Research - What Makes A Good Music Video? [Part 1]

Analyse six music videos - look at what makes them successful. Consider camera angles, editing, mise-en-scene, sound (lip-syncing) and the relationship between music and visuals.

Lady GaGa - Bad Romance

- Narrative based video
- Basic story is that video is based in a brothel, and men continue to bid on GaGa until it hits $1m. GaGa then goes to see the man who has 'bought' her, and burns him alive, to show she is more than just a prostitute.
- Video continues with 'Telephone'

- Lots of close-ups to show her reactions
- Product placement helps to raise more revenue for further videos
- Very clean set - all white or crystal
- Perfect lip syncing
- Audio-visual links to lyrics
- Fade in and out on the beat perfectly - would look stupid if anything else

Green Day - American Idiot



- Performance based video
- Tend to be used by rock bands
- See the band at all times in every shot
- Video involves the American flag washing away - flag is green, so maybe some link with green/eco-friendly groups? Also shows that Green Day were against George W. Bush - lyrical links

- Handheld effect makes you feel the energy of the video
- Brand identity - the album cover flashes up on screens
- Continuity is poor - band move between different areas, and water levels change.
- Lot of panning and tracking shots
- Very quick cuts adds to the pace

OK Go - Here It Goes Again



- Concept based video
- Band now synonymous with concept videos
- Very simple idea but big impact

- Only uses one camera shot, which aids to the impact
- Everyone perfectly synced with each other
- Very simple background, so all you concentrate on are the band