What Are Music Videos?

A music video is a short film integrating a song and imagery. Music videos are often produced for promotional reasons or artistic purposes.

The modern day music video are mainly made as a marketing tool, to help promote the sale of the music and the knowledge of the artist. Before the 1980's music videos were described using terms such as 'illustrated song', 'filming insert', 'promotional film', 'promotional clip', 'promotional video', 'song video', 'song clip', or 'film clip'.

There are many different forms of music videos, which use a variety of styles. Some examples of video making techniques include animation, live action filming, documentaries, and non-narrative approaches.

Some music videos use a variety of styles and blend them together. A common combination would be animation, music and live action. Many music videos use scenes and images directly from the songs lyrics, which creates a visual story which is told within the song. Other music videos do not do this but instead create a filmed version of the songs live performance.

History:


In 1894 publishers Edward B. Marles and Joe Stern hired an electrician, George Thomas, and gathered various performers in hope to promote their song 'The Little Lost Child'. Using a magic lantern, Thomas projected a series of still images on  screen, at the same time as the live
performances were taking place. This form of entertainment then became known as the illustrated song, which was the first steps towards the music video as we know it today.


Also The Beatles used music videos to help promote their music, which started in the mid 1960's.

The debut of the Beatles film 'A hard days night' and performances of 'Cant by me love' were two creative ways in which music videos were used in the 1960's.  

Decades later MTV honoured the film director of these videos, Richard Lester, and stated that Richard Lester basically invented the music video.