2. THE BOOK
• ‘Dancing in the Distraction Factory is all about the
concept of music videos and critical perspectives from
professionals in the music industry.
• It explains the affect music videos have on popular
culture and specifies what makes them unique.
3. MTV
• One of the prominent arguments in the book, is that MTV has shaped
the popular culture of the 21st Century, by giving our modern society an
obsession for image and a short attention span. However the counter
argument for this is that MTV has allowed previously low profile artists
and ethnicities to gather global attention and become successful e.g.
Michael Jackson.
4. OPINIONS
• Different critics have different opinions on music
videos, One critic may view music videos as a
cinematic genre, whereas another may see them as a
form of advertisement, or semiotic pornography
• One critic, Walker, views them as a visual art form.
5. GOODWIN’S SIX KEY FEATURES OF A
MUSIC VIDEO
• 1) Music Videos demonstrate genre characteristics e.g. stage performance in metal
videos, dance routines in pop videos, aspiration in Hip Hop.
• 2) There is a strong relationship between lyrics and visuals. The imagery either
amplifies , illustrates or contradicts the lyrics to give the video a deeper meaning.
• 3) The music and visuals are linked; the tone and atmosphere of the visuals reflects
that of the music, e.g. how the visuals match the beat.
• 4) the record label will want to include lots of close ups of the artist/band members
and the artist/band may develop a particular visual style which recurs across their work.
• 5) There are frequent references to the concept of ‘looking’ e.g. screens within screens,
mirrors, stages etc.
• 6) There are often intertextual references made to such things as film, TV, Books or
other music videos
