that they can relate with them and build a closer relationship with them. 

Throughout the music video, it is set in high key lighting and the colours used are bright e.g pink,blue yellow etc. The use of high key lighting is to amplify the joyful, fun atmosphere especially when the target audience e.g little girls are playing with their dolls. The bright colours are used not only to catch the audiences attention, but to follow the conventions of what a doll house is like, as their usually brightly coloured. This shows that Megan is very aware about her target audience, and makes them feel involved as she is representing herself like them. The use of bright colours in the music video is conventional to the pop genre so its ensures the audience are attracted to the videos right away. 

Overall in the music video, through mise en scene costume, Megan and the other characters are dressed in doll like clothing which are brightly coloured. This shows their youthfulness and vibrance within the video. The colourful costumes appeal to the audience as it gives them more of an understanding of the doll like themed video and also may make them want to copy the fashion style. 

The positioning of Megan in this music video is mostly in the middle. For example when she is sitting in the middle of the other girls and when they're dancing. The use of her being positioned in the middle makes her stand out from the group but also shows that she is still involved. This could portray her as not stuck up, however the ring leader of the group. The use of this positioning is conventional to the genre, as artists usually are positioned in the middle so that their audiences pay more attention to them. 

Year 3000 - BUSTED (Pop Rock)

The song 'Year 3000' by Busted belongs to the pop rock genre, which is a genre that has a mixture of both the pop and rock conventions. The pop rock genre involves a catchy pop style and light lyrics in its guitar based rock songs. In terms of cinematography, we see a long shot of the boys playing their electric guitars whilst one sings. The use of this shot shows the audience the setting that they're which is a bedroom. This is conventional to the pop rock genre as musicians usually practice in their bedrooms which makes the artists look relatable for the audience, which helps build a closer relationship with them. 

Another camera shot that is evident in this music video, is a low angle shot. This is used when the group are playing their guitars in the cartoonish futuristic setting. The use of this low angle shot represents them as confident, powerful and dominant. Also it suggests how nothing can phase them even if they were in a alien futuristic world as seen in the music video. The use of this shot is conventional to the pop rock genre as it makes the artists look 'cool' and 'brave' which are aspects of how an artist should be like. Also it engages the audience to continue watching because they are seeing the boys from a different perspective, which is down below. 

CGI is used evidently in this music video. The editing technique shows the band in a futuristic setting where there are aliens walking around. The use of this shows the fun side of the band which is conventional to the pop genre as artists like to convey that their fun. Also the CGI used helps the audience understand more about the song through Goodwins theory of lyrics matching visuals. When we hear the lyrics " He said, I've been to the year three thousand" we see the visuals of them in a future like setting which portrays what is being said in the lyrics. This is conventional to the rock genre because it brings the lyrics to life which grabs the audiences attention. 

Another editing technique that is included in this music video is a montage. The montage is used at the beginning when were introduced to the band and they're are seen playing their guitars passionately. The fact that the montage was used at the beginning to show the boys, creates a fun atmosphere for the video as we seem them jumping around and doing what they love. Also, the montage emphasises their performance by showing the audiences how talented they are without singing. The use of this montage appeals to the target audience due to its liveliness which portrays the band like that and makes them want to have fun like they are. This is also conventional to the Pop Rock genre, as it conveys the fun element of the genre in a fast creative way which builds up the hype in the music video. 

Mise en scene positioning and body language is evident in this music video. An example is near the end when the band is performing live in front of an audience. In this shot they are positioned in the middle of the stage performing to their audience. From this shot seen in the screenshot, the positioning of the boys is conventional to the pop rock genre as being placed in the middle makes the audience focus on them as a group. Also, the shot is from a point of view shot in the audience which makes them feel involved in the video as if they were actually watching them live. Their body language is of them clapping their hands encouraging the audience to copy them as well. This sort of movement is noted at concerts as its a way of artists getting the audience involved to create hype and involvement making them build a closer relationship with them. However, in this part of the music video we do see them positioned in the middle but alone. For example each band member would take turns in singing looking upwards faced the camera. The use of this lets the audience get to know each of them individually. This is conventional to the pop rock genre as it allows members of the group to show themselves as a person, but also help the target audience, especially teenage girls establish who their favourite is. 

