Conventions of a music promo

Editing
The editing of a music video is dependent on the song itself. If a song has slow and fast pace within it then the editing of shots will also have a similar pace throughout the song. This makes the video easier to follow and due to the editing pace following the beat of the music, it keeps the music promo relevant to the song.

Mise-en-scene
The mise-en-scene include location, costume, props and lighting of a shot.

The costumes are conventionally dependent on the song type and if there is a reoccurring theme throughout it. If the song is about a party or the music promo is set in a party atmosphere the clothing will represent this. For example the people in shot will be wearing party clothing rather than if the music promo was set in an office where the performers would be wearing more smart clothing.

The location is also dependent on the song or the genre within the music promo and shows a conventional location for the promos theme. For example derelict and abandoned locations are conventionally used in rock promos.

The props conventionally used are the band members instruments and sometimes merchandise which fan groups can purchase.

The lighting in a shot also depends on genre and creates atmosphere or emphasises a certain theme in the music promo.

Cinematography
Conventional camera shots (or use of cinematography) are used such as tilts, pans, tracks and crane shots are used to show the band from different angles. The most common shot types to be used are long shots which show the band as a unit, mid shots to show one band member and the instrument they play in the band and close ups to show the lead singer and possibly other members of the band.

Narrative/Performance
The narrative in a music promo conventionally follows either all lyrics in the song, a certain lyric or the name of the song or it completely discards the song and goes in a completely different way. The other option a band has when making a music promo is to show the band performing throughout the music video to show the band and their identity.