Music Video Analysis

Music Video Analysis, Videos that have inspired us on Prezi

Theorist 3 - Steve Archer

Steve Archer is another theorist that I have researched, his theory argues that there needs to be a strong and coherent relationship between the narrative and performance in music videos. This however is a strong contrast to Goodwin's theory as he believes there doesn't have to be a coherent relationship but instead says that what is happening on screen doesn't necessarily have to match the lyrics. He says that the music video will reflect the genre of music. Steve Archer also goes on to say that a music video will cut between a narrative and performance from the artist/band. Finally he states that a choreographed dance might be part of the performance or something added to the video that will aid visualisation.

Theorist 2 - Andrew Goodwin

I have also looked at another theorist named 'Andrew Goodwin', I have created a presentation using an online presentation programme called 'Sliderocket'.

Carol Vernallis - Music Video Theory

Carol Vernallis - Music Video Theory from Paige Woods

I have created a Powerpoint then converted it to a 'slideshare' format in order to be able to upload it to my blog. Carol Vernallis is the first theorists that I have looked at, however I will also research other theorists that look at music video theory.

Music Video History Timeline

Above I have created a timeline using an online program called 'TimeToast', I wanted to show how music videos and the industry have evolved from the 1900's.


I also think that in order to create a music video, I need to fully understand the history of music videos so I will be able to create a professional looking music video of my own.

Music Videos today are created in order to be used as a marketing device to promote the artist or the band and to help with the record sales. Modern music videos are aired and released at specific times as the timing of the release can affect the sales of the music video and other merchandise such as concert tickets, album releases etc.

Starting Research and Planning

I have reviewed the A2 media brief, for this year the brief is to create a music video as well as a promotion package for the release of an album. Which should also include a cover for its release as part of a digipak and a magazine advertisement for the digipak.

For A2 media I have decided to work work with Georgina Jefimik as I believe we will work well together and allocate tasks to each other fairly and productively as we both posses different qualities that will benefit our overall outcome.

We will now begin our relevant research and planning for our own music video idea.

Video Task - 'Black Hole Sun'

Song Title - BLACK HOLE SUN

Our Interpretation after only hearing the track 

The task was to create a music video to an existing music track. We listened to the song and did not view the video itself, as we wanted to have our own individual impressions of the track 'Black Hole Sun'.  I worked with Georgina and together we came up with an idea for a music video. We decided that the music itself sounded and suited a country and western theme. We wanted our video to be simple and not to complicated. We also said that we wanted a country feel to it along with a modern western twist. Also we believed that a lot of music videos focus more on the artist than the music itself. We wanted to subvert this and make our video more about the music rather than promoting the artist.

Our music video for the song 'Black Hole Sun' would begin with a young man dressed as a cowboy, he would be the distance and barely visible. He will he then begin to walk towards the camera. The video will be set in the desert, and there will be several scenes on a deserted highway. As we want our video to depict loneliness and self loathing. Because there will be a scene at the end where our cowboy will find 'himself' and his band.  The camera will switch from clips of the man alone to clips of him and his band actually playing the music in the desert. The ending shot will depict the cowboy jumping into the back of a pickup truck, which will then drive off into the distance. The whole video will have an american vibe to it.

Me and Georgina also considered the 'Mise En Scene' of our video. We mainly considered the outfit that our main character, the cowboy would be wearing.  We decided that the man should appear simply dressed, in pale blue ripped jeans, a checked shirt and a white T - Shirt beneath. We also said that he should carry his guitar in a case on his back, to emit a rocker cowboy persona. We also suggested that the band would wear dark clothing, so that the cowboy appears different and unique.

Also regarding the sound we wanted the track to be played whilst the artist is singing synchronized to the music.

Actual Music Video

The video above is the actual music video for the song "Black Hole Sun'. The video is surreal and apocalyptic as it centres around a surburban neighbourhood in which all of the residents get sucked into a black hole. The people in the video are false and they seem oblivious to the real world, this is why they get sucked into the black hole. The music video itself was released in 1994, and it won an award for the best metal/ hard rock video at the MTV Awards.