60's!

Music videos started in the 60's, but they were very different to the kind of music videos we have at the moment. In the 60's, they were more like live recordings of the band/artist performing the song. Here are a few examples. 

Oh, Pretty Woman - Roy Orbison (1964)

This video is just lots of simple shots of the band performing the song, and all the band members are on platforms apart from the singer so that we can see each of them individually as they are playing. There are lots of close ups of the singer whilst he's singing so the focus is on him and what he is singing, and mid shots of the other band members so show them when they are playing, but not putting too much focus on them as they aren't being shown as being as important as the singer. There are very few cuts and no props apart from the platforms, and it was filmed in a small area so there isn't any movement, keeping it simple. 

My Generation - The Who (1965)

Again this is just another video with just the band performing for an audience, but this time there are different shots of the audience dancing as well as shots of the band. There are close ups of the singer and back up singer when they are singing so that we are focusing on them as they are the important ones at that time. Then when the drummer has a solo there is a mid shot of him so that we can see him playing the drums. When there are bits where the singer isn't singing and there are no solos, there are mid shots and close ups of the audience dancing to show that they are enjoying the music. There are a few cuts but it has a slow editing speed, and towards the end there is a zoom out starting from a close up of the guitarist to a long shot of the whole band so that we can see them all as the song finishes. 

Hey Jude - The Beatles (1968)

This music video starts off with just the band performing together, and there are lots of close ups and mid shots of the band members either singing or playing their instruments. It has a slow editing speed and this fits well with the slow song. There aren't any props, so it just a simple music video like most of the videos from the 60's. But then, about halfway through, when the song kicks in, lots of people run in and the camera quickly zooms out to a long shot, showing the band members surrounded by the people. The camera stays still for a while and there are no cuts between shots, keeping it simple and showing everyone in the room. Then there are some mid shots of the band members playing their instruments again, and at one point the camera starts out as an establishing shot and then zooms into the drummers face and then it cuts to a close up of a girls face.

Overall, music videos from the 60's were very simple and not very adventurous, mainly just videos of the band playing their song, and sometimes there are shots of an audience. The editing speed is usually quite slow, and there aren't really any interesting camera shots and props because at this time, music videos were a new thing.