What Is A Music Video?

 Justin Timberlake – Mirrors

The purpose of a music video is to promote an artist or song that they have just released which helps the audience to understand more about the meaning of the song. It usually involves a narrative that will attract the target audiences’ attention, which is likely to result in them remembering the music video as it appeals to them and relates to the meaning of the song. A music video also allows fans to buy into the artists’ lifestyle as they may be promoting a specific brand or item in their music video, which would entice a fan to go out and purchase the product. This also allows the fans to build a relationship with the artist as the music video evokes aspects of the artists’ personality and way of life throughout. Music videos also include codes and conventions of the genre of a specific music video. For example; Drakes ‘Over’ music video of the Rap genre includes conventions such as; projections, women in minimal clothing and extreme special effects. Whereas Katy Perry’s ‘Wide Awake’ music video, of the Pop genre, includes conventions such as; fictional, fairytale settings, costumes and special effects.

The style of a music video includes elements regarding performance, narrative and concept. The performance aspect of the music video involves the artist singing or dancing, performing to their song through the music video. This evokes a sense of emotion into the music video from the artist themselves. The narrative part of the music video is the story that’s running throughout the video allowing the audience to learn more around the meaning of the song. This also allows the audience to more likely be entertained by the song as they have an understanding of what the artist is trying to portray through their video. The concept aspect of the music video presents the audience with an idea or theme that runs throughout the video, relating to the story and song. 

The codes and conventions of a music genre are the factors that make it evident to the audience of the genre of the song they are listening to. R&B music videos contain a strong narrative surrounding the idea of love/relationships and/or cars/money. Whereas a Dance music video includes mainly lights, lots of colours and a club setting. The Pop genre usually involves a narrative that is cheerful and can contain ‘cheesy’ elements.

Justin Timberlake’s Mirrors music video is aimed at his target audience of young women. The video is a market tool to help promote his recent comeback. The narrative throughout his music video is realistic as it is based on his Nan and Granddads lives and therefore provides viewers an insight into their lifestyle. It is about a woman who has lost her husband after being with him her whole life. The sensitive nature of the music videos narrative would in result lead viewers to more likely remember the music video as it may have had some kind of impact on them. The music video itself breaks conventions of a pop music video as it lacks an uplifting tone to it. However this allows the audience to build a relationship with Justin through the sensitive aspect of the video and the audience understands the true meaning of the song. Towards the end of the video the audience are presented with the image of Justin singing and dancing to his song, adding a performance element to the video and highlighting that he is a talented performer. 

Justin’s music video contains the three styles of a music video; performance, narrative and concept. The performance element is apparent towards the end of the music video where the viewers see Justin singing and dancing to the song. This presents Justin’s talent and gives the audience and insight into his passion for music. The narrative is present throughout the music video as it tells the story of a woman losing her husband, which relates to the lives of Justin’s grandparents. The concept of Justin’s video is the idea of love, and a long-lasting relationship between the man and woman. This concept appeals to the viewers as love is a huge factor of people’s lives, and therefore they would be able to relate. 
 

The music video for Justin Timberlake’s’ Mirrors appeals to an audience due to the sensitive narrative throughout. The narrative provides the audience with something to relate to and evokes an extreme sense of emotion that may impact on them. The music video also provides them with an insight into the performance side of Justin which would extremely appeal to his young women target audience. 

From analysing Justin Timberlakes 'Mirrors' music video it has given me a more extensive knowledge into what a music video is. This includes what codes and conventions are combined to create successful conventional music videos depending on the genre of the song. Therefore by conducting this research into the in depth meaning of what a music video is it will assist me with the production of my own music video as I am now more aware of how to combine components together to create a successful music video.