Music Video Convention Blog

    Codes and conventions are used by many different companies. They can be used as a marketing strategy in order to grab the attention of consumers. That way the product seems more interesting. A code is a system of signs that are put together to create a meaning. One example of a code is a technical code which are camera techniques, framing, lighting, exposure etc. Another example of codes are symbolic codes, which consist of objects,  the setting, body language, clothing, and color. Lastly, there are written codes which are headlines, captions, speech bubbles, and language styles. Conventions are habits of doing things. In short, what people have come to expect. Examples of conventions are: Camera angles, shots, editing, lighting, sound, music, computer graphics, and special effects.

    Many songwriters use conventions in order to help the audience understand the theme of the video. They also want to give them a feel for the emotion behind it. While in the original music video of The Lazy Song, the dancers dressed in baggy clothes and wore ape masks. This created a crazy, lazy, but happy atmosphere. Throughout the song the dancers dance along with the music. In the Lazy Song's music video, there were a limited amount of camera angles. One camera angle the director used was a wide shot which allows for the audience to see everything lateral. The wide shot was used in the whole music video. This is evident because as the music video was occurring, there were not any changes to the wide shot camera angle. The director is trying to engage with the audience by showing them all of the dancers with Bruno Mars in the center.
 
    For our music video, we will change the dynamic. To start with, we are going to engage our audience by opening with a fade in. This makes the audience seem like they just walked into something. Then right after, we will start dancing just as in the original video. This will catch the audiences eye and make them want to continue watching. To add onto that, our costumes, makeup, and props will surely catch the eye of our viewers because we are wearing bright and crazy colors. Our music video will also take place in multiple settings, rather than just one. We will zoom in to the birthday suits characters eye and transport from the bedroom to a different location. Another thing we show differently is what we’re doing. The actors in the film will be watching TV, combing their hair, and playing video games. These are things that people contribute to everyday life and have genuine interests in. Lastly, there will be more camera movements which allows for a better understanding of the film's theme.