Carol Vernallis Work

She suggests that the jumping camera focus is like the camera in place of our eyes, doing what we do when we listen. However, this is predefined for us by the Director - we have even less choice to look away/outside of the Director's choice than we do in film - do you agree?

Not so much with her theory that we focus on different parts of the song. I think that listeners generally listen to the beat and bass fo the most, and then listen to the next most prominant part - i.e. lryics or melody or solo or whatever. I think that directors do force what they want even more on us in music video. But this I believe is purely for marketability and branding purposes, rather than them conveying something to us (other than the brand).

She says music video experience is more like listening than viewing - do you agree?

Definately. I think that few videos are good enough to keep people watching with a bad song (personal to viewer), and for this reason I believe that its not for viewing which people enjoy the music videos. Im sure they enhance listening, but its not about the video at the end of the day. (like i said there are a few videos which say otherwise)

"We compensate imaginatively for what we do not see in the frame" - Agreed?

Errr.. yes. This is true with any type of film. Im not sure to what extent this is relevant in music video. Close-ups show everything they need to, to convey music video. There is not much importance to things out of the frame I reckon. Perhaps there is more so in heavy narrative based videos.

The music video "brings us towards these peaks, holds us against them, and then releases us" - do you agree?

If it means that music videos tend to offer us familiarity before fully engrossing us into the video, then yes. We are clear of the artist and song before things really get going. Music videos do establish that much.

Is the viewer "sutured (stitched) into the diegesis of the film world through the editing"?

The editing of a music video has to be the most important part. It is something which can alter meanings and moods, while also making or breaking music videos. As many videos are made up of narrative and performance, the editing must find the balance it wants and portray the meaning.

Music video is freer in terms of viewer identification and perspective - agreed?

Definately. Conceptual videos in particular allow the viewer to see and and understand things as they like. Analysing a musci video is a very personal thing and is very opinion based.

Carol Vernallis believes the image alone cannot tell the story - do you agree?

I also agree with this. Music which works with the story is a staple of a good film, however music which does not fit as well is a negative. The use of music is necessary to add emotion/mood and rtain the viewers attention.