How Best to Create 3-10 Minute Epics.

The closest I've come to making a music video were the videos we had to make in our Spanish class 3 years in a row in high school. They got progressively better, but this is unrelated to the topic at hand.

The point of this entry isn't to complain about how MTV and MTV2 and VH1 no longer play music videos. We know that; we don't like it, but we've accepted it and moved on to youtube. However, after reading someone's article/selection of the 29 best music videos, I thought I'd throw in my 2 (or 3) cents not just on what videos I like but what I think makes a good music video.

I think the one mistake bands tend to make is to put themselves in the video, performing. This sounds contradictory, but there's not much talent in just playing the song in front of the camera. If there's no plot to go with it or no interesting effects, the video falls kind of flat. For example, The Foo Fighters' "All My Life" is fairly unexciting as nothing unexpected happens during the course of them just performing the song, as compared to their videos for "Everlong" (a strange dream sequence), "Big Me" (a Mentos commercial spoof). or "My Hero" (which does show parts of the band playing, but secondary to the plot).

It's hard to pinpoint what you SHOULD do in a video, but I'll give it a try. A band should definitely not incorporate all of the following concepts, but at least one will prove decent, usually.

Do:
1. Make a plot for your video. I guess your song and video don't necessarily have to relate, but keep in mind the watchers may focus more on the video than the song if they aren't harmonious. (Example: "Paranoid Android" by Radiohead. It's a good video, but the song doesn't relate and you forget what it's actually about).
2. Use interesting special effects. Maybe you're not really big on "plots" but you want the viewer to think your video is kind of fun to watch. (Example: "Everything is Everything" by Lauryn Hill. Who says Manhattan can't be a giant turntable? Also, "Girl" by Beck. Things folding in half is a neat trick, possibly brought to you by Mad Magazine).
3. Hire directors who are fans of animation. Animation can be used to create a video where actions wouldn't be possible with real actors (like Paranoid Android) or when a director/producer comes up with a new technique that makes people flock to the video. (Example: "Fell in Love With a Girl" by the White Stripes for the innovative use of legos and "Ankle Injuries" by Fujiya and Miyagi for unique use of dice).
4. Develop a plot so strong that you make the viewer want to cry, jump for joy, or kill themselves (the latter is generally not so good). Again not always related to the song either, but so emotive that you're glued to the screen for the duration. (Example: "Viðrar Vel til Loftárasá" by Sigúr Ros - I'll let you watch for yourself. As well as "Hellbent" by Kenna which is a two-for due to emotiveness and animation.)
5. Be funny, but not completely ludicrous. Sometimes videos go beyond this point and are just stupid. (Example: "All the Small Things" by Blink 182. Way too over the top, "look at how ridiculous we can be.") But there are others that trick you into serious songs with unserious music videos, such as "New Millenium Cyanide Christ" by Meshuggah. Air guitar and singing into a pen may be comic gold. (Thanks to Jeremy for the example).
6. Confuse/disturb/sicken the viewer so much they can't help but watch anyway and then wonder what's wrong with them. ("Greedy Fly" by Bush'; "Closer" by Nine Inch Nails; "All is Full of Love" by Bjork; "The Beautiful People" by Marilyn Manson.)
7. Be OK Go. Their videos are in their own class.

It seems like a moot point to talk about rap videos because they're all the same. Girls, bikinis, champagne, cars, bling, and every other rapper they know. Pop tends to be highly choreographed or cheesy attempts at seriousness or humor. In general, good videos take effort, time and energy. They're the ones that stick with you for years.

Before the advent of youtube I would dwell on videos I thought I'd never be able to see again. I tried to purchase a copy of the video for "Greedy Fly" from someone in England (that didn't really work). I'd watch the video for "Viðrar Vel" from MTV's site. I forgot about videos and confused the ones I did know. I never could have predicted a site dedicated to videos would come about and save me from the despair of lost music videos. I actually kept a list of all the videos I'd seen (up until about 2 years ago) on my website. It seems tedious to update it now, but it was a useful tool in going through videos in this post.

Please feel free to comment with whatever videos I should have included or qualifications for "good" music videos. I'm interested in other people's theories as well.