Friday, 30 September 2011

Research for music video- Carol Vernallis Theory

Carol Vernallis has written a book of media lanuage analysis called: Experiencing Music Video:Aesthetic and Cultural Context (2004).


She studied the 4 concept which relates to the way the music video is constructed.

  • Narrative
  • Editing
  • Camera movement and Framing
  • Diegesis
However I am only going to look more closely on editing and camera movement&framing. Throughtout her observation she concluded that these 2 key concepts come much more often than in film. Editing goes with the rhythms of the music. Moreover it is made to be so obvious, visible- disjuncture- which made it more entertaintment. There is lots of jumps cut. The rules of 'continuity' editing is broken in order to draw attention. 
For the cmaerwarok the master shot often called a base track is frequently used to give a video a structure. Camera may move in time with the music.

When I wrote in google 'Carol Verballis theory' this is what I found 

 What does she say about editing?

 She says that 
Editing may match the musical phrases or the beat
The video may break or disrupt many of the ‘rules’ of continuity editing – this is a clear convention of music video editing.
Editing may become ‘foregrounded – the edits may be really obvious, to draw attentionto themselves as opposed to invisible, continuity editing

For example, you may see:

Jump cuts
Breaks of the 30 degree rule
Breaks of the 180 degree rule
Cutting against the movement
Cutting within the lyrics
Fancy edits or cuts
Extreme jumps in time and space
Extreme changes in pace
Juxtaposed frames
Graphic matches
A style of editing that runs through the video and is distinctive to that video

You may not see:

Smooth transitions
Matches on action
An even pace throughout

What does she say about Camera Movement and Framing?

She says that 
When it comes to shot types, extremes are very common.
The style of framing and movement may run through the video and is distinctive to that video
The camera may move in time with the music
The camera may move on the lyrics
The master shot (or other establishing shots) is used frequently, as are close-ups





At 1.16-1.21 There is a jump cuts while she is walking on the desert towards the camera.












Whole music video has been based on the special effects to draw attention on the audience and make it more entertainment. For example a jelly bear, or sticks which changed into snakes. Lots of minimising of the main character to create a sense of 'Alice in Wonderland'. Which helps to creata a feeling of memories, ideal time of childhood, dreaming.

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