How the 'Modern Age' is transforming music videos

Technical codes have developed massively in the 21st century, with chroma-key; which is a post production technique used to layer two images or video streams together based on colour. For example Blue Screen, and more commonly used today Green Screen. A green screen removes the background from the artist and can later be used to substitute a different background.

In this video you can clearly see the differences between using green screen and just a plain background, although this is only simple green screening you can get the basic idea and see what a big improvement using green screen can have. Green screen can also create the idea of an idyllic location for the audience to be envious of which helps to boost their profiles.

Digital technology has also improved, meaning that there has been a rapid increase in higher quality colour videos, this allows artists to produce videos quickly and cheaply - in comparison with the cost of film.This proliferation of technology allows amateur and unknown artists to write and produce music videos quickly and cheaply and distribute them on free online sites. A popular example is Justin Bieber who was discovered on YouTube and soon signed by Usher in 2008. He continued to take the world by storm becoming a global superstar!

Recently there has been a lot more intertextuality, where music videos are making more reference to cinema, fashion and art photography. A good example of this is the 1953 Marilyn Monroe film 'Gentlemen prefer blondes', recreated and made reference to in Madonna's 'Material Girl'.

In both of these you have the women being centre of attention, the envy. Men swarming around them, handing them both expensive diamond jewelry, the envy of any woman watching. Also by using a well established scene from a film helps to build an artists profile and increase audience.

A very recent development is the use of video games and cartoon animation within a music video, for example this video of Modestep's 'Show me a sign' shows a video game type animation, this opens up an audience of gamers.