Sweetheart, What Have You Done To Us by Keaton Henson
The main feature of this music video is the use of lip sync, initially presented in a close-up shot of Keaton Henson. Through the use of direct address, a sense of connection with the audience is created whilst he lip syncs, suggesting that he is sharing his feelings with the audience personally, hence creating a sense of intimacy. This amplifies the personal message of the lyrics. Furthermore, the close-up shot and direct address, paired with lip-sync, emphasises the sense of vulnerability conveyed in this indie folk/folk rock song. Hard Times by Paramore
The element of lip sync in the music video for this pop rock song reinforces the connotations of fun created by the erratic dancing and brightly-coloured animation. Hayley Williams, the lead-singer, lip syncs throughout the majority of the video, sometimes accompanied by her fellow band members who are also presented playing instruments at times. The exaggeration of the lip sync, alongside the quirky graphics, amplifies the lively and carefree feel of the music (although this contrasts with the lyrics). The performance element of band members playing the guitar and drums promote the live aspect of the band, as is conventional for bands because selling gig tickets is more profitable than just selling their songs. Shutdown by Skepta
Lip-sync is integral to the video for grime artist Skepta's song Shutdown. Lip sync is an important convention for music videos of the genre because it demonstrates and emphasises the speed and skill of the artists' rapping. A lot of the shots presenting Skepta lip syncing also use direct address, conveying him as bold and confident. Another possible effect of the use of lip sync in this video may be that it adds to the energy of the video, reinforcing the impact of the fast-paced cuts and handheld camera movement. Members of his 'crew' also lip sync some of the lyrics, which may create a sense of participation for the audience.
All of these songs are by unsigned artists. Any Shape - Aby Wolf A positive aspect of this song is its clear beat which would make synchronised editing much easier. Furthermore, there are defined sections (verse/chorus) with different paces which would create opportunities for a music video to be more varied and therefore more interesting. The song also has a clear hybrid genre of electronic-pop, so a music video could be made including generic conventions. The song is an optimum length, not too short or too long, which would allow a creative music video to be made evidencing my skills without the need for excessive filler. Eat a Lemon Tart - Merk This indie-pop song has the potential for a quirky music video, as is typical of the genre. One of the disadvantages is that the song is shorter than average which could inhibit my ability to display a range of skills in my music video. Another disadvantage is that, although there are defined sections of verse/chorus, the song does sound slightly repetitive (perhaps due to its short length). Relax - Backyard Dreaming
There are many conventions of indie rock music videos which could be employed in a music video for this song, for example the instrumentation which can be heard (including drums, guitar, etc.) would provide an opportunity for elements of performance within the video. However, a disadvantage of this song is that it is quite slow. Furthermore, it is longer than a recommended length of 3.30. On the other hand, an advantage is that there are differentiated sections of the song. Pretty Little Head by Eliza Rickman An advantage of this song is that it is a high-quality recording. However, the slightly abstract lyrics would make it difficult to develop a narrative for the music video. Furthermore, the genre of this song is less clear than many of the other song choices that I have selected, so it would be more difficult to utilise genre conventions in a music video. He Never Shows by Pom-Pom Squad A positive aspect of this song is that it has a steady beat which would enable effective synchronised editing. The indie rock genre of the song means that there would be opportunities to use conventions of the genre, such as elements of performance. Plus, the song is short which may make it easier to make a music video for it. Furthermore, the lyrics have the potential to inspire narrative elements for a music video.
Work Song (Official Video) by Hozier on VEVO. The music video for 'Work Song' by the indie rock musician Hozier promotes his live performances whilst presenting the artist as appealingly authentic.
Figure 1
The music video begins with a wide shot which presents Hozier and his band on stage in front of an audience (see figure 1). Camera movement follows an audience member as he moves forwards, closer to the stage, immediately creating a feeling of the viewer being part of this audience, hence increasing their feeling of engagement. The handheld camera emphasises the suggestions of inclusion by suggesting that the movement is more natural. The camera continues to move throughout the video, conveying a sense of energy.
Figure 2
Shots of Hozier himself performing (lip-syncing and playing guitar, see figure 2) promotes the quality of his live gigs, encouraging viewers to buy tickets for his shows. Furthermore, the inclusion of musical props (microphones, guitars, drums, etc.) is conventional for music videos of the indie rock genre. Other props in the video's mise-en-scene include lit candles which, reinforced by the church-like setting, create connotations of purity which reinforce the importance of authenticity to the musician's brand, plus suits the genre because of the song's influences from gospel music. Hozier's costume is quite rugged, including a slightly dishevelled denim jacket which is unbuttoned with roughly rolled up sleeves, which reinforces the appearance of authenticity which the video aims to convey; it suggests that he is a relatable character with an attainable style. As well as elements of performance by Hozier, members of the 'audience' in the music video are presented dancing. There are cuts between these two components of the music video throughout, increasing the pace of the video to further convey energy - this is especially evident as the pace of cuts increases when the pace of the song increases. The dancers who make up the audience within the music video wear quite casual costumes (like Hozier), mostly in somewhat neutral tones - this may reinforce the low-key aesthetic of the music video. The contemporary style of dance featured complements the quite slow pace of the music, plus creates connotations of tenderness which emphasise the romantic sentiment of the song. This is emphasised by the slightly yellow filter which connotes warmth. Many of the shots of the dancing are close-ups which reinforce the immersive quality of the music video.
Figure 3
Figure 4
Hozier is also presented through the use of close-up shots (as in figure 3, for example), a technique which Andrew Goodwin theorised is typical in music videos due to record label demands, wishing to promote the artist's brand. Notably, the penultimate shot of the music video is a close-up of him (figure 4), which lingers slightly even after the music has finished, hence creating a sense of finality. He is presented against a bright backlight in this shot, which is suggestive of angelic connotations that may elevate the suggested significance of his performance, plus creates a sense of impressiveness.
The main feature of this music video is the use of lip sync, initially presented in a close-up shot of Keaton Henson. Through the use of direct address, a sense of connection with the audience is created whilst he lip syncs, suggesting that he is sharing his feelings with the audience personally, hence creating a sense of intimacy. This amplifies the personal message of the lyrics. Furthermore, the close-up shot and direct address, paired with lip-sync, emphasises the sense of vulnerability conveyed in this indie folk/folk rock song.
The element of lip sync in the music video for this pop rock song reinforces the connotations of fun created by the erratic dancing and brightly-coloured animation. Hayley Williams, the lead-singer, lip syncs throughout the majority of the video, sometimes accompanied by her fellow band members who are also presented playing instruments at times. The exaggeration of the lip sync, alongside the quirky graphics, amplifies the lively and carefree feel of the music (although this contrasts with the lyrics). The performance element of band members playing the guitar and drums promote the live aspect of the band, as is conventional for bands because selling gig tickets is more profitable than just selling their songs.
