Tips for budding directors: The art of perfecting your music video

What goes into conceptualising a music video? How big a role does the narrative play in the video in determining how audiences receive the video? 

The art of perfecting a music video is a skill that most directors don’t often get right. Some music video visuals would include a combination of video vixens, copious amounts of alcohol and people dancing in the background accompanied by song itself. 

A director, who understands how to communicate the use of semiotics to a hip-hop audience, is a director with the ability to change the world with their artistic vision. 

Prime example: Anatii’s ‘WENA’

Using Anatii’s WENA music video as a prime example. Directed by himself and Lindo Langa, the music video explores different people and their love for each other, from heterosexual couples to homosexual couples and even the form of love between a father and his daughter. 

The elegantly presented music video opens with a voiceover by news anchor Noxolo Grootboom and her special saying “Ndinthanda nonke emakhaya”, which roughly translates to “I love you all at home”. This speaks to Grootboom’s love for South Africans.

Get creative

In addition to Grootboom’s voiceover in the beginning, some scenes of the music video are shot in red and green lighting and some parts even have a slight subtle purple haze — either to set the scene for the location of where the narrative takes place or to evoke certain emotions in audience members. 

In my opinion, these colours play a part in communicating to the viewer the various aspects of love. Red is associated with passion and love. Purple is associated peace, whereas green strongly resonates with safety. 

Well-mapped concept and vision

The art of the music video is precisely one that requires attention to detail in the pre-production phase of planning. A well-mapped concept and vision will play role in the success of the video.

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