Codes and Conventions of Indie Music Videos - Editing

Editing is now commonly used in aiding an indie music video's success, with several music videos of the genre now having some sort of effect on them to make the video run more smoothly or make it more interesting. Fast and slow cuts between shots often reflect the pace of the music and link in well. This can help to get the tone of the video across to the audience and interlinks with the editing used in the actual video. Effects are often added over the top of videos to make them look old and worn, linking into the indie genre. Black and white effects or sepia effects may also be used to convey a more rustic and raw look to the video.

Codes and Conventions of an Indie Music Video - Camera Shots and Angles

Extreme close-ups are frequently used in indie music videos to introduce the artist or characters in the video to the audience. This may be done to highlight the lyrics or any emotions that they are trying to convey. Full-length shots are also regularly used to show the setting of the video that will help us further understand the video, as well as giving the audience a good look at the artist. This is important as many artists are seen as heavily revolving around their image, meaning that they need to be seen fully in their videos. Crane shots are used a lot in live performance videos so the audience can view the artist through many different angles, whilst also allowing the artist to be focused throughout. This is effective in indie music videos as it has a continuous view on the artist, and rarely leaves them. Tilts/pans may be used to establish the setting and get the most out of the location the video is based in. This may help articulate the video to the audience.

Codes and Conventions of Indie Music Videos - Narrative

A narrative music video tells a story throughout the music video by using sequences of videos and images that can relate to the song. A good narrative in a music video must make sense to the audience so they can understand it and follow the lyrics. This is popular with the indie music genre as it allows the artists to be creative, with many imaginative variations used to make the video memorable for the audience. Making a narrative music video can help a music video stand out amongst others, helping it generate audience popularity in terms of how it may differ from other videos. Additionally, as a result of new developments in technology, narratives can be created using visual effects to make the video look exciting whilst retaining a realistic edge. Narrative videos also capture and hold people’s attention more in contrast to live performances as the video is constantly changing and entertaining people. For example, people who aren’t fans of the artist may still enjoy the video as it interests them, helping artists gain high success and status.

Codes and Conventions of Indie Music Videos - Live Performance

It is typical for artists in the indie music genre to have a live performance featured in their music video. As a result, the main focus of the video is centred on the artists, as well as their musical talent, performance techniques, and the actual music. This is regular in this particular genre of music as the genre is focused on the music that the artists play, instead of the success that they have. However, it has become popular to include a narrative between the performance to break up the music video and give the reader a story. Additionally, this helps indie artists to compete with other artists of both their specific music genre and other genres who do music videos that are heavily-based around narrative to make their videos more memorable. Live performances also promote the artist, with the audiences realising that there is a clear similarity between the artists live and recorded performances, showing their musical talent in a positive light.

"Heart Out" by The 1975 - Lyrics

Rushing in a small town
I forgot to call you
I'm running low on know how
With this beat I made for two

Cause I remember that I like you
No matter what I found
She said, "It's nice to have your friends round
But we're watching the television with no sound"

It's just you and I tonight
Why don't you figure my heart out?
It's just you and I tonight
Why don't you figure my heart out?

Push your lack of chest out, look at my hair
Gotta love the way you love yourself
Your obsession with rocks and brown
And f***ing the whole town's
A reflection on your mental health

Cause I remember when I found you
Much younger than you are now
And once we started having friends round
You created a television of your mouth

It's just you and I tonight
Why don't you figure my heart out?
It's just you and I tonight
Why don't you figure my heart out?

You got something to say?
Why don't you speak it out loud, instead of living in your head?
It's always the same.
Why don't you take your heart out, instead of living in your head?

It's just you and I tonight
Why don't you figure my heart out?
It's just you and I tonight
Why don't you figure my heart out?

Song Choice

In deciding what song of the indie rock genre we wanted to make our music video on, I wrote a list of indie rock songs I feel it would be good to make a music video on and sent it to both Rian and Olivia on Twitter.

The songs on the list were:

The 1975 - Heart Out

The 1975 - She Way Out

Ed Sheeran - Nina

The Wombats - Schumacher the Champagne

Ed Sheeran - I'm a Mess

Ed Sheeran - U.N.I.

Tired Pony - Dead American Writers

The Fray - You Found Me

When our group brainstormed what song to choose, we decided to do Heart Out by The 1975 as we think the song tells an interesting story about a boy who is in love with a bad girl that we believe would be good to create our music video around and soundtrack our professional and well-made final product.

Forming a New Group and Genre Choice

As a result of Callum, Sam and Elliot all leaving the subject, I have to find a new group to do my music video with. Luckily for me, I consulted with my fellow classmates Rian Eades and Olivia Hayes and we have agreed to create out music video together. This is good as we all have keen interests in all aspects of music videos in general, allowing for us to work together incredibly well and hopefully create a professional final product.
As well as this, we all decided to make a music video of an indie rock genre as we believe that to be the most interesting genre with conventions that appeal to all of us in the group.