- The genre which I have decided to choose for my music video is an vintage indie pop.
The typical conventions of this genre are:
- Setting
When looking at indie pop videos, there is a range of settings. Commonly, the videos are low budget and therefore, the locations are very basic; urban or rural locations, inside homes, at studios etc. The fact that they are basic means that they can be transformed to fit the theme of the video. The settings are commonly kept simple. This is usually because the artist wants the music to be focused on instead of the video. Although, there are a some videos in this genre which carry a meaning and compliment the song.
- Mise-en-scene
The mise en scene of a indie video is an aspect highly focused on when trying to portray a narrative through a video. When making a music video, indie artists tend to go for a more alternative look through their costume and make up. They would also consider this if they are having additional actors in the videos; alternative/unusual mannerisms and appearance would be chased after in actors. As there is generally no speech in a music video, the costume and general appearance of an actor can carry a lot of meaning and representation. The costume also gives identity to the character. Props are another aspect of mise-en-scene which help to tell a narrative, as well as enhancing the realism of the video.
- Narrative
In the production and industry of indie pop, it has become increasingly popular to have a narrative throughout the video, to provide a story which the audience can relate to. In most cases, the narrative of the video will link to what is being said/told through the lyrics of the song. Something which this genre of music is well known for is meaning. In aspects of the indie pop genre (lyrics and music video), a meaning which the audience can relate to is portrayed. It is a very raw genre.
- Camera
The indie pop genre covers a wide range of shots. One of the most common shots being a close up. This shot is used to show expression. This is one way the artist tell a narrative through the video, using this sort of shot. It is also a way to advertise the star as most indie artists, are up and coming or undiscovered. If the video is at a performance of the artist, the camera is often put on a crane and shot from a birds eye view. These videos often capture the talent of the artist and their capabilities.
- Editing
Through research I have decided that there isn't a set way of editing and a lot of how artists edit indie pop videos, is to do with the theme and narrative of the videos individually. One thing I have noticed which runs as a theme through the editing of indie pop is that the shots used are very fast and short. On the other hand, they can be slow to reflect the mood. It seems to focus a lot on speed; when editing. They also look at colour. A lot of indie videos are put in black and white. Examples of this being used is in Arctic Monkey's videos.
