Music Video A Brief History

1. Understand the purpose of music videos Music Video – GRADING 1. Understand the purpose of music videos P1 - describe the purposes of music videos with some appropriate use of subject terminology M1 - explain the purposes of music videos with reference to detailed illustrative examples and with generally correct use of subject terminology D1 - comprehensively explain the purposes of music videos with elucidated examples and consistently using subject terminology correctly

2. Understand the styles, conventions, and techniques of music videos Music Video – GRADING 2. Understand the styles, conventions, and techniques of music videos P2 describe the styles, conventions and techniques of music videos with some appropriate use of subject terminology M2 explain the styles, conventions and techniques of music videos with reference to detailed illustrative examples and with generally correct use of subject terminology D2 comprehensively explain the styles, conventions and techniques of music videos with elucidated examples and consistently using subject terminology correctly

Music Video – A Definition A music video is a short film or video that accompanies a complete piece of music, most commonly a song. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings. Music videos came into their own in the 1980s, when MTV's format was based around them. The term "music video" first came into popular usage in the early 1980s. Prior to then, such clips were described by various terms including "promotional films" or "promotional clips". Music videos use a range of styles of filmmaking, including animation, live action filming, documentaries, and non-narrative approaches such as abstract film. Some music videos blend different styles, such as animation and live action.

Music Video – Origins (1920s – 1950s) In the 1920s, the animated films of Oskar Fischinger (aptly labelled "visual music") were supplied with orchestral scores. Fischinger also made short animated films to advertise Electrola Records' new releases, making these films possibly the first music videos. In 1957 Tony Bennett was filmed walking along The Serpentine in Hyde Park, London as his recording of "Stranger in Paradise" played; this film was distributed to and played by UK and US television stations.

Music Video – Origins (1960s) The Beatles', A Hard Day's Night (1964), used filmed live action sequences accompanied by music. In 1964, The Beatles began filming short promotional films for their songs which were distributed for broadcast on television variety shows in other countries, as a way to promote their record releases without having to make television appearances. The US TV series The Monkees from 1966 to 1968 consisted of film segments that were created to accompany various Monkees songs. By the time The Beatles stopped touring in late 1966 their promotional films, like their recordings, were becoming increasingly sophisticated. Their films for Rain and Paperback Writer used rhythmic editing, slow motion, and reversed film effects. Films for "Strawberry Fields Forever" and "Penny Lane", in 1967 used techniques borrowed from underground and avant garde film, such as reversed film effects, dramatic lighting, unusual camera angles, and color filtering added in post-production. These psychedelic music-themed films attempt to "illustrate" the song in an artful manner.

Music Video – Origins (1970s) The key innovation in the development of the modern music video was the development of relatively inexpensive and easy-to-use video recording and editing equipment, along with the development of a number of related effects such as chroma-key. The advent of high-quality colour videotape recorders and portable video cameras coincided with the DIY ethos of the New Wave era and this enabled many pop acts to produce promotional videos quickly and cheaply, in comparison to the relatively high costs of using film. However, as the genre developed, music video directors increasingly turned to 35 mm film as the preferred medium, while others mixed film and video. The key example of music video from the 1970s is Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody

Music – Video (MTV) In 1981, the U.S. video channel MTV launched, beginning an era of 24-hour-a-day music on television. (The first video broadcast was fittingly "Video Killed the Radio Star", by Buggles.) With this new outlet for material, the music video would, by the mid-1980s, grow to play a central role in popular music marketing. Many important acts of this period, most notably Madonna, owed a great deal of their success to the skilful construction and seductive appeal of their videos. The music video which would arguably make the biggest impact on the music video industry was the music video for Michael Jackson's song Thriller.

Music Video – Timeline 1956-65 1956: Hollywood discovers the genre of music-centered films. A wave of rock'n'roll films begins (Rock Around the Clock, Don't Knock the Rock, Shake, Rattle and Rock, Rock Pretty Baby, The Girl Can't Help It, and the famous Elvis Presley movies). Some of these films integrate musical performances into a story, others are simply revues. 1962: British Television invents a new form of music television. Shows like Top Of The Pops, Ready! Steady! Go! and Oh, Boy start as band vehicles and become huge hits. 1964: The US-Television market adapts the format. Hullabaloo is one of the first US shows of this kind, followed by Shindig! (NBC) and American Bandstand; The Beatles star in A Hard Day's Night 1965: Bob Dylan films Subterranean Homesick Blues as a segment for D. A. Pennebaker's film, Don’t Look Back, with two alternate takes.

Music Video – Timeline 1966-74 1966: The first conceptual promos are aired, for the Beatles' "Paperback Writer" and "Rain". Early in 1967, even more ambitious videos are released for "Penny Lane" and "Strawberry Fields Forever". 1968: The Rolling Stones collaborate with Jean-Luc Godard on Sympathy for the Devil 1968: The Monkees release a full length movie – Head – with a screenplay written by Jack Nicholson. It’s counter-culture content baffles audiences. 1970: The record industry discovers these TV-Shows as a great opportunity to promote their artists. They focus on producing short "Promos", early music videos which started to replace the live performance of the artist on the TV-stage. 1974: ABBA pioneer the use of "Promos" with their clips, directed by Lasse Hallström. These contain innovative effects, camera angles, and a less static look than is the norm at the time. The band continue using such videos throughout the 1970s.

Music Video – Timeline 1975-81 1975: "Bohemian Rhapsody", a groundbreaking video released by Queen, marks the beginning of the video era and sets the language for the modern music video. The video is considered one of the first to use advanced visual effects. 1975 - Tommy, the film adaptation of The Who's rock opera is released. 1980: "Ashes to Ashes", considered a groundbreaking video, is released by David Bowie. 1981: MTV, the first 24-hour satellite music channel, launches in August. Initially few cable TV operators carry it, but it rapidly becomes a major hit and cultural icon. 1981: Pink Floyd The Wall is released in theatres.

Music Video – Timeline 1983-85 1983: Friday Night Videos debuts on the NBC television network, allowing nearly all U.S. households to view music videos regularly. Michael Jackson's Billie Jean video is released on TV, and for the first time a black artist's video is featured in heavy rotation on MTV with the video for his Beat It hit single. 1984: Michael Jackson's short film Thriller is released, changing the concept of music videos forever. The Making of Thriller home video is also released in 1984. It is the first ever video about the making of a music video and it becomes the best selling VHS to date. 1985: a-ha find instant stardom with their hit song "Take On Me", significantly due to heavy rotation play of the song's video, which features a combination of live action and rotoscoping animation. The groundbreaking video wins several awards and is consistently rated as one of the best for decades to come.

Music Video – Timeline 1986-2002 1986: "Sledgehammer", the groundbreaking video from Peter Gabriel, furthers the revival of animation in music video, utilizing stop-motion photography and winning several awards. 1991: First use of morphing special effect in a music video, with Michael Jackson's "Black or White" (directed by John Landis), from his album Dangerous. 1992: MTV begins to credit music video directors. 1995: Release of the most expensive music video ever "Scream", from Michael Jackson's HIStory album, a duet with his sister Janet. 1996: M2 is launched as a 24-hour music video channel, as MTV has largely replaced videos with other content. 1999: M2 is renamed to MTV2. 2002: MTV Hits is launched, as MTV2 is gradually showing fewer music videos.