2. HIS SEVEN THEORIES
• Links between visuals and lyrics
• Links between music and visuals
• Genre characteristics
• Intertextuality reference
• Notions of looking (voyeurism)
• Demands of the record label
• Performance based, narrative based or concept based music videos
3. LINK BETWEEN LYRICS AND VISUALS
• Goodwin suggest that lyrics will always
make constant references to visuals on
screen. Visuals reinforce the lyrical content.
• An example of this is ’Ghosts’ by Higher
Self ft. Lauren Mason.
• In this music video it says ‘hoping that my
past was not bad’ reinforcing the word
‘past’ and showing a picture of a clock to
show the past.
4. GENRE CHARACTERISTICS
• These are depicted within music videos as certain conventions
associated with the music genre.
• For example the conventions of the electronic genre is that there is a
clear storyline with a meaning behind it normally as part of a
relationship of some sort.
• It is also normally either filmed during the day with bright sun light or at
night with lots of flashing, vivid bright lights. Both to show off a positive,
partying atmosphere.
• My chosen music video, Ghosts by higher Self ft. Lauren Mason follows
all these typical conventions of an Electronic Genre music video.
5. NOTIONS OF LOOKING
• There is a reference to the notion of looking (screens within screens,
mirrors, stages, etc) and particularly voyeuristic treatment of the typical
male day to day routine. But with this ‘ghost’. This reflects Laura Mulveys
theory of the male gaze.
• The male gaze essentially reduces women to passive sexual objects to be
looked at and quite often their representations were fragmented so that
it was just the sexual parts of the body that the male gaze at.
• This music video challenges the typical dominating male because the
girl is the ‘ghost’ and has control over the boy as he tries to work out
what it’s all about.
6. DEMANDS OF THE RECORD LABEL
• The record label had control over the artists they sign so they are in
control of the artists personal brand and how they are presented within
the media.
• For example, the record company might require the artist to be sexy, in
order to appeal to a particular audience demographic.
• They might also demand that there are lots of promo shots of the artist
in their music videos.
7. DOES GOODWIN LINK TO MY MUSIC
VIDEO?
• To an extent, yes his theories do link to this music video because it’s a
very typical Electronic genre of music.
• However the female isn't objectified which is challenging Goodwin’s
theory and Laura Mulveys theory about the male gaze and instead she
embraces her gender.
