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Like any art form, music video creation has its "classics." These videos have influenced future artists and directors' videos. Know that many of the greatest music videos are great for completely different reasons. Some are visually inventive, some have a razor-shop focus, and others just fit the music perfectly. By understanding what made certain music videos particularly influential, you may have a better perspective for how to make your own unforgettable video. Many of the most beloved music videos of all time tell stories that are funny, shocking, tragic, or triumphant. A truly great story stays in the viewer's head for weeks, months, or even years. Arguably one of the most famous videos of all time, John Landis' video for Michael Jackson's "Thriller" video tells a classic story. This video also greatly overruns the length of the actual song. It works here, but use caution - too little music and too much video can make for a boring combination. The video for Radiohead's "Just" directed by Jamie Thraves also tells a great story, albeit one with a drastically different tone. This video uses excellently-cast squares and an open-to-interpretation ending to skewer the inanity of white-collar life - a great match for Thom Yorke's spiteful lyrics. Music videos are great places to showcase visual innovation and trickery. The video can be an opportunity to employ abstract visuals, unique effects, or animation that visually compliments the song's audio. The visuals don't even have to "make sense" in a traditional sense. As long as they're striking and accompany the song well, they can leave a lasting impression. Steve Barron's video for A-ha's smash hit "Take on Me" features a romantic story playing out in a combination of live action and sketchbook-style rotoscope animation. This stylistic choice perfectly matches the song's whimsical, smitten tone and makes for an unforgettable visual style. The video for The White Stripes' "Seven Nation Army" (made by directing duo Alex and Martin) employs visual trickery to give the illusion of one four minute long continuously-zooming shot. Combined with the striking lighting choices, this creates a tremendously disorienting effect that gives the video a great dark atmosphere. See also: Muse's "Stockholm Syndrome," Dire Straits' "Money for Nothing." Cultural references are frequently used in music videos - sometimes, the entire video is a loving homage or a scathing lampoon of the material being referenced. With a good sense of humor, the results can be classic. If the artists don't mind a little self-deprecation, all the better - people love musicians who are humble enough to poke fun at themselves. Hype William's video for 2Pac and Dr. Dre's "California Love" is a parody of the Mad Max series of films. The parody serves two purposes - besides being just plain funny, it also suggests that early 1990s California is a lawless, do-or-die playground where only the strongest survive, similar to the post-apocalyptic wasteland depicted in the Mad Max films. An even funnier parody music video is the video for the Beastie Boys' "Sabotage," directed by Spike Jonze. Having the Beastie Boys portray over-the-top caricatures of gritty 1970s TV cops, Jonze makes an unforgettable, hilarious video that somehow fits the music perfectly. It can be entertaining simply to throw as much money as possible at the screen. Shoot in an exotic locale. Plan enormous choreographed dance sequences. Hire supermodels. Great music videos can be pure spectacle, plain and simple. Hype William's video for Jay Z's "Big Pimpin'" is a classic example of music video as spectacle. There's very little in the way of narrative or story - it's mostly just Jay Z and friends having a good time on a massive yacht, partying at a tropical villa, and throwing money to a crowd, all while surrounded by beautiful women. As a display of wealth and braggadocio, it's very effective. Lady Gaga is another artist famous for her elaborate music videos. Steven Klein's video for her "Alejandro" depicts a bizarre, sexually-charged militaristic dystopia, complete with insane (but appropriate) sets and costumes. It's a striking, extravagant production. Conversely, many great music videos follow a "less is more" philosophy. Minimalist music videos allow the viewer to focus on the action (and its emotional relationship with the music) with no other distractions. A minimal video is also a great choice for directors on a limited budget. Saam's video for The XX's "Islands" uses repetitive shots of a short, tightly-choreographed dance to great effect. By making very subtle changes to the dancer's moves each time the shot repeats, we're able to see hints of a tragic romance unfolding. The gradualness of the change makes the final shot all the more shocking. OK GO's early videos used imaginative choreography to make instantly memorable viewing experiences on a miniscule budgets. Their video for "Here it goes again" (directed by Trish Sie and the band) is great example of a well-done video shot for almost nothing. The video is done in one static shot in an undecorated room, the only props being eight treadmills. Because of the strength of the choreography and the memorability of the concept, the video was a big viral hit when it was released in 2006.
Study the classics. Tell a great story. Create a unique visual style. Play with parody and pastiche. Be extravagant. Keep it minimal.