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HISTORY 

- Music Video – short film or video that accompanies a piece of music
o A marketing device – promote the sale of music recordings – hence the name ‘promotion videos’ or ‘promos’ as music videos are often called
o Has specific conventions
o Last the length of the song (sometimes longer  - ones with narrative e.g. Lady Gaga – ‘Telephone’)
o Features the artist (but not always)
o Can tell a story (does not have to)
o Visually memorable and worth repeat viewings

​1950s
o The invention of the first ever scopitone made in France
     - A visual duke box that played 16mm film clips with a magnetic sound track
     - They spread to West Germany, then to bars in England and approximately 500 machines were 
installed in the US by 1964

​     - Scopitone popularity had faded by the end of the 1960s and in 1978, the last scopitone film was made

     - In the 21st Century, scopitones can be found at museums or private collections at theatres
     - Most scopitone films are now available on the internet or on DVD

 

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