Codes & Conventions

BIRDY + RHODES - Let It All Go

Indie Folk

Code: Establishing shot

Convention: Usually of nature and shows an almost ‘epic’ piece of scenery.

Code: Panning Shot

Convention: From scenery to something behind it - used in the intro of the song to create a climax to the start of the music.

Code: Rotating overhead view of the sky

Convention: As if looking through the trees upwards showing the sky to be ‘beautiful’ in an abnormal way creating a feeling of awe for the what your seeing and therefore the music video in general. It also makes the audience feel like they are looking up themselves, making them feel more involved in the music video.

Code: Costumes are plain in colour and look, earthy tones

Convention: Depending on the weather they usually wear a large duffle coat and matching colours to the scenery. Hair is not usually styled and is allowed the ‘blow in the wind’ as most are set outside.

Code: The use of ‘natural’ light (or lights that create that effect).

Convention: Depending on the type of day the music video is set in it can change the intensity of the light, although it is not often overly bright and the use of natural light is usually to enhance the beauty of nature (therefore the videos usually are set at dawn, sunrise/sunset or nightfall to reflect this).

Code: Natural wonders

Convention: This can be any natural occurrence that seems either amazing or doesn’t happen often. Although these may be created whilst in editing it makes the music video equally as remarkable, and as it shows nature it reflects the Indie Folk genre.

Code: Medium close up to show the artists singing

Convention: Although this music video is between two people (so it also uses a two shot), the Indie Music videos show the artist singing/lip syncing to their words and music to emphasise that it is them doing the hard work and creating the music and giving the audience a view of who they are listening too. By using a medium close up it also shows some of the background, and the artist without diminishing them in the large landscape.

Code: Slow motion zooming to the single artist from a long shot

Convention: The camera can zoom in or out from the artist but the use of it is to emphasise the importance of the artist against the backdrop.

Code: Short takes summarizing what we’ve seen in the video so far

Convention: The shots obviously vary from each music video, but the use of short takes does not.

Code: Establishing shot

Convention: In this video the shot is very similar to the first one we see but it changes from night to dawn from the beginning of the video to the end.

By using an establishing shot it reflects the journey and changed that has occurred within the music video.