Codes and conventions of Genre (Music)

Codes and Conventions of form

Cinematography

Close up shots are used continuously throughout the “Star boy” music video. This type of shot is so prominent in music videos because they like to use it to focus in on the product placement. An example, of product placement can be seen when the weeknd is walking with his Puma shoes on, and the camera framing changes to a close up shot. The camera framing is also used to track the artists face, having a closer image of the artist establishes their expression whilst they are filmed lip syncing to the lyrics. This frame is a convention of music videos not just R&B ones but music videos in general, as a lot of them follow the same codes and conventions when in the production process.

Low angle shots are utilised in the “Star boy” music video, when the Weeknd is being backwards tracked. It is a camera angle to represent the figure as the superior character, within the frame, the example is repeated a couple of times during the duration of the video, and this further reinforces that he is dominant in this song. This links to the lyrics as he seems to represent himself as a person with a very vain persona, it reflects well in the video.

During the scene where we see the Weeknd walk towards the neon cross, we see him stand for a second staring at it, and then we see it from his perspective, before he picks it up and destroys the place. This camera technique is called eye line match and it is commonly featured in music videos to capture a representation to how an object looks from the artist’s perspective.

Editing

Rhythmic editing helps the visuals support the lyrics. This is used because the pacing of the lyrics is what contributes into making the song flow, whether it’s from one setting to the next, or if it’s cutting from one frame to the next, the video is still very dependent on the speed and structure of the lyrics. Therefore, timing is extremely important. An example, of rhythmic editing can be seen, whenever the second verse of the chorus is played. This links to the repetition of the lyrics as the chorus looks as though it should be sung at a fast pace, so the editing should mirror this to.

Jump cuts are a great way to transition from one location to another. However, it takes a lot of skill in order to locate where in the song a jump cut is appropriate. An example of jump cuts can be seen every time the artist changes scenery or setting, like when it transitions from the room with the records to the bedroom.

Denotation and connotation

The lyrics reflect the visuals of the song in a music video, this is achieved by identifying the signifier and finding a meaning for it. When a meaning is found the signifier has been signified and the term used for this is connotation. This is true of any music video as the form/structure of the song is reliant on the interpretations taken from the lyrics. First they must find the description and make a meaning from it; this triggers the ideas for the way that the music video is going to be constructed. For example, the cross in the music video is a symbol of Christianity. The denotation is the object and the connotation is what it symbolises.




Codes and Conventions of genre




Costume and location

The genre that I did my research in was R&B, the music video I referred to in order to get an idea of the conventions of the genre was the Weekend’s Starboy music video. To insure that my points are not bias I did look into others to broaden my knowledge of R&B. The costumes in the R&B genre are normally based on a smart casual dress code for male artists like the Weeknd; it tends to be this way as it shows of their sophisticated style, and in some cases their wealth as well. However, what I gathered from this video is that the weeknd is just wearing casual clothing. He might be wearing a gold chain but that doesn’t change the fact that his overall presentation suggests a casual style. The reasons behind this decision is very apparent when you listen to the lyrics of the song because, he does not need to wear the smartest clothes, he does not have to look his best because he is a “Star boy”, suggesting that he is better than everyone else in his field. He does not have to make an effort to be the best because he portrays his character as if he has already done everything he needed to do to prove to himself and the rest of the world that his character is the best.

The location is solely based upon the genre of the song; it is not so much the structure of the lyrics that dictate that, but more like the connotations behind the song. For example, in the Starboy music video I could see how the lyrics influenced the setting of the song because when significant lines like “House so empty need a centrepiece” was played on the video, an image or connotation was shown to interpret that line from the song. The example was a picture in a frame on the wall.