Camera angles & Shot composition
Camera techniques play a vital role in a music video as they create context and build the artist’s identity.
HUMBLE. - Kendrick Lamar
As the song critiques themes of materialism, HUMBLE’s music video uses a lot of dramatic camera angle to put emphasis on the power dynamics in society. As he stars in the video extreme low angle shots make Kendrick look very dominant in the frame reinforcing HUMBLE’s tone of confidence and the themes of authority. With more Dynamic uses of white angle lenses and fisheye distortion the music video symbolizes chaos versus control in the world of Kendrick's music video. Aside from that there are also convention camera angles and framing such as close up and medium shots to help portray the artist’s emotions and performance skills helping them interact with the audience.
Bad Romance - Lady Gaga
The music video of this song follows an unconventional aesthetic of futurism, therefore it's framing – especially symmetry – is very polished, making it unnatural comparing to other music videos. However, the popular use of close-ups of the artist can still be seen here to show off the artist’s (Lady Gaga) intense expressions. This shows that the artists emotion in a video is necessary to can create an impact on viewers as well as shaping their branding identity, like how Gaga is vulnerable but also commanding in this music video.
Mise-en-scene & Symbolism
Like other forms of media, mise-en-scene also creates deeper meaning in music videos. The two examples below will show how mise-en-scene and symbolism strengthen a music video’s message:
The Man - Taylor Swift
Taylor Swift’s music video “The Man” criticizes sexism, particularly the double standards between genders male and female. Setting in male-dominated places – corporate offices, yachts, sport yards, etc. – and the music video reinforces themes of male privilege. The video challenges the stereotypical representation of male figures in media by portraying the man as entitled, overly emotional, and immature (which is also the typical portrayal of females) through exaggerated gestures and the use of props like cigars, trophies, and newspapers, which are symbols of success and power.
As It Was - Harry Styles
The “As It Was” music video is a symbol of the repetition of emotional struggles throughout the cycle of life. While the soft, natural lighting of the video sets a melancholic atmosphere, Harry’s bold red jumpsuit (which contrasts with the soft color of the background) connotes love, passion, and vulnerability. Using the circular platform, which symbolizes the cycle of life, the female dancer (who wears a blue jumpsuit, implying Harry and her don’t belong together) repeatedly comes across Harry despite them both trying to walk away, showing that Harry is trapped in his past relationship and not being able to move on.
Editing
Editing holds the power to shape a music video's narrative, pacing, hence also the emotional impact of it.
deja vu - Olivia Rodrigo
Olivia Rodrigo’s “deja vu” music video follows a linear narrative, making continuity editing the major editing style. It helps create a nostalgic aesthetic, highlIn the narrativeighting the songs message of getting the same noticing the same patterns in relationships. In the narrative, as Olivia goes through the deja vus she spotted between her and her ex’s new love interestm lots of match cuts are used to emphasize their similar experiences. Furthermore, there are also techniques like slow motion or dissolves that makes the music video look more surreal, or there are smooth transitions and rapid cuts, implying that Olivia is going through emotional highs and lows. Finally the constant repetition of the past and present shots throughout the music video shows Olivia's bittersweet feeling about the repetition.
SICKO MODE - Travis Scott
Unlike Olivia's music video. SICKO MODE by Travis Scott follows a non-linear editing to reinforce a chaotic and dynamic energy. Following the songs’ intense beats and tempo, the video consists of many jump cuts or fast pace montages and even abrupt transitions. It also has many unconventional uses of editing techniques, such as fisheye lenses, split screens, distortion technique e.g. inverted color) to create an unreal, experimental world in Travis’ music video.
Intertextual References
Intertextual references can be extremely useful to music videos as they enrich the video’s narrative. They can help create a deep connection between the song and the cultural contexts or build the artist’s identity. Additionally, intertextual references are commonly used to increase audience engagement as they recognize the familiar references and can connect to the music video more. Below are some examples of the successful use of intertextual references:
Fancy - Iggy Azalea ft. Charli xcx
Iggy Azalea’s "Fancy" is a homage to the Hollywood classic film “Clueless”, attracting fans of the film and the 90s pop culture. The aesthetic, setting, and fashion of the film match the song’s themes of popularity, empowerment, and “being fancy”; therefore, the use of “Clueless” in the music video is the right move to make the product viral. Furthermore, the main character in the film has the type of personality Iggy Azalea strives to achieve when promoting: a confident, unapologetic teenage girl.
What is Love? - TWICE
KPop girl group TWICE gained a lot of popularity for the immense use of intertextual references of classic films (mostly romance) throughout their “What is Love?” music video: Pulp Fiction, La La Land, Romeo & Juliet, Ghost, La Boum, and The Princess Diaries. This decision allows TWICE’s audience to explore the concept of love through common tropes of romance seen in cinema, showing the diverse portrayals of love, creating an engaging experience when watching the video.
thank u, next - Ariana Grande
“thank u, next” by Ariana Grande uses intertextual references of 2000s coming-of-age films with a strong pink palette like Mean Girls, Legally Blonde, 13 going on 30, and Bring It On, making the music video relatable to audiences who are familiar with these movies, hence shaping a sense of nostalgia and strengthening the song’s message of self-love. Not just matching Ariana’s pink palette to maintain branding, these film references also add layers to the music video’s themes of empowerment, self-discovery, and resilience regardless of hardships.