Music video form example

Music videos do not commonly follow a typical beginning, middle and end structure.

Mainstream music tends to follow the structure set by the song's form (verse, chorus, bridge, etc.)

 

 Cassie's video for, 'Long Way 2 Go' demonstrates this perfectly as a costume or a setting changes when the verse goes into the chorus, or from chorus to bridge.

• Verse to Chorus - Cassie changes her bedroom outfit into something more sensual for her night out with her friends.
• Chorus to Second Verse - girls are now walking in the streets after being seen in Cassie's apartment.
• Second Verse to Chorus - Cassie is donning a new red dress in a closed space.

This video's structure follows Andrew Goodwin's analysis of music videos. It is also a good example for Laura Mulvey's theory of representation, Carol Vernallis' study on editing and camerawork for music videos ... but we'll get to that in a bit.