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Researching Grading/Filters in Music Videos

  •  What is colour grading?
Colour grading is the process of adjusting colours, shadows, and highlights in a music video to create a specific mood or emotion. It can make a scene feel warm, cold, dramatic, or dreamy, helping the visuals match the story and vibe of the song.

  • Why is it used in MVs?

Colour grading is used in MVs to set the mood and emotion of the song, make the visuals more cinematic, and help the story or theme stand out. It makes the video look more polished and matches the colours to the feelings the music conveys.

Some types of Colour Grading

  • Black & White – dramatic and emotional.
  • Y2K / Vintage Style – nostalgic and retro.
  • Cold Tones – sad, mysterious, or futuristic.
  • Warm Tones – happy, romantic, or cosy.
  • Old Camera Roll / Camcorder Vibe – intimate, personal, and nostalgic

Black and White(filter)

Black and white colour grading in music videos is used to create a dramatic and emotional atmosphere. By removing colour, it highlights expressions, shadows, and textures, giving the video a timeless and artistic vibe.

Example - Easy on Me by Adelle


In Go Easy on Me, the black and white colour grading emphasises Adele’s emotions, making her vulnerability and pain more visible. The lack of colour focuses on her expressions and the empty, minimal backgrounds, reflecting the raw sadness and longing expressed in the lyrics.

Y2k/Vintage style(filter)

Y2K or vintage-style colour grading in music videos uses faded or pastel tones, soft contrast, and sometimes film grain to create a nostalgic, dreamy, and playful vibe. This style makes the visuals feel stylish, youthful, and emotionally light, giving the video a memorable and retro-inspired aesthetic.


Example - Missin u by Tori Kelly


In Missin U, the Y2K-inspired visuals use bright, bold colours and soft pastel tones to create a playful yet nostalgic vibe. This colour grading matches the song’s upbeat but longing lyrics, highlighting the mix of fun and emotional yearning in the story.

Cold Tones 

Cold tone colour grading in music videos uses blues and muted colours to create a moody, calm, or somber atmosphere, matching emotions like sadness, tension, or isolation in the lyrics.

Example - Midnight by Coldplay



In Midnight, the cold-tone colour grading with muted blues and dim lighting creates a calm, introspective, and melancholic mood. This visual style reflects the song’s reflective and emotional lyrics, emphasizing feelings of solitude and longing.


Warm Tones 

Warm-tone colour grading in music videos uses reds, oranges, and yellows to create a cozy, romantic, or happy atmosphere, enhancing feelings of love, nostalgia, or comfort.

Example- Summertime Sadness by Lana Del Rey


In Summertime Sadness, the warm-tone colour grading with rich oranges and golden hues creates a nostalgic and romantic mood. This enhances the song’s emotional lyrics, emphasizing love, longing, and bittersweet feelings.

Old Camera Roll / Camcorder Vibe (filter)

Old Camera Roll / Camcorder Vibe grading is used in music videos to create a nostalgic, personal, and retro feel. By adding grain, light leaks, slightly washed-out colours, and lower resolution, it mimics old home videos or photos, making the scenes feel like cherished memories and giving the video a more intimate, authentic atmosphere.

Example - Number One Girl by Rose
To describe it more, the MV is made to look like it's filmed in an old camera roll, for example, like "Photograph" by Ed Sheeran (which is actually filmed in an old camera)



In Number One Girl, the Old Camera Roll/Camcorder vibe with slightly washed-out colours and film grain gives the MV a nostalgic, personal feel. This style complements the playful and romantic lyrics, making the emotions feel intimate and memory-like.

Learning Outcome
Colour grading/filters are a powerful tool in music videos that shape the mood, highlight emotions, and enhances storytelling. Whether it’s the dramatic impact of black and white, the nostalgic charm of Y2K, the warmth of reds and golds, or the personal feel of Old Camera Roll aesthetics, each style helps viewers connect visually and emotionally with the song. Choosing the right colour grading brings the lyrics and visuals together, making the music video more memorable and engaging.

I learned that colour grading and filters are used intentionally in music videos to reflect emotions, strengthen the narrative, and visually communicate the song’s meaning.





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