Performance- will.i.am ‘Bang Bang’

In 2013 will.i.am realsed the track ‘Bang Bang,’ the single features on the soundtrack for Baz Luhrmann’s ‘The Great Gastsby.’

This music video is an good example of a performance style video. It features will.i.am and a band performing on a stage. The performance and the whole music video has a has a jazz theme, which links with the soundtrack from the 2013 film ‘The Great Gastsby,’ which follows the life of the millionaire Jay Gatsby and his neighbour Nick Carraway. The film is set in the 1920’s at largely centres around Gatsby’s excessive partying lifestyle. Will.i.am created ‘Bang Bang’ for the soundtrack to Baz Luhrmann’s film, therefore the song itself has a 1920’s jazz theme and the music video duplicates this. Featuring the artist performing in 1920’s themed clothing with white gloves and a top hat, singing into an vintage microphone in a set filled with chandeliers and spotlights. The band behind the artist is dressed in a similar way, playing interments such as trumpets and saxophones which helped give the music video the jazz theme. Will.i.am is later joined by Spalione who performs the chorus of the song, throughout the video the two singers and the band perform a choreographed routine, which starts with over exaggerated instrument playing, tap dancing , and  an choreographed assemble dance routine.This video has a straight on camera angle, which features all the attention on the artist in the centre on the screen. Directly behind will.i.am centred i the middle of the camera is a drum set, containing the #willpower insignia, which is the symbol that has paid a large part of the artists latest album promotion.

Styles – Performance

Performance music videos focuses on the artists performing the song, this can be a performance in front of an audience or just on their own. This style of music video is very popular with rock artists.

The camera angles are usually repeated angles showcases the artists on the stage, crosscutting between the audience singing and dancing along and different members of the band. Performance style music videos also give the audience an idea of what to expect at the artists own concerts, and can help to advertise and boost ticket sales with the artist go on tour.

Styles – Narrative

The styles of music videos will differ dependant on the genre of the music and the artists individual style.

A narrative video is a very common style used in modern music videos. The video follows a storyline, connecting to the lyrics of the music. A narrative video can make the song more powerful, showcasing the points and emotions through characters, it helps the audience understand the origins and meaning of the artists music. The music video can either follow a liner storyline, starting at the beginning, going through the middle and finishing at the end. Or the video can have more of a fragmented non-linear aspect to the story,  where the storyline takes place at different times in the video. Or a more common use of non-linear music video are ones that shows a reverse narrative, and has the end at the beginning and the beginning at the end. Often in narrative music videos the band or artist will feature in the story, even tough them don’t perform, placing their face to the video, will help advertise the video and can help  the record become more successful.

Narrative style music video follow codes and conventions. ‘Propp’s character roles,’ claims that characters in a story could be fitted into eight characters roles. The first role is the ‘The Hero’ who is the main protagonist, that many motivated by the lack of some and usually seeks out something or someone within the story. ‘The Villain’ is the opposite to the the hero with evil plans. ‘The Princess’ is often very attractive and