A video that blends two or more formats, like a narrative with performance sections woven in, or a concept videoA video built around a single creative idea or visual theme,… with lyric overlays.
Most professional music videos are actually hybrids in practice. Pure performance or pure narrative is the exception. Mixing styles tends to make videos more dynamic and commercially appealing.
Hybrid video in the real world
Childish Gambino’s This Is America (2018), directed by Hiro Murai, intercuts performance and narrative with deliberate intent. Donald Glover dances and performs while acts of violence unfold in the background. The tension between the two modes is the whole point of the video, making it one of the most discussed music videos of the 2010s.
Related terms
Narrative videoA music video that tells a story, usually one that mirrors o…, Performance videoThe classic format: you film the artist performing the song,…, Concept videoA video built around a single creative idea or visual theme,…, Lyric videoA video where the song’s lyrics appear on screen, synced to …