Narratives in Music Videos

Narrative in a music video is when a plot/story/tale takes place throughout which normally has a link of some sort to the song being promoted. Some music video also incorporates the artist into the narrative as a character or the camera alternates between the artist and the narrative. An example of this is Instant Crush by Daft Punk feat. Julian Casablancas which shows a narrative of two museum dolls but alternates to Julian Casablancas singing. Many music videos have a narrative now media theorists have devised models and theories on how the audiences understand the stories.

Propp

Propp came up with the idea of character functions in every narrative...

Hero

Sender

Villain

Helper

Reward

Rize of the Fenix - Tenacious D

Hero: Jack Black

Sender: Camera Crew - sent to make good music.

Villain: Phoenix

Helper: Kyle Gass

Reward: Camera Crew - make the good music video to go with the good song.

Levi-Strauss

Binary Opposites was devised by Levi - Strauss who believed they were used for the audience to understand a story, for example they understand who the good character and the bad characters in a film through the binary opposites of good and evil. Binary Opposites are evident in music videos too, as narrative music videos have a story but they need a quicker understanding by the audience through lasting a much shorter time.

No Church in the Wild- Jay Z & Kanye West

Binary Opposites:

Rioters Vs Police

Violence Vs Police

Tordorov

Five stages the narrative can progress through:

1. A state of equilibrium (All is as it should be.).

2. A disruption of that order by an event.

3. A recognition that the disorder has occurred.

4. An attempt to repair the damage of the disruption.

5. A return or restoration of a new equilibrium.

Rize Of The Fenix - Tenacious D

1. Filming a normal music video.

2. Filming goes all wrong.

3. Camera crews start leaving.

4. Need to make one hit.

5. Music video looks good again.

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