Music Video Theory

Music Videos are comprised of three types of image:

• Performance clips - simple and direct
• Conceptual clips -

Further broken down into:

• Narrative 
• Artistic

In the majority of videos they are combined

Performance Clips:

A performance clip is a video that shows the vocalist(s) in one or more settings, such as the recording studio or on-stage at a concert

Performance Settings:

A narrative clip contains a visual story that is easy to follow. A pure narrative clip contains no lip-synchronised singing.

The story is an idea, a "concept", hence conceptual.

The narrative usually relates to the song in someway, albeit subtle at times.

Artistic Clip:

Music videos use artistic elements to enhance the overall piece. Some videos are purely artistic since they show sequences with no obvious narrative and no singing. They can be described as artistic since they purposely manipulate images but don't tell  any sort of story. Purely artistic videos are more common in electronic or experimental videos.

Combining three elements:

Performance

Narrative

Artistic

Artistic Performance Video:

A performance video which is heavily artistic.

• Represented as royalty and as wealthy
• artistic 
• Art Gallery, prestigious 
• Low angle shot, they are above everyone else
• Sitting on a 'throne'
• Background dancers
• They are seen as powerful
• They have fancy expensive-looking clothes on
• The video shows the painting Mona Lisa, which is very expensive and famous