Music Video Theorists- Alf Bjornberg

Bjornberg's theories mainly focus on how the music and the visuals relate to each other. Unlike Goodwin,Bjornberg doesnt use specific examples, he prefers to generalise his theories to make them more accurate to a larger selection of videos. 

The dimension of time  

This describes how the structure and flow of the music directly relates to the visual content. For example if the music has numerous verses, the visual content may repeat over it. Most music video's visuals are strongly ditermined by the length of the track. Most limit  themselves to this time restraint however there are always exceptions. The video for 'Thriller' by Michael Jackson extends its visuals past the length of the track. The main reason that it extends beyond the music is because it uses a complex narrative.

Sections

Most music videos, especially those of the pop/rock genre separate their song into sections. Usually they consist of 8 to 9 distinct sections, this includes any solos, instrumentals, and codas/repeats. There are a number of ways that these sections are depicted. Often a change of scene would suggest it, also changes in costume, or different band members.

Multiple Centripetal Process

Bjornberg describes this multiple centripetal process as being in most videos. Musically it suggests the cadential effect of the chorus section. Centripetal is a continuos circling force. In the case of music videos it is used to depict how the verses all orbit around the chorus.

Editing on the beat

Nearly all music videos are strongly aware of the beat or strong pulse running throughout the piece. Camera movements, edits, transitions, motions, and cuttings are synchronised and fitted precisely with in the beats or rhythmic gestures.

Frith was another music video theorist who Bjornberg studied greatly whilst he was studdying. Frith said "montage is the video-maker's basic tool simply because it is the visual equivalent of music built up out of studio sound layers"

Character

The rhymic character of music plays a significant role in the shaping of the visual content. The visuals can aid the tonality, tension and release of the music. For example when the music increases its tension, the lighting may darken to simulate this, or the edits and cuts may happen faster to increase tension visually.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             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