Pop Music Videos 2

If you haven’t read Pop Music Videos 1, go do so here

Pop Music Videos 2 - The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

I’m going to continue my tangential rambling on why music videos are so important and why every cinematographer should be paying attention to this world. 

The format of a music video is unique because of the freedoms.  As I mentioned in the last post, these freedoms have been more and more constricted as the budgets are.  We’ll ignore that for the time being, but I’ll stick to Pop because they have the highest production values and are the most widely seen. 

Music Videos have the freedom of being overly-stylized and wacky like fashion, but without the constraints of being…well, fashion. 

Music Videos have the opportunity for narrative, emotion, and expression without the script and other possible shackles of a short/feature film.  

Music Videos have the open door format that others don’t have, in that they can use any format.  Animation, event, performance, live action, kids, actors, dancers, musicians, etc. 

Unfortunately, most music videos are unoriginal, cheaply made, and disappointing.  Like this one.  I picked this piece of cinematic garbage because I’ve heard praise for the cinematography.  Which is overall boring, unmotivated, with JJ Abrams level flaring, and no style.  It also looks like the gaffer accidentally dropped a 10K HMI and the DP just left it lying on the ground because he’d given up. Nothing I haven’t seen before.  Easy to look away from. The Ugly.

The next standard music video is the STUDIO music video.  Production companies pump these videos out without a thought to decent cinematography.  I could list a million - this one that despite being horrifyingly popular (with pre teens mostly) distracts the audience from bad green screen and cheap effects with a bright pepto bismal color grade and half-decent costuming. This one that is just screaming for an interesting shot or two but instead looks like a 2003 Gap advertisement. Commercials should be made this way, not art. The Bad

If you’re looking for well done, comprehensive music videos with a distinct look and a direct nod to camera and lighting. Most videos done by Die Antwoord, this one by Chemical Brothers (thanks, P), this Chet Faker masterpiece by the talented Larkin Sieple (also a great dude to work with), this wacky sexy piece with the wonderful Elliphant (also a fantastic song), and if you want a terrifying long list of more please just ask. The Good.

This video blows me away.  I recognize that this is not a “Pop Music Video,” but I don’t give a flying fuck.  Enjoy.  


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