Narrative and Performance

Narrative in songs is rarely complete, more often fragmentary, as in poetry. The same is true of music promos, which more often suggest story-lines or offer complex fragments of them in non-linear order. In doing this the music video leaves the viewer with the desire to see it again if only to catch the bits missed on the first viewing. As Steve Archer puts it: "Often, music videos will cut between a narrative and a performance of the song by the band. Additionally, a carefully choreographed dance might be a part of the artist's performance or an extra aspect of the video designed to aid visualisation and the 'repeatability' factor. Sometimes, the artist will be a part of the story, acting as a narrator and participant at the same time. But it is the lip sync, close-up and the miming of playing instruments that remains at the heart of music videos, as if to assure us that the band really can kick it." (Steve Archer - 2004)
The video allows the audience access to the performer in a much greater range of ways than a stage performance could. Eye contact and facial gestures via the close-up, role playing through the narrative and mise-en-scene will present the artist in a number of ways which would not be possible in a live concert.
The mise-en-scene may be used as a guarantee of what Simon Firth terms 'authenticity' as in the stage performance/use of a rehearsal room by a band whose musical virtuosity is their main selling point. It can be important to a narrative-based video to establish setting and relationship to existing film or televisual genres. Equally it may be used as part of the voyeuristic context by suggesting associated with sexual allure, such as a sleazy nightclub or boudoir. Or finally, as John Stewart suggests, it may be used to emphasise an aspirational lifestyle for the audience, as in the current dominance of a futuristic look with emphasis on the latest gadgetry.
Other commentators have divided music videos in terms of style, though often there will be crossover between these; apart from Performance and Narrative, it is possible to identify at least six: Gothic, Animated, Dreamscapes, Portraiture, Futuristic and Home Movie.