# Lyric-Driven Music Video — Format

> Lyrics displayed throughout. Visual interpretation of words. Often kinetic typography.

## Format basics

- Length: 3-5 min (song length)
- Aspect: 16:9 typically
- Lyrics on screen
- Visual interpretation of words
- Often typography-focused
- Lower budget option (no actors needed)

## Sub-types

### Kinetic typography
- Lyrics animated
- Typography styled
- Music + word visual integration

### Lyrics with imagery
- Lyrics + relevant images/footage
- Each line illustrated

### Hybrid (lyrics + performance)
- Lyrics shown
- Plus artist performing or scenes

### Hand-written lyrics
- Lyrics literally written by hand on camera
- Visual personal feel

### Object-based lyrics
- Words spelled out by objects
- Stop-motion possible

## Structure

```
0-15s    OPENING
         Establish lyric style
         Music intro
         Title card maybe

15s-3min LYRIC PROGRESSION
         Each line displayed
         Visual interpretation
         Cuts to beat

3-3:30min CHORUS REPETITION
         Visual escalation on repeats
         Variety in display

3:30-4min OUTRO
         Final lyric / message
         Visual close
```

## Sample lyric-driven MV

```
TITLE: Lyric Video for "Yağışlı Axşam" by Ayla

GENRE: Indie folk
LENGTH: 3:45
STYLE: Kinetic typography on cinematic backgrounds

VISUAL APPROACH:

BACKGROUND: Cinematic footage of rainy Baku night — wide shots of
streets, neon, cars passing, water on glass. Beautiful. Atmospheric.

TYPOGRAPHY: Lyrics appear over the footage in elegant typeface.
Each line animates with the music — fading in, sliding, building.

EXAMPLE BEAT:

0:15 — Music intro. Wide shot of empty rainy Baku street.
0:30 — First lyric appears: "Sən gedirsən axşam yağışında" (You
walk away in the evening rain). Letters fade in slowly, one by one,
matching the slow song pace.

0:45 — Second line: "Mən baxıram pəncərədən" (I watch from the
window). Letters appear as if written by rain on the screen.

1:00 — CHORUS — typography becomes larger, more dynamic. Multiple
lines layer over each other.

1:30 — Verse 2 — return to slower display style.

2:00 — CHORUS 2 — even more dynamic. Letters break apart.

2:30 — BRIDGE — slowest moment. Single line stays on screen for
20 seconds. Background goes intimate (close-up of rain on glass).

3:00 — FINAL CHORUS — peak typography energy.

3:30 — OUTRO — single final line. Holds.

3:45 — End on title: "Yağışlı Axşam" by Ayla.

(Multilingual option: lyrics in Azerbaijani with English subtitle
below.)
```

## Key principles

### Lyric clarity
- Easy to read
- Long enough to read
- Match song pacing

### Typography matters
- Choose font reflecting song mood
- Animation style match genre
- Color palette intentional

### Background supports lyrics
- Doesn't distract
- Sets mood
- Cinematic

### Cuts on beat
- Lyrics appear/transition on beats
- Visual rhythm = song rhythm

### Multilingual option
- Original + translation
- Audience accessibility
- Particularly for non-English songs

## Sub-types

### Pure kinetic typography
- Just lyrics moving
- Backgrounds simple/abstract
- Typography is the show

### Lyrics + footage
- B-roll behind lyrics
- Cinematic combinations

### Lyrics + animation
- Animated illustrations
- Each line illustrated

### Hand-written reveal
- Pen writes lyrics on paper
- Stop-motion or live

### Object lyrics
- Real objects form letters
- Stop-motion ambitious

## When to use

- Lower budget option
- Lyrics-heavy song
- Multi-language audience (subtitles built in)
- Album launch (multiple lyric videos for tracks)
- Artist not comfortable on camera

## Common mistakes

- Lyrics too small or fast (unreadable)
- Background distracting
- Typography ugly
- No cuts to beat
- Generic look (could be any song)