The groups costume consists of dark colours such as black, red and grey. However each are wearing different clothes, to establish their different personalities. This is conventional to the pop rock genre as it shows who they are individually and again helps audience connect with them each. Also, when it comes to hair, the boys have different hairstyles as well as clothing. Ones got spiky hair, the other has a shaved white mohawk and one has flat down hair. These hairstyles are conventional to the pop rock genre as they're not entirely out there like how rock stars usually have their hair but its still rockish with the spikes. This also connects audiences with them as these hairstyles were popular in that time and the target audience mainly teenage boys would have the similar hairstyles to the band. The iconography that is used in the music video is electric guitars. This is the instrument that the group plays throughout the music video. Electric guitars are conventional to the pop rock genre because of its sound that makes it sound rockish. However as it is a pop rock song, the sounds are up beat which the audience can dance too. The use of this iconography is for the audience to have evidence that the band can do other things but sing, so it allows them to show off more talents. 

The band is seen in 3 different settings. One is in a bedroom, then in a futuristic world and then at their live performance. All these stages of in the music video could convey their journey as a band. This is because they start in a bedroom where bands usually practice when they're starting off, then to a futuristic world that could symbolise how they're different to other bands and how its got them successful, to them performing live at a full crowd. All settings seem lively and fun which is conventional to the pop rock genre as this is how the atmosphere should be within music videos. 

When it comes to colour and lighting, it varies in this music video. However, for most of the video its very colourful and bright because of the futuristic theme that is placed in the song. This makes the artists stand out so that the audience engage with them and remember who they are. Also, the bright colours conveys youthfulness which is beneficial for the band as it draws their target audience in who are young teenagers. As for lighting, it is mostly normally lit, its not too dark but not too bright too. This is used to convey the realism side to the group so that audiences can relate with them especially in the bedroom scene. However when they are performing on stage it is low key lighting so that it conveys the underground concert like atmosphere that rock stars usually play in. Overall the use of lighting and colour is conventional to the pop rock genre because it creates a entertaining and vibrant atmosphere.

In summary, this analysis of music genres has taught me many things about the different types of genres especially Rap/Hip Hop, Pop and Pop/Rock. Each music video has different elements to them which makes them conventional to its genre. For example what I liked about the Drake Over analysis is the way the editing style, filters was used to convey how the artist was feeling e.g fire shown inside him. This inspires me to use a filter inside my artist maybe in my music video to convey how our artist feeling in a artistic way so that the audience understand visually. Also, from the Pop video All About That Bass, what I think went well within that music video is the colour theme of pink. This was used wisely so that she could appeal to her target audience of young girls/teenagers. When planning my music video, I will consider my colour theme wisely as well so that I know what fits right for my target audience for them to enjoy watching the video. Lastly, what I found important in the Busted music video, was the positioning of the boys, especially when they were individually seen in the middle singing. Like this music video I will incorporate cinematography and consider mise en scene positioning for my artist so that my audience will know who to focus on and get to know individually rather than the other characters.
The meanings of the micro elements were used differently in the different genres as they all portrayed a different concept or narrative within them. For instance, the Drake video used the micro elements to show the emotions and feelings of the artist, as the song was about a personal experience he's had which is conventional to the indie genre. For example, a long shot of drake sitting on the bed looking down, shows that he is sad and lonely. However, a long shot used in the All About the bass video conveys the artist and back up dancers dancing, which connotes positivity and fun within the video. Therefore, the use of the camera shot is used differently to the drake video, as its showing a performance instead of the artists emotions. In addition, the Busted music video includes a long shot as well like the All About The Bass video to show a performance. However, the use of the long shot does not only show the group playing their guitars and singing, it also shows them in a live concert scene, which differs from the Meghan Trainors video. Therefore, the micro elements are used differently in the Busted video to the other videos, as they convey the group in a real life setting for them, as they're known for performing in underground stages, therefore conventionally showing realism. 
Overall, this analysis will help assist me with my planning because I gained more of understanding about each music genre which I can incorporate some ideas into so that my music video is as conventional and entertaining possible.