DANCE MUSIC CONVENTIONS

Dance music video conventions

Calvin Harris - This Is What You Came For (Official Video) ft. Rihanna

  Calvin Harris, Dua Lipa - One Kiss (Official Video)

Calvin Harris-summer

Mise-en-scene

camera work

editing

sound.

This music video sets the scene in an exotic location

all pictures illustrate a bright ethereal sky. the lower half has a sandy landscape with mixed colours of red and grey which highly contrasts against the bright blue sky and darker bluish mountainous landscape in the background. which seemingly blends into the sky. also within the scene is a white block structure in the middle of the shot which could suggest the location of the rest of the music video. this is ambiguous and present's an adventurous element due to the atypical location.

in terms of camera work the shot is captured statically, there is no movement and the next shot just appears without a transition filter. the actual picture may have been edited to make the colours seem brighter to fit with the colourful dance video convention.

This musoic videpo also presents a large sky. the colour scheme is different to the last screenshot. the main focus o0f the sky landsape is the light given by the sun and the contrast of the dark clouds.

in terms of camerawork again the image is static. in terms of editing the frame is cut with a short and subtle fade at the start then the image disappears and cuts to a blank, black frame. there is no other aspect ibn the image, so the focus is clearly on the sky.

this frame captures a scenic sky also, however, the foreground also features a large open road which makes the audience feel a sense of freedom due to the large open space and lack of traffic. the sandy pavements alongside the road suggest that the music video is set in a different country such as the USA this is also emphasised by the large size of the road. it also establi8shes the setting for the narrative.

the camera work is steadily moving forward, this along with the sound of the car engine allows the audience to be engaged with the scene and gives the impression of being in a car. the editing is subtle and isn't the main focus of the shot.

The next stage of the music videos introduce the characters within the narrative in different ways.

the first illustrates the main character who is also the artist: Rihanna, which captures her in a long shot with coloured, bright lighting. Her hair is styled in an updone hairstyle, she is wearing a playful yat fashionable jumpsuit with loose material which makes it seem as though she is ready to dance as the costume allows free flowing movement. also due to the cube like angles in the corner means that it can be inferred that she is inside the cube that was previously presented in the setting in the first frame.

she begins to dance and the lighting of the walls changes which has connotations of a nightclub scene and she begins to slowly dance and the music starts. the shot is captured statically, in terms of editing

the second music video illustrates the artist in close-up angle which is atypic however it links to the different sub genre of dance music that has a lot of pop influences with an edgy stylish flair which is useful as this is also the style that the artist relates to, so the shot has an abstract angle but still introduces her face. the camera rotates to the right around her face as she opens her mouth

This third shot could be interpreted as the sexualisation of women as she is wearing little clothing and the shot is slow motion which could be credited to the male gaze. However an alternative view which is more modern is that simply, a woman is lying on a bed in a bikini as many people do on holiday. Also, perhaps the shot is in slow motion to highlight the relaxation of this very moment in a holiday setting which is highly relatable as many people experience these similar moments of relaxation on holiday.

as a viewer I think it is highly important to denote the outdated nature of the 'Male Gaze' theory. Due to the fact that it suggests that women are presented sexually through a male perspective. the definition of the male gaze is ' a feminist theory, the male gaze is the act of depicting the world and women in the visual arts and literature from a masculine and heterosexual point of view, presenting women as objects of male pleasure.' However in terms of media as a subject that takes pride in being modern and creative it is important to denote the fact that yes, the male gaze may occur in some perspectives, for instance in this shot: many people may interpret this to be sexual. However, if a truly feminist perspective was taken then it could be interpreted that the male gaze is sexist in its self as well as outdated. the theory suggest that all males are heterosexual and objectify women. also it doesn't highlight the importance of all gendered people should have the right and ability to express their sexuality, that applies if people see this scene as sexual. Or a further alternative view, is that this scene isn't even sexual. there is nothing to suggest that the model presented is being sexual at all. she is simply wearing a bikini in a holiday setting associated with the name of music video: Summer.

the third frame illustrates the beginning of the narrative including a car race and a female character.

all videos feature a female from different angles and perspectives which capture them wearing fashionable clothes and different angles. this character is wearing summery clothing, also props include the checkered black and white racing flag. also the classic colourful race cars

 night club scenery, with another bright contrast of colours, featuring flood and strobe lighting and misty smoke to emphasis Rihannas iconic silhouette.

lack of representation slim, attractive white women

 the dj appears for a short time in the music video but isn't the main focus of the video in all videos, this is emphasised by the distant angles used which suggests his feature but shows he isn't the star of the video.

Shared conventions within the dance music video genres:

• exoctic and creative settings, for example a green forest location for a nightclub,
• a summers day in America,
• a supernatural summer setting.
• bright colors and lighting
• hot weather to illustrate a summers day
• with a focus at the start of the video across the landscape focusing on the sky
• fast pace editing with moments of slow motion to capture relaxation or dancing in a state of euphoria
• fashionable clothing to compliment the vibe of the music video
• attractive empowering women dancing and having fun
• an appearance of the DJ, in this case male somewhere within the music video