Good and Bad music video technques

large number of cuts

A large number of cuts is when different shot switches to another

This was used in the music video Nas is like. At 0:48 seconds you can see a bunch kids living in the ghetto (just like Nas) all standing behind him and jumping up and down to the hype of his music. This technique was used in the video because this song was about him giving out a list things that he's like of example in the chorus it said 'Nas like the life and death of a rebel'. This was heard at 1:11 seconds, they might of used it so they can try to reach out to a younger audience and tell them what he's like through his songs. To me this song is successful because, not that the video is entertaining to me and reaches out to the audience (who are fans of Nas) but it also makes them what to listen to the song again. I like the because not that it's entertaining for me but it shows the creative thinking of a thug poet that Nas is.   

The song 'Show and Prove' by Big Daddy Kane is a bad example because the video could a bit long due to the number of shots which was the same problem that had been used in the Nas is like video but it's similar because you can see the kids liking the music in the video as seen at 1:43 seconds. This is bad for the audience because due to the number of different shots and locations it can leave them confused. For example at 1:30 seconds you can Shyhem coming up the stairs then at 1:33 seconds you see him in the bedroom and then back outside again at 1:33 seconds. The name 'Show and Prove was used in the video because then their names come up in they showing themselves in person and prove their rhyming skills on the mic. Then when they are done rapping on the mic they called the next person to rap on the mic then there name comes up. This good for the audience because it lets them know who the artist and keeps them interested so it shows this was used for entertainment. The verses of the rappers in the video show there different styles and personality  

Special effects

Special Effects are often used in movies or music videos for example the song 'Like em all' by Jacob Latimore. At 0:39 seconds you can see him dancing in one shot then at the start of 0:42 seconds you can see him dancing in another shot. This is good for the audience because the video has the special comic book like effect and each shot is different out the video. The comic book effect was used for this type of video because at 0:15 seconds he's said 'may not see her in the magazine' which was one of the lyrics he said which looked like subtitles in a comic book. This technique is good for the video because it's different from any other music video and it's a song that the audience would want to dance to.

This technique was bad for the video because the special effects are old, out dated and not very good as it is today. The video itself is good because the song is enjoyable and is a song for the audience (including fans of Micheal Jackson) to listen and dance to. The sound and melody song represents that the artist (Micheal Jackson) has a calm and humble personality through out the song.

cutting to the beat

A Cut to a beat happens when a camera shot cuts to another scene at the same time. This has been used in the song 'Because of you' by Ne-yo. As seen at 0:09 seconds, the seventh scene come on the second the beat starts. This is good because the video cuts to the beat of the song at the right time. This style and technique is good for the video because as he's singing about his love song he's dancing to the beat as well which was seen at 00:45 seconds. This is successful because it makes the audience want to get up to dance and sing to it. I like the song because I find it enjoyable and the music video entertaining because of the dance moves. I also think, this express the artist's mind and creativity through his music.

This style of technique for the video 'born to be wild' by Steppenwolf wolf is bad because the beat of the song in the video comes to late when it was sup-post to start the second the video started, this was seen at 00:01 seconds. I don't like the song because although, I think the the video was used for Entertainment because the audience might find the video enjoyable because of the two men motorcycling to different locations, while the song in the background I still think this wouldn't be a song I would like to listen to. I think this represents the wild life that he lives and tells it through his music

varied camera language

Varied camera language is where a video shows all different types of diverse through angles and shots in a video. This was used in the song 'Waves' by Joey Bada$$. At 1:20 seconds it show one half of a long-shot of  joey skate boarding and in the another half is a mid-shot of him on the train. I think this style of technique is good for this video because it shows all different shots and angles of him and his friends on their way to a concert. Through out the video his rapping about where he was back then and what he was doing to where he is now. From my perspective I think that he was trying to say that his trying to achieve his goal through his rap career. I think this was successful technique because it shows that he's telling the audience about his past and what he did. This was seen at 3:07 seconds when he said 'Cos when my parents tried to tell me, I just wouldn't receive it'. I like the song because I find the melody relaxing and the video interesting because it keeps me engaged

 

The video the technique for the song 'Leave me alone' by Micheal Jackson is bad because the video is confusing due to the events in the video. At 1:00 seconds Micheal Jackson is falling in to the water then at 1;07 seconds he comes out on a boat which I find a bit confusing because he wasn't in a boat when he fell in. I like the song and find it enjoyable, however I find the music video a bit confusing even if I do find it entertaining because at 1:30 seconds a camera and a telephone pop out of the water. As he's on his boat he's riding through a tunnel and entering a set of chopping false teeth. From my point of view I think, the message on what he's trying to say through out the song in video is that they have been telling false stories about him in the papers because at 0:13 seconds there are newspapers about him flying on his door step and he's saying that he's sick and tired of it and want's them to leave him alone.

Lip-synching

Lip syncing is when person's lip try to match with a sung or spoken word or vocal. This has been used in the song 'meny men' by 50 cent this is good because ar 01:16 seconds 50 cent is actually saying the words and not lip-syncing them. This shows that he dosen't lip sync while he's saying his lyrics through his songs. This technique would of been successful because at 03:02 seconds, when 50 said 'I thought we was cool but you want me to die homie' he looked like he lip-syncing it in the video. I think this technique was used in this video because he wanted the audience to think that he was saying it like it was one sentence in a movie. I like the song because I find it enjoyable and the video interesting. To me the message in the song is that many of his men want to kill him and after he got shot nine times his gang tries to find the person who did it. The creative thinking of the song shows that 50 cent is telling his story of himself from
 where he was as a street hustler from south Jamaica queens to where he is now.   

For the song 'just dance' by lady ga ga the technique would of been bad because use she didn't involve any lip-syncing through out the whole video. I don't like the video because although I did find the part where the man's dancing at 02:45 seconds was part of the entertainment for me, I still  found the video weird, strange and disturbing. The artist itself (lady ga ga) however, I think that her music videos including this one shows that she likes to do things her way and likes to be creative but in a strange and horrific way while doing it.    

Green screen

A green screen or Chroma key is where people use it as a background in often a filming or music projects. This was used in the song 'like toy soldiers' by Eminem. At 00:46 seconds you can see him sitting on a old record box behind a abandoned building. They may of wanted to use this technique to show a set of different locations of where they were when it happened and what situations they were facing at the time. This was successful because the background convincing in the video and looks real to the audience. I like the video because I find the the song that Eminem is rapping about interesting and creative because it represents the problems he's facing and situations that he was in. I consider Eminem as a rap artist who is not afraid to express himself, his problems, feeling and emotions through his music. 

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For the song 'Lucifer effect' by hopsin the technique would of been bad because it doesn't look convincing enough to make it look real. At 02:07 seconds you can see Hopsin featuring SwizZz standing behind a bad green screen of a abandoned house. However I still like the video because it keeps me engaged and it keeps me entertained. To me the message in the song is that Hopsin and Swizz are rapping about is that the mainstream industry is taking over and how hip-hop is dying because of it. My reason why they make songs like this is because this shows that they prefer to make songs about real issues and experiences and not to make songs about frankly nothing and songs that makes no sense.