Narrative and Performance

The narrative in songs, just like in poetry, is rarely complete and often fragmentary. Music promos tend to suggest storylines of offer complete fragments in a non-linear order, leaving the viewer with the desire to see them again.
Often a promo will cut between a narrative and performance of the song by the band. Sometimes the artist/singer will be part of the story, acting as a narrator and a participant.
However, it is the lip-syncing/close-up and miming of playing instruments that remains at the heart of music videos to assure us that the band can really play.
The video allows the audience a more varied access to the performer than a stage performance can.
The close-up, allows eye-contact, observation of facial gestures and role-play within a narrative framework, which isn't possible in a live concert performance.
The mise-en-scene can be used as
1) a guarantee of authenticity of a band's musical virtuosity by showing them in a stage performance/a rehearsal room,
2) to establish a relationship to a familar film/TV genre in a narrative based video,
3) suggesting a setting based on sexual allure - a boudoir/a nightclub,
4) emphasis on an aspirational lifestyle.

We have used all of the conventions of narrative and performance within our music video by setting a scene with a storyline that our audience would be able to relate to.