Research : Carol Vernallis Media language in Music Videos

Carol Vernallis observed that editing comes more frequently in music videos then in films.  She also states that many stand out as ‘Disjuncture’  and that the editing seems to have a rhythmic connection to the song. For example when a beat plays there will usually be an edit.

Her main observations are ...

1)    The usual rules of continuity editing are broken in order to draw attention to what is on the screen;

2)     Edits may be really obvious to draw attention to themselves, such as wipes and special effects added.

B.o.b - Nothing on you

In this music video editing is used frequently and very obviouisly to give off the feel of a magazine cut out , the edits reflect this as when he's singing about girls, lots of cut out's of womens faces are edited in.  . Around each person theres a white layer to make it look like they were cut out from paper. All in all i really like this video and believe that obvious editing works in making this successful .

 

3) Jump cuts are often used

 

Example : M.I.A - Paper planes

 

 

What i noticed throughout the video is that this video edits to the beat , and when it does at times jump cuts are used. For example : the money disappears and reappears  and the same with the sandwich.

 

 

4) A master shot (base track) is frequently used to give the video a structure

 

5) The camera may move in time with the music

 

Example : Jessie J - Price tag

 

This song starts with movement , theres a zoom in to the the teddy bear and zoom out which pulls out to reveal a younger looking Jessie. When she sing's "Everybody look to their left , everybody look to their right" the camera swings to the left and the right to illustrate what the lyrics are saying .