The Technical Codes in Music Videos - Camera Movement

• The movement of the camera is used to track the artist, usually whilst they perform but can also be used to follow them in a narrative. The most commonly used camera movements in music videos are pans, tilts and tracking shots. All these allow performance elements, as well as appreciating the surroundings and the outfits of the artist.

• Single Ladies by Beyonce is a good example of tracking shots. The whole video tracks Beyonce and two backing dancers in a white room, doing a dance routine for the whole length of the song therefore the whole length of the music video. To stand out, Beyonce has a one shouldered black leotard and a metal glove that she wears throughout the video, as well as always being in the middle of the three dancers and therefore holding all the attention.
• Beyonce also lip sings in the video, and the camera tracking allows the audience to see that she always sings throughout the whole video. This can add to her performance element of the video. Her dancing and the dancing of the other two dancers are greatly emphasised through the lack of noticeable editing - it seems as though the whole video was filmed in one take.