My Genre Conventions

In alternative rock music videos they have conventions which are usually in music videos. There is a live performance from the song by the band or soloist including playing their instruments. Also with the performance there is a narrative which usually has the band, main artist or soloist playing the main character role portraying themselves or fictional characters. Within the narrative the video that either tells a story that follows the lyrics of the song or the story and plot will have no relation to the lyrics what so ever and therefore be something irrelevant and random. Or may hold a meaning behind them but not linking to the lyrics in any way. A know ‘motif’ of the artist and band is that their music videos are ‘movie like’.

There are seen to visually see or hear the guitar or instrument being a focus point which is powerful and overruling. The editing is fast and cuts to the beat or the main instrument.

The lyrics in alternative rock tend to be more deep and on topic of personal social concern making it more depressing then the other genres in the music industry. The lyrics may be on topic of, drugs, depression, alcohol, and love. There is no set music style for alternative rock as there are so many subgenres however they all share that they are not seen in society as ‘mainstream’.

The cinematography is usually close up shots of the artist and long shots of the artist and band. Plus close up shots on the instruments or main artist singing. The mise-en-scene is usually casual clothes and dark coloured clothes.

These videos include alternative rock conventions:

30 Seonds To Mars- Kings and Queens

One Republic- Counting Stars

Lana Del Rey- Video Games