Research - Music Videos

A music video is a short film that interregates a song and it's artistic meaning usually representing musical artists, used for promotion.  Modern music videos are used as a marketing device - yet trace back to early 1980s when MTV were presenting the medium.  A wide range of techniques can be used to create music videos such as animation, live action, documentaries or abstract film - perhaps even a live version of the song being shown.  Some music videos attempt to mirror themes and concepts of the song, portraying lyrics being depicted. 

The first video to be shown on MTV - 'Video Killed the Radio Star' - The Buggles

 EARLY HISTORY

1902-1917 - The phonoscène era

• The forerunner of sound film; combining chronophone sound recording and chronograph film in order to shoot lip syncing actors - first synchronised by Leon Gaumont.

1926-1959 -Talkies, soundies, and shorts

• Many short films were created under the Talkies, Vitaphone shorts produced by Warner Bros featured many bands, vocalists and dancers - using distinct art deco style animations/ backgrounds.
• 'Screen Songs' created by Max Fleischer introduced a series of singalong cartoons.
• Early animated Walt Disney films showed interpretations of classical music such as 'Silly Symphonies' and 'Fantasia'.
• Forms of one song clips called promotional clips were made for the Panoram visual juke box; they showed shorts of musical selections that presented bands on sets - thousands of 'soundies' were then made.  Soundies were famously created by jazz singers.
• Many musical films were also created - Madonna's 'Material girl' 1985 video was based around  Jack Cole's staging of 'Diamonds are a girls best friend' - from Gentlemen prefer Blonds.

1960–1967 - Visual innovation

• Scopitone was invented in France - a visual jukebox which allowed many French artists to produce short films eg. Serge Gainsbourg, Françoise Hardy, Jacques Brel, and Jacques Dutronc to accompany their songs.
• Jan and Dean's 'Surf City' was produced in 1963; the single release reaching number one nationally.  It was filmed on Pacific coast highway in Malibu; capturing an early atmosphere and vibe of Southern California.  

The Beatles

• 'A Hard days night' was the Beatles first feature film back in 1964, it was shot in black and white and represented as a mockumentary - with loosely structured musical fantasia that intersected dialogue for musical sequences.  
• Filmed in colour in London, 'Help!' (1965) was a more developed feature, also being filmed in international locations.  It is suggested that it is one of the prime archetypes of the modern style music video. It employs rhythmic cross-cutting, contrasting long shots and close-ups, and unusual shots and camera angles.