The Birth of the Video
Promotional Clips Grow
With the success of the Beatles, many
new artists found a creative gateway
through promotional clips.
- Promotional clips gave many artists the
jumpstart that they needed in order to
become successful in the cutthroat
music industry.
- Bands such as Bob Dylan, The Rolling Stones,
The Who, and Pink Floyd all made
promotional clips in order to enhance and
popularize their music.
- Other bands such as Procol Harum, struck
gold and popularity do to popular
promotional clips.
- The Doors, along with other groups, found
promotional clips as a chance to send a
message. (This type of video is still seen
today)
In 1972, David Bowie hired Mike Rock,
who was a pop photographer, to
develop a set of promotional clips for
him.
- This collaboration produced some of the
most visual and creative developments
to musical clips and solidified their
spot in pop culture.
Music Television
The front runners of music television
during the late 1970s were Australia
and the United Kingdom.
- Both countries had a similar format,
including most poplar, new music, and
the development of new artists.
(Favorably from their own country –
AC/DC, Queen)
- One of the greatest and most popular
promotional clips, Queen’s –Bohemian
Rhapsody, was produced for the
British “Top of the Pops” and started a
chain reaction in the production of
promotional clips as singles.
America flirted with a music television
station in the late 70s, but in never
gained any strength, although
promotional clips were scene in the
U.S. and were very popular.
MTV - Videos Go Mainstream
The first music video to be aired on MTV (Music
Television 24/7) was “Video Killed The Radio
Star.” This began the age of the music
video.
- Nearly every artist started to produce and
create new music videos in order to get
airplay on MTV. Many new video techniques
were being implemented and the business of
music videos grew to an industry.
One video, however, changed the way
music videos would be developed for
the next 25 years. Michael Jackson’s -
Thriller.
- Produced in 1983, Thriller cost over
$500,000 to make and it used close to
every filming technique in the video
industry.
Other influential videos included… Peter
Gabriel’s “Sledgehammer”, Van
Halen’s “Jump”, A-Ha’s “Take on Me”,
Madonna’s “Material Girl”, and
Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit,”
which all helped establish the industry.
From 1995 to 2005, videos were being
directed by up and coming movie
directors such as Michael Bay, Spike
Lee, and Hype Williams. They brought
with them a unique vision and style to
the music video community.
Although music videos are not in decline,
MTV stopped playing videos in order to
make room for reality television. This
trend still continues today.
The Internet Takes Over
The internet is now the primary showcase
for music industries. The launch of
YouTube in 2005, changed both the
music industry and the video industry.
- Videos were now being viewed easier
and faster, giving artists a wider
audience and more plays on their
videos.
- Artists like OK Go and Soulja Boy
received fame through online music
videos.
Unofficial Music Videos
- These are unofficial, fan-made music
videos that can be made in a variety of
different ways such as…
- Songvids – Where people take
existing footage and/or recordings
and they synchronize them to
music.
- Lip dub – Where a group of people
are filmed lip singing and the
original is over dubbed into it.
- New Fan Videos – Where individuals
create a new music video for their
favorite songs.
- Re-Creation – Fans recreating
existing music videos
Live Action vs. Documentaries
Documentaries – Telling a story based on
reality… There is a reason for the
video.
Live Action – Acted by real people (Non-
animated) No storyline…