Musice video direction vs. film direction

Alexander McCoy

Alexander McCoy

New member
Whats the difference between directing a muisc video and a film? whats different? whats similar? whats harder? whats easier? if one went to film school and studied for directing films do you think they could also direct music videos? do you think someone could direct both music videos and films?
 
on crooksandliars.com, someone posted a music video james cameron directed a long time before he did terminator & titanic. most film directors these days seem to get their start in music videos & commercials.
 
I've heard that's why a bunch of films today are so visual (not in a good way...as in visual for it's own sake and not for the story), because all these directors coming over from music videos. It's a different ballgame between music videos and a film. You're captivating an audience in entirely different way. One is way more rewarding.

Music videos are about fast cuts to make sure you don't flip the channel. There are some very cool music videos but really a film is where the talent's at.
 
Svider said:
Music videos are about fast cuts to make sure you don't flip the channel. There are some very cool music videos but really a film is where the talent's at.
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Bah, that's the lazily done music videos. If you don't already like the song you won't even pay attention to it. Like film, you can definitely tell a story with the song. The most creative music video directors do that. Look at this video for instance, it's one of my favorites, a great story told in eight minutes:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=zhlhsB0VkkA
 
jade8472 said:
If you don't already like the song you won't even pay attention to it.
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I've watched plenty of music videos of lame songs. I don't think I'm alone on that.

However, I do totally agree that there is an art in making a music video, and as in the example you gave, you can tell a great story inside it.

It may be comparing apples and oranges, but typically the music videos I see don't put a story first.
 
Svider said:
I've heard that's why a bunch of films today are so visual (not in a good way...as in visual for it's own sake and not for the story), because all these directors coming over from music videos. It's a different ballgame between music videos and a film. You're captivating an audience in entirely different way. One is way more rewarding.

Music videos are about fast cuts to make sure you don't flip the channel. There are some very cool music videos but really a film is where the talent's at.
Click to expand...

I wouldn't say that so much as maybe there's just a trend towards flashier, less invisible editing and camerawork because of that immigration. If the tone or mood of the moment motivates a technique, why not use it? Granted sometimes use of a certain technique is just stupid, see the film-eaten-by-acid effect in "Running Scared," for example.

That said, I like music videos that translate what the music sounds like to a visual...like cutting to the beat, but also matching camera movement to voices or instruments. Music videos are an editor's playground. Music videos are about rocking out (or getting crunk or what-have-you). Story is welcome but not required. And while I love a good story in a movie, sometimes it's not neccessary there either, when you can just sit back and enjoy the ridiculousness *cough* Michael Bay *cough*. Am I making sense here?
 
Personally I dislike music videos that tell a story. What story are they telling? The one already being told with lyrics and music. Overkill as I see it. I'd much rather watch something that's an extension of the song's "vibe" so to speak. Not a literal translation.
 
Svider said:
Music videos are about fast cuts to make sure you don't flip the channel. There are some very cool music videos but really a film is where the talent's at.
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Talent is evident whether you are directing a triogy of movies or a :30 second commercial spot. One is not nessisarily better than another.
 
Luis Caffesse said:
Yeah, you're right
all quick cuts in music videos, and no real talent, not in music videos anyhow.
It's a shame
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Good reply. And thanks for not listing the james blunt "beautiful" as one of your examples. :)

And that says something too... because those videos with long takes stand out, hence the contrast of what is expected.

But still if you look at the "pop" music videos (you know those terrible channels I'm talking about) you get what I mean.

For me I just have a bad associating when I think mainstream music videos, I don't think of the classic or artsy one, rather I see what I hate of mainstream music/media. Maybe it's because of the poor quality music to start with.

I completely agree about not trying to slip some false story in for a music video. The video is to serve the song, and whatever that looks like...
 
cecil995 said:
Talent is evident whether you are directing a triogy of movies or a :30 second commercial spot. One is not nessisarily better than another.
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Not necessarily better, no, but an ENTIRELY DIFFERENT SKILLSET.

Barry Manilow can write the lyrics for commercial jingles -- can he write a feature film screenplay (one that's any good?)

The difference between music videos, commercials, and feature films is about as significant as the difference between painting, sculpting, and dance. All three are art forms, all three require an incredible amount of skill and talent, but being good at one of them is no way indicating that you'll be good at another of them.
 
Barry_Green said:
Not necessarily better, no, but an ENTIRELY DIFFERENT SKILLSET.

Barry Manilow can write the lyrics for commercial jingles -- can he write a feature film screenplay (one that's any good?)

The difference between music videos, commercials, and feature films is about as significant as the difference between painting, sculpting, and dance. All three are art forms, all three require an incredible amount of skill and talent, but being good at one of them is no way indicating that you'll be good at another of them.
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Well said. Different languages, different time constraints, different skills.
 
very interesting subject. I've often asked the question myself. Let me ask a question, are stand up sketches (Dave Chapelle) considered short movies or just plain sketches? Part of me feels their closer to docs or commercials, but then some do have a short movie vibe. What's your take?
 
pop videos generally have fast cuts so they can make the singer look like she/he can actually dance. If they can't dance as well as the backup dancers then they can cut 1000 semi bad takes into one decent one with enough chopping and edit the bad dancing rhythm to the beat.
 
Music videos dont have to have fast cuts, many have but there are also plenty of single take/ long take videos too. Its just another area of production. I see music videos as an arena to try new tricks and experiment (if Ive got time!!) Narrative or performance based, you still need a through line to hold everything together no matter how inoxious it is. Straight performance without any flare/ through line tends not to work.
 
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