Styles Of Music Videos

There are many different categories of music video, including:

- Narrative
A music video with a storyline. The story line progresses through the video along with the music. Sometimes the artists may cameo in the video however some do not.

- Cinematic

A cinematic is a music video that is of high production and has a film like quality. Often referred to as a mini film. Good aspects of films such as cinematography and mis en scene are used. Cinematic music videos are similar to narrative however they are usually on a bigger scale and can lack a story line. They are also commonly pretentious and over the top. 

 

 

- Studio Based

Studio based music videos take place in one location and can even be done in one take.



- Pastiche
A video that works seriously with another genre/time frame. The song would associate with the music video. It is also a respectful mimicry of a particular artist, style, director. It will aim to pay homage to the style, director, artist. Something that copies without being designed to mock. (E.g. Maroon 5's 'Animals', though it gets a little abstract towards the end, shows intertextual links with the film 'American Psycho').


- Animation

The use of animation and cartoons in a music video.

- Parody

A parody music video is a video that makes fun of another text. It uses the same idea that they have seen in another text (for example, this video created by the comedian Harry Hill, is a parody of Take On Me by A-ha).