Good And Bad Music Videos Techniques

Large number of cuts

Good

An example of a large number of cuts is ''Ice Box'' by Omarion. The music video is fast paced and contains 168 cuts. Initially the viewers hear Omarion heartbeat pacing as it is transforming into an ice box to illustrate his unhappiness with the relationship he is in. No music is played until 0.38 to create a dramatic effect where the audience can relate more personally to Omarion's emotions. Throughout the music video the background is set in black and white to further create a dramatic effect. It also focussed more on Omarion as the two contrasting set of colours outline his expressions. At 3.42 we see Omarion persuing his partner through the woods as if he is chasing to gain the perfect version of his partner which attracted him before she changed. This is all to enhance Omarion feelings in order for the audience to understand the pain and suffering he is experiencing.

Bad

A bad example of number of cuts is ''Get You Down'' by Warren G featuring Ice Cube and Snoop Dogg. This music video only contains 67 shots a normal music video contains 120 shots or more. This song wasn't deemed successful because this music video only had 730 thousand views on YouTube. The are many reasons why artists have low shot count in their music video, In this case Warren G had a low budget as it was not released  in the music charts. Even though there were big artists performing in the video it was not succesful, even having big artists in any video you do cannot guarantee a sucessful video. The three artists keep repeating about racism and how it affects them , it seems like we have seen many videos that are very similiar to this one , so the viewers feel like they have heard it all before nothing is fresh and new.This represents the artist by showing how the artist feel about rascim for example Ice Cube was talking about rascim between black and brown people it shows him in a police cell at 1:17.

Special effects


Good


Special effects videos include a variety of images and also animation. A good example is "Beware" by Big Sean featuring Lil Wayne and Jhene Aiko this music video has a different locations and the music video has a different mood and it also has different colors. This music video also contains different artist in video that shows Lil Wayne and Jhene Aiko in a different style in this video and their clothiers started to changes at different scenes. The music video first starts off with Big Sean on a mountains at 0.00 to 0.16. it represents the artist by showing the end of his relationship, he has cheated so his girlfriend has dumped him.The graphics and colour changes reflect his mood swings and how he is feeling like ''beware of a woman with a broken heart'' at 1:22. The artist uses different graphics for the chorus to the main singing to keep the viewers interesed in the music video. This represents the artist by him making a slow paced  video where as before he always make fast paced videos.

Bad

A bad special effect is ''Rock Your Body'' by Justin Timberlake this music video. This music video only stuck to one effect this makes it look like the artist had no money to spend on the music video. The graphics look like the artist is in one room like a cube with flashbulbs flashing different colours it looks cheap and tacky, also the video shows the artist in the same place they are no where else,  it is repeating the same thing over again nothing is there to excite the viewer there is nothing new in the graphics at all. The intended effect was to dance with the artist at 2:44 but it did not suceed due to the graphics being very poor and being the same throughout the video.

Cutting to the beat

Good


A good example is ''Miss  Independent'' by Ne-yo as this music video show a good pace. The intended effect is that the beat is after each scene to keep you entertained and it keeps you knowing what the artist feels and the viewers can connect with the artist and the emotions they are experiencing he respects women who are strong and praises women who are independent at 1:15. The music video has been successful because it has had 70 million hits most probably it has been viewed by women. The artist has always sung about strong independent women and he shows them immense respect with his lyrics at 3:34.

 



Bad

A bad example for cutting to the beat is ''get her back'' by Robin Thicke the  video shows him trying to get back with his wife, it shows that he is sorry and shows his face covered in blood and bruised at 2:17 and would try anything to get back with his wife who has left him. there is a lot of repetition ''i have to get her back 1:25 in the video how the artist has to get his wife back it is very dull and i think the viewer will find this boring.The artist before this song had a worldwide hit and became famous overnight which he could not handle so due to excess partying girls and drugs his wife left him with their son.








Varied camera language

Good 


A good example of varied camera language is ''Happy'' by Pharrell Williams the music video has different camera angels for example mid shot and also long shot the music video also contains a feel good factor to it, the title happy and the line i feel happy make you want to dance and clap like in the video at 1:48.The technique the artist uses in the video is random people from the street and celebrities for example Kelly Osborne dancing at 2:52, the video is extremely popular and has had 502 million views the lyrics want you to go along for the ride,  with the artist '' i feel happy with a room without a roof'' meaning you can achieve anything if that is what you want to do. Seeing people dancing and clapping makes the video more effective.

Bad

A bad example of  varied camera language is '' Tennis Court'' by Lorde this music video only contains one camera angle shot. The angel is a mid shot. there are no cuts at all the video has a dark background and looks very boring the camera sticks to the artist face even though she does not sing only a few words. All the artist does is look at the camera and moves her head left to right at 1:24 - 1:28, the artist says only two words throughout the music video she looks very pale and wears dark clothing to match the black background. The artist has been successful with this video because she has had 52 million hits on YouTube , i think maybe she had so many hits because she is a new artist and different to the normal pop songs around at the minute

Green Screen

Good 

A good green screen is '' I Made It'' by Kevin Ruldolf featuring Birdman , Lil Wayne also Jay Sean. This music video shows all of the artists how and when they started and how they became sucessful they sing about it all three of them so everyone listens to them now they are living the dream.  The music video also has different locations in the greenscreen for example when jay Sean is singing outside Big Ben at 2.20, because the viewer can see that he is british where as the other artists show american buildings and street life.The video shows photos and archive footage from the artists lives throughout the video also money falling at 1:41 .The video has had twelve million views it has so many different  graphics and a catchy tune and beat to it that keeps you interested the title is catchy and simple 'i made it'

Bad

An example of a bad greenscreen music video is ''Drop It Like Its Hot'' by Snoop Dogg featuring Pharrell Williams. This music video has got one location this makes the music video boring and this music video only sticks with one plan white green screen and it never changes and the video only shows a Bentley car at 0.56 and also shows person playing the drums at 3.11 and dancing at 0.27
 The audience wouldn't like this video because its too simple and i think they could have made it with more graphics to make it look better. The music video is in black and white it looks very simple and not made interesting and old all the video shows is expensive things the artists have got. ''I'm a gangsta, but y'all knew that'' this means that the artist is showing off because he has money and used to be a gangster.



Lip-synching

Good 



An good example for lip is ''Dedication To My Ex'' by Lloyd featuring Andre 3000 this music video contains good lip syncing from 0.00 to 3.55. this music video portarys  Lloyd feelings about a girl, there are many different camera techniques that are used in this music video as when Lloyd is pointing to his head at 0.19 the artist expresses the emotions that he feels when he sees this girl who happens to be his ex girlfriend. The artist waves his arms about a lot .and in some scenes sings slowly to try to keep the pace of the song.Their is a cat who sings with the pace of the video at 2:29-3:14.The music has been successful because of the beat and pace of the song that has been consistent throughout the video it has 11 million views on YouTube. This music video has been the only hit i know of for this artist before this video was released not many people knew of him.






Bad

A bad example of lip synching is ''cups'' by Anna Kendrick she seems to just use the same amount of mouth movement all the way through even when she hits a few high notes here and there at 3:23. The intended effect of each technique is to show here being thoughtful and be misses when she is gone by being a waitress in a diner serving customers. The video shows the artist only singing the same thing over and over again and the music and singing is repeated too many times it seems boring for the viewers. The song is from a movie the artist is in and seems very boring and mundane it represents the artist character in the movie.