Categories of Music Videos

There are three main categories of Music Videos:

1.    Performance based videos

2.    Narrative based videos

3.    Concept based

1.     Performance based video

Performance based videos consist mostly of the band performing throughout the video, showing the band at live performances or in a studio.

Linkin Park uses this in their "Faint" music video.

The video, directed by Mark Romanek and shot in downtown LA, consists of the band performing in front of an audience and a floodlight. This puts them at the centre of attention showing that they  need to be heard even though they aren’t seen concealing mystery towards them as to why they don’t want to be seen. It can also be a representation of them not being seen within their record label as who they actually are. The silhouettes show them as figures performing for an audience as if they are programmed to do it. The audience is consisted of members from the LPU. Almost the entire video is shot from behind the band, allowing the strong lighting to portray them in silhouettes. Therefore, the faces of the band are not shown throughout most of the video, except at the final chorus where the band is then shown from the front after Chester shouts the last chorus shouting that they are there, they will be seen, they will be heard as them the representation of Linkin park. They perform in front of a derelict building structure with graffiti, such as a monstrous version of the Hybrid Theory Soldier and some Linkin Park symbols. The wall symbolized the background of them; they've worked from the streets up to concerts which is the audience and flashing lights in front of them and now they deserve the recognition as Linkin Park not the product of a record label.

2.      Narrative Based Videos

Narrative based videos have a story line throughout the whole video; it contains mostly footage that attempts to tell a story through moving images. The story is sometimes linked to the lyrical content.

Within Linkin Park’s ‘Crawling’ video narrative based concepts can be seen.  In the video he says ‘I can’t find myself again the walls are closing in’ the video then shows a girl surrounded by a transparent sharp objects that are closing in on her as if she is trap like the lyrics say.  Another lyric says ‘ I've felt this way before so insecure’ the actor in the shower on the floor going into a tight ball implying that she is insecure and scared. Therefore throughout this video lyrics are portrayed to the audience.

  

                                                                      

                    

3.     Concept based videos

These music videos are usually based around one concept or idea. these types of videos are fairly unusual or utilize a particular editing or filming technique.

A video that applies to concept based videos is Linkin Parks ‘Catalyst’.  The idea is to show some sort of battle field between the civilians (public) and masked persons who represent the police force. Its has people consumed by smoke running around, through colourful powder, people wearing gas mask, Chester singing in water with the camera angles being rotated around and in symmetrical view showing a reflection on the water whilst Mike is hooded in a car singing then to the band playing in the smoke as well. Whereas the lyrics say:

‘God bless us everyone
We're a broken people living under loaded gun
And it can't be outfought
It can't be out done
It can't be out matched
it can’t be out run

No’

This is a contrast to the lyrics making it random.